Portofino is the smallest municipality in the province of Genoa. And Portofino is also a very famous and favourite resort of Italians. In the bay “Tigullio” and in Portofino various shots from famous films were shot in the 90s. Portofino is located in a National Park, which is considered to be the most protected area on the northern coast of the western Mediterranean Sea. The park has been protected since 1935 and holds the largest number of different Mediterranean flowers and shrubs, a great variety of birds and invertebrates. The promontory, over 600 metres high, under which Portofino is situated, is one of the most attractive areas. Whether you are travelling from the sea by boat or along the coast, you will not be indifferent to this beautiful view of the rocky coast with small beaches.
Portofino has ancient origins, it was founded by a Roman emperor and was called “Portus Delphini” (port of the dolphins) possibly because of the fact that in the bays “Tigullio” and “Paradiso” (Paradise) there were many dolphins.
The parish church of San Martino was built in XII. Inside the church there are various works of art ranging from ancient paintings (Madonna del Rosario, saints Rocco, Sebastiano and Pantaleo) to beautiful statues, such as the wooden group of sculptures depicting Christ.
The church of San Giorgio was built in 1154. Castle Brown (Castello Brown, originally called Castello di San Giorgio) is an ancient fortress on the coast of Portofino in the bay of “Tigullio”. Some excavations in the area where it now stands have shown that the castle was originally an ancient lookout tower during the Roman era.
Santa Margherita Ligure – after the Second World War, the town also known as “the pearl of Tigullio” is becoming an increasingly popular holiday destination for tourists. Santa Margherita’s idyllic position in the sheltered turquoise Gulf of Golfo di Tigullio makes the resort an ideal base for sailing, water skiing and scuba diving. The resort attracts a huge number of attractions, as well as elegant old mansions, which now house hotels equipped with everything you need for a wonderful holiday. There are also many interesting buildings in Santa Margherita Ligure: the Church of St Margaret Antiochia with its Latin cross and dome; the Church of St Johannes, built in the Old Town, near the Courthouse. And also the Abbey of Cervara, Villa Durazzo-Centurione, which together with Villa San Giacomo forms a complex resembling a castle with a very interesting garden design. Villa Durazzo also has the famous Vittorio John Smith Museum. Every year the city organises a large number of cultural events. A lot of visitors come because of the Carlo Negri Cup, an international sailing competition.
