Portofino is a colourful seaside village on the Riviera