We stayed in this town for five nights. The area is famous for great (sea-)food and the nearby…read moretowns like Portofino and Camogli. But the town itself is a treasure and shouldn't be missed. The historic center is compact and easy to walk. There are tourists, but most of them national, and many international visitors skip this pretty town. Lots of fantastic bakeries to check out. Try the "Panificio Dama" or "Pasticceria Pestarino". Both have great tartes, cakes, cookies and hand-made pralines. Crudo di Mare (raw seafood) is big in Liguria. And in this town we've had the best ever: Head to the restaurant "Du Coq" for wonderful raw shrimp, langoustines and fish. Also Shrimp Carpaccio and a great selection of oysters. In town there are several traffic-free walking streets and sights like "Chiesa di Santa Margherita", "San Giacomo di Corte", the nice and peaceful waterfront or the small, but pretty harbour area a bit south of the old town. You could even walk to Portofino from here. There's also a bus (takes about 25') or the ferry, which is convenient and fast. Takes only 15'. No need to bring the car to Portofino. Traffic and parking is pretty annyoing (I did it before). Santa Margherita really feels like a "real" town. People live here, people work here. Folks are welcoming and friendly. Feels less touristy than other towns around. And prices both in restaurants and shops are very very fair and won't break your budget. This town is a real gem we just found about recently. And we will definitely be back next year.

Portofino is a charming place. The whole coast of Liguria is charming. All the villages of Cinque…read moreTerre, the drive along the coast (not for the faint hearted). It's a lovely part of Italy...but then again whole Italy is lovely. Once you parked your car at the end of town, the Via Roma leads down to the port. It's only a very short walk. You'll pass lots of restaurants, shops, souvenir stores and more. It's a nice little street. Even with Covid-19 still quite busy. The heart of Portofino of course is the Marina. You will see the Yachts, but you also have the chance to get on a boat yourself. Ferries and Tour Boats are departing from here. Some go up and down the Ligurian Coast. Or sit down in one of the restaurants (most serving the typical tourist fare - but ok for a drink) and watch the world go by. You can stroll a bit to the left...and a bit to the right. But the Marina itself is not that huge, but it sure is an eye-catcher. The old buildings, the colours, the water. It's just amazingly beautiful and well worth the trip. From here you also could walk up to the Castello. We really loved Portofino. But be sure not to miss out on the Cinque Terre and the less known (but full with locals) Porto Venere.

Santa Margherita Ligure is a lovely town. Maybe a bit overlooked by visitors who focus on nearby…read morePortofino, Camogli and the Cinque Terre. But that's also a good thing, because it feels more local, more quiet without being boring. It's just the right mix. If you're in town, be sure to stroll along the waterfront from the old town to this little port. There are lots of fishing boats and even the occasional yacht to be spotted. Along the harbour are some nice cafés and restaurants. The views from here are very nice and in spring and summer there's even a Ferris Wheel - weather permitting. We came here a few days after Easter in April. Weather was a bit cooler, so there wasn't really anybody around. Which was very nice, calm and relaxing. A lovely spot for an easy walk. From here you actually could continue walking up until Portofino. Or take the convenient Ferry from a bit more north in town (only takes 15').

Camogli is place we had never heard off until our Mediterranean cruise…read more It's a lovely fishing village with so many shops & places to eat, we came to find out here is the birth place of the focaccia & pesto, which is a must try the toasted bread w the fresh pesto was just wow, very good the pepperoni was great as well. Best thing here is the amazing scenery , lovely blues in the water, a very rough pebble beach I could do without the fish smell but hard to avoid. This was a very nice & laid back area.

The great thing about Camogli is that you dont know about Camogli....not many Americans...and thats…read morea good thing if you want an authentic Italian town Amazing views Great seafood Ubiquitous gelateria Gorgeous weather Stunning beach

During our Mediterranean cruise we booked an excursion to Portofino & what more can be said? Expect…read morejust WOW! As u enter the port u are just speechless with the amazing scenery, Mother Nature really put some effort here. We docked & had time to explore, such a lovely area, lots of high end shops, souvenirs & plenty of places to eat, the price here is the scenery & it did not disappoint!

