44:18.25N 09:12.08E Portofino

Ariel of Hamble
Jim and Valerie SHURVELL
Mon 26 Jul 2010 20:22

44:18.25N   09:12.08E   Portofino

 

As we were very comfortable in St. Margherita harbour we took the bus to Portofino.  It is well worth a visit as it is so beautiful.  Jim and I had thought so from Ariel but once inside the harbour a real feel for the place takes over.  The restaurants are all around the harbour and very, very expensive shops are dotted in between.  They actually make Bond Street look cheap.  It is the resort for the rich and the jet set.  It is beautiful, elegant and sophisticated.

There are a small number of boats on the quay and a few on moorings which make you realise how small this beautiful place is and if you could manage to get a berth in the harbour you would be very lucky.

The castle on the ridge is known locally as “Castello Brown” after a British Consul General at Genoa in the 19th century who bought it and renovated it to live in as his residence.  It remained in his family until the 1960’s when it was given to the community of Portofino.  The Santa Giorgio church on the opposite ridge is said to contain the body of St. George.

Needless to say we sampled some very delicious ice-creams before we made our way back to St. Margherita on the bus past some beautiful houses overlooking the bay of Portofino.

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