Curator’s statement
Spent some time on the Ligurian Coast this summer with my husband and two girls. We had an amazing trip. Liguria is the perfect alternative to Amalfi in the heat of the summer.
The Fora Difference
Book with Jennifer to access exclusive perks and experiences on your trip.
Killer perks
Free upgrades, spa credits and more—we got you
Personalized recs
Customized travel planning for your style
Insider knowledge
Expert advice from people who’ve actually been there
Where to stay
Splendido Mare, A Belmond Hotel, Portofino
Once beloved by Elizabeth Taylor, this storied Portofino stay is a beacon of bygone glamor
Fora Perks
- ★
$100 food / beverage credit.
- ★
Breakfast daily.
- ★
Upgrade & extended check-in/out whenever possible.
Grand Hotel Miramare
Fora Perks
- ★
$100 food / beverage credit.
- ★
Breakfast daily.
- ★
Upgrade & extended check-in/out whenever possible.
Excelsior Palace Portofino Coast
Elegant hotel overlooking the bay of Rapallo boasting a fine-dining restaurant and a seasonal terrace.
Eight Hotel Portofino
Polished hotel with stylish rooms and a full-service spa in the lush hillsides of Portofino near the Ligurian Sea.
Fora Perks
- ★
$50 hotel / resort credit.
- ★
Breakfast daily.
- ★
Upgrade & extended check-in/out whenever possible.
Villa Rosmarino
This pastel pink mansion is heaven for art lovers, with killer views across the Portofino Peninsula.
Hotel Bristol Palace
Grand hotel in a building from 1905 with stately rooms and suites.
Fora Perks
- ★
$100 hotel / resort credit.
- ★
Breakfast daily.
- ★
Upgrade & extended check-in/out whenever possible.
Splendido, A Belmond Hotel, Portofino
Luxury meets on the Italian Riviera.
Fora Perks
- ★
$100 food / beverage credit.
- ★
Breakfast daily.
- ★
Upgrade & extended check-in/out whenever possible.
Galleria Vik Milano
Where art, design, and luxury seamlessly blend, creating an unforgettable Milanese experience.
Fora Perks
- ★
$100 hotel / resort credit.
- ★
Breakfast daily.
- ★
Upgrade & extended check-in/out whenever possible.
Grand Hotel Bristol, Portofino Coast
Where timeless elegance meets breathtaking views, offering the epitome of luxury on the Italian Riviera.
Eight Hotel Paraggi
Where sophistication meets serenity, a hidden gem on the Italian Riviera offering an intimate and luxurious coastal retreat.
Meliá Genova
Where modern luxury intertwines with timeless Italian charm, promising a captivating stay in the heart of Genoa.
Unlock perks by contacting Jennifer to book your trip.
As a geographical reference, Parco Naturale Regionale di Portofino, is a protected area that spans basically from Camogli to Portofino, to Santa Margherita Ligure. So these three towns are definitely the highlights of the region.
Camogli is totally off-the-beaten-path for your American tourist. It's a wonderful, authentic, very Italian beach town. Quiet during the week, busy over the weekends. I literally did not hear the English language until the last day. Some people stay right by the beach, but if you know what's up, you'll do what I did, rent a car, and stay on the hill and drive down to the beach each day. The views are enchanting. The beach in Camogli is a black stone beach. There are a couple public lots where everyone parks, and then you walk down to the pedestrian zone, which is situated around the beach and ferry dock. Parking wasn't that difficult of a situation. Pro tip: pay via the EasyPark app. You can rent beach chairs & umbrellas; they're all set up. Really it's just a gorgeous scene, boats going back and forth, everyone is with their families, relaxing, tan, the Ligurian sea sparking under the sunshine. There's a bit of shopping & restaurants throughout the town. Highlights for me were Cucu Camogli and the Camogliese. The hotel situation in Camogli is not luxury. There is one stand-out, Villa Rosmarino, which looks lovely. We were in a 2-bedroom villa with a pool, yard, and outdoor seating area. It was perfect for us; we had so much fun & the girls loved having a pool.
We spent some time in Santa Margarita, Liguria, which has a lot more going on than Camogli. There are cultural sites, great shopping, a mix of higher-end and mid-range boutiques. A ton of restaurants. There is more of an international tourist scene, which makes the town buzzier. The hotel to stay in is: Grand Hotel Miramare. Also in Rapallo, there is: Grand Hotel Bristol Resort & Spa and Excelsior Palace Portofino Coast.
Portofino is where it's at. High-luxe, designer brands. Everyone's dressed to the nines. It's buzzy, fun to be around, and absolutely gorgeous with the boats all lined up in the dock. Restaurants on the square. I spent the morning at the Belmond properties, while my husband and the girls shopped, watched the boats, and ate more gelato. Could have hiked up to the lighthouse. We had lunch at Langostera in Paraggi, which is a must. Paraggi is a teeny sandy beach, but if you've been around Italy, you know that the Italians will make use of every square inch of shoreline and sun. So it's a cute scene, a few restaurants and beach clubs squeezed in. The beach clubs do take care of the seaweed, but the public beach not so much. Regarding the hotel scene in Portofino, the King is Splendido & his Queen is Splendido Mare. Otherwise, there's an Eight Hotel Portofino & Eight Hotel Paraggi.
I worked with our on-the-ground partners to schedule some fun excursions. We did an awesome private pesto class at Portofinese, an old mill. The drive up is a nail-biter so don't try and drive there yourself. You can hike. We had also planned to do a boat day with a stop at San Fruttuoso, which you can only get to by boat, but it got cancelled & rescheduled 3x. Time and tide wait for no man.
& of course, we did Genoa in a day. Walked the main square, the old port, through the Medieval Quarter. We did all of the museums of the Strada Nuova on Via Garibaldi. The palazzos were incredible; I loved seeing what life was like. After a few hours, the rest of the family was like, "how many more palazzos?" So we grabbed lunch & headed back to the pool. I feel like people skip Genoa; it's definitely gritty. But there's a lot of history there, so in my opinion, it's worth a trip, especially for the traveler that's looking to dig in a little deeper! For hotels, there's the Melia Genova & Hotel Bristol Palace.
Our last 3 nights were spent in Milan. Every time I return to Milan, I fall in love a little bit more. We stayed at Galleria Vik, which is in Galleria Vittorio Emanuele. We just loved it. The hotel is basically a love letter to modern art, but also, what an experience to stay in the Galleria! The energy of everyone walking through, dining, and shopping, vibrates throughout the building. It was fun! & I love being in the center of things when I'm in a City, so we could just walk out of the front door and everything was at our fingertips. Of course, we did the Duomo & Last Supper. We're also huge Formula 1 fans & our dates overlapped w/ Monza, whee! So we got tickets & headed over for Qualifying Day before our flight home the following day. Pro tip: From Milan, you can easily train or take a cab to the circuit. & for the race, make sure to buy your train tickets in advance!
Need to know
This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to Italy. In need of further inspiration? Check out Laura Celi’s guide, Italy for Families.
![Advisor - Jennifer Schwartz](https://media.foratravel.com/image/upload/v1710958126/contentful-migration/advisors/image/jennifer-schwartz-travel-advisor.jpg)
Travel Advisor
Jennifer Schwartz
Get in touch with Jennifer
Did you like this guide? Reach out to customize and book your own experience. Or, just to chat about travel in general.
You can normally expect a response from Jennifer within a business day or so. You’ll also be subscribed to our travel newsletter (you can unsubscribe at any time).