The Vibrant Colors and Cliffside Houses of Portofino Italy

Portofino is a small but perfectly cultured and sophisticated coastal village in Italy. Its yacht-filled harbor, zings of Porsche or Audi key rings, and flashing leather of Prada jackets or Dolce & Gabbana handbags hint to the fortune-looting expense but the place is so beautiful that it is worth splashing out a bit.

Located in the province of Genoa on the Italian Riviera, the fishing village has become a vacation resort for its half-moon shaped harbor. Being a favorite destination to rich, famous, artists, and celebs, the village has long gained an affluent and romantic character. It has thrived around its small harbor. The highly photogenic village is best known for the artistically painted buildings standing in a line along the shore.

Founded by the Romans, Portofino had been ruled by the French, English, Spanish, and Austrians. In addition, it was under the control of the Republic of Genoa in 1229 and the 16th-century pirates. The Romans named it Portus Delphini or Port of the Dolphin because of the presence of a huge number of dolphins in the Tigullian Gulf.

Tourists and vacationers started flocking to the verdant harbor since mid-1800s. The infrastructure of the place was updated, expensive vacation houses were built, and eventually tourism substituted fishing as the main industry of the small village by 1950. No new houses have been built in this village since 1935, making the entire place exuding a vintage charm.

Portofino is mainly for people who are looking for some repose and downtime, away from the din and bustle of populated tourist places. It does not offer you much to do. You can take a visit to the castle, walk to Punta del Capo, stroll round the tiny harbor, or check out the boutique shops. However, the experience of drinking the beauty of the sapphire Ligurian Sea, picturesque cliff-side gardens, the sun-soaked Santa Margherita cliff, or the line of yachts anchored in the bay is priceless. In fact, just sipping coffee and watching the people and natural beauty of the place on a lazy afternoon is quite relaxing.

The upscale coastal village attracts a lot of tourists from around the world. If you want to enjoy the true beauty of this scenic and fashionable retreat, try avoiding the peak-season because local authorities sometimes curb the overcrowding by limiting access.