There are places in Italy one simply cannot not see. Portofino is one such place. Less than an hour from Genoa, Portofino is an Italian fishing village turned luxury holiday hotspot for the fabulous and wealthy on the Italian Riviera. Portofino has long drawn royalty, celebrities, artists, and wealthy vacationers to the pristine waters of its snug harbor just big enough for Yachts to slip into. Luxury shops and restaurants are nestled below a hillside rainbow of posh vacation homes.

In the 50s Portofino became the global summertime hotspot for the world’s upper class. The relatively small size of the harbor combined with its growing popularity drove the allure of exclusivity to near-mythic proportions. Sir Winston Churchill, the Prince of Monaco, Princess Grace, Rita Hayworth, Clark Gable, Liz Taylor, Richard Burton, Humphrey Bogart, Ava Gardner, and Marcello Mastroianni are all connected to Portofino, Italy.

To this day Portofino remains the physical manifestation of Champagne wishes and caviar dreams drawing entertainment legends including Robert De Niro, Madonna, Liza Minnelli, George Clooney, Peter Gabriel, Denzel Washington, Ringo Starr, and Barbra Streisand. Just to name a few.

Yet through it all Portofino has held onto its charm. The beguiling touches of wealth combined with Italy’s tradition of preservation have served Portofino well. Aquamarine harbor waters, lush floral hillsides, and Ligurian Romanesque-style buildings dating back to 1154 are a sight to behold.

Pictures of Portofino Italy

Today’s Pictures of Italy gallery is a colorful collection of our favorite photos of Portofino. Included below are 25 photos and Art Prints created by ALOR Italy Photographer Paolo Ferraris. Plus just below the gallery lies a Portofino map showing the harbor, surrounding hillside, hiking paths, and vista points seen in today’s photo gallery.

Have fun connecting the art prints to pictures of the locations that inspired them! All Portofino art prints are for sale, starting as low as $23.99. Customizable framed and unframed versions are available. Simply Click an Art Print below for more details. Without further ado, here are our favorite 25 pictures and Art Prints from Portofino, Italy.

All the photos above are Paolo’s except the last one of the boy by the marina. I loved how he stood there taking everything in by himself for nearly half an hour. His parents were relaxing at the table beside ours finishing off a pizza in Piazza Martiri dell’Olivetta. I can only imagine how impactful getting to see Portofino would be at such a young age. Do you think he’ll sail a boat someday?

Portofino Italy Map

I’ll admit my favorite parts of Italy are the least touristy and often the most authentic. Hilltop towns like Pienza and Spoleto where Nonnas and Nonnos fare una passeggiata hand-in-hand in the afternoons. Where church bells tell the time. The humble off-the-beaten-path Agriturismos that serves the best food you’ll ever have in your life with house wine. Yet Portofino still left its mark on me too. I’ll never sail into the marina on a yacht as the wealthy have since the 50s. Yet I do dream of returning for another day of post-pizza hiking around the gorgeous hills of Portofino followed by an aperitivo by the marina.

Have a favorite photo in the gallery above? Let us know in the comments below! Paolo’s Art from Portofino is for sale Email Paolo@ALORConsulting.com for details.

We’re Brandy Shearer (Author) and Paolo Ferraris (Photographer) of ALOR Italy. A personal Italian lifestyle blog by an Italian American couple living in the Italian Alps. Welcome! We made ALOR for those in need of a little la dolce vita. Love Italy? Subscribe to ALOR Italy to see our next Pictures of Italy gallery.

All Pictures of Italy are © Paolo Ferraris & Brandy Shearer and ALOR.blog, 2020 and beyond! We strictly prohibit unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission. We do allow excerpts, provided that you give full and clear credit to Paolo Ferraris & Brandy Shearer, and link to ALOR.blog. Please use appropriate and specific directions to the original content. For use, please contact Paolo@ALORConsulting.com.

References

• Portofino Italy: History, What to See, How to Get There, Where to Sleep – Discover Genoa
• The five reasons we absolutely love Portofino – Gran Tourismo Events
• Portofino History & Notable People – Portofino Coast