Porto di Portofino is a beautiful small Italian fishing village and holiday resort famous for its…read morepicturesque harbour and historical association with celebrity and artistic visitors. It is located just a half hour boat, train, or car ride away from the Metropolitan City of Genoa on the Italian Riviera. Potofino is clustered around its small harbour, and is known for the colourfully painted buildings that line it's shore. With a short hike up to Castello Brown or Brown Castle, you can get a awesome view of the port of Portofino and the surrounding area which is ideal for the best photographs! References to Portofino date all the way back to 29 AD. After 1229 it was part of the Republic of Genoa. In 1409 Portofino was sold to the Republic of Florence by Charles VI of France, but when he was ousted from Genoa, the Florentines gave it back. In 1815 it became part of the Kingdom of Sardinia and, from 1861, it became part of the unified Kingdom of Italy. Notable residents include King Richard I of England in 1190 and Pope Gregory XI in 1377 along with several famous politicians, writers, painters, actors, and actresses. The Statue of Christ of the Abyss was placed underwater on 29 August 1954 in the inlet at a depth of 17 metres or 56 ft. This statue was placed to protect fishermen and scuba divers and in memory of Dario Gonzatti, the first Italian to use SCUBA gear, who died in 1947. In 1999, Universal Studios recreated a full-scale replica of Portofino Bay at Universal Orlando Resort in Orlando, Florida, USA, but it is missing all the mountains and yachts. In 2001, Portofino inspired a recreation of the seaside town around the harbour at Tokyo DisneySea in Chiba, Japan. In 1959 Dalida released an Italian song "Love in Portofino" which Andrea Bocelli reissued in 2013. In 2017, Ferrari named one of their new V8 sports cars after Portofino. The weather on my visit in August was pretty hot but not cloudy and the town was not too packed with tourists that you couldn't move along the town shops and paths, which was ideal. For those with extra time, you can take a tour of Castello Brown. I highly recommend taking a boat trip to enjoy the beauty of this town and the surrounding area from the water! If you're anywhere near Genoa, Portofino is a must see! I highly recommend visiting for a day trip!

Santa Margherita Ligure is a lovely town. Maybe a bit overlooked by visitors who focus on nearby…read morePortofino, Camogli and the Cinque Terre. But that's also a good thing, because it feels more local, more quiet without being boring. It's just the right mix. If you're in town, be sure to stroll along the waterfront from the old town to this little port. There are lots of fishing boats and even the occasional yacht to be spotted. Along the harbour are some nice cafés and restaurants. The views from here are very nice and in spring and summer there's even a Ferris Wheel - weather permitting. We came here a few days after Easter in April. Weather was a bit wet, so there wasn't really anybody around. Which was very nice, calm and relaxing. A lovely spot for an easy walk. From here you actually could continue walking up until Portofino. Or take the convenient Ferry (only takes 15').

This was a really interesting museum as it appealed to my sense of adventure and exploration…read more D'Albertis castle was filled with a ship captain's collection over a lifetime of sailing around the world. He collected 1800 weapons from different cultures, collected artifacts and biological samples, and took detailed notes of his experiences. Beautiful castle, gardens, and collections, only issue I had was most of the descriptions were in Italian and I expected that to help visitors they would also post in English and German considering the likely visitors.

Sestri Levante is a beautiful town. The old town is great for a nice little walk and to grab a bite…read moreor two. Nice lanes and streets to enjoy the Italian old town. For a longer walk you should head to this boardwalk, the Lungomare. You can start in the south from the peninsula or just from the south end of the old town - by the impressive Chiesa Madre di Santa Maria di Nazareth. It's a nice and long walk going north. Passing lots of beach restaurants, kiosks and stalls. Nicely lined with trees, small parks along the way and lots of benches to rest your legs and watch the world go by. Wonderful ocean view all the way. It's a popular thing to do. But the promenade is long and wide enough, so it never felt too crowded (on a sunny day in April). The Parcheggio Sturla is a great option to park your car. Just by the promenade, but with only few cars (again: in April). If you feel like walking, you could even walk the whole way along the ocean up until the next town! It's a really pretty town, this one. And the walk along the ocean is perfect way to spend some time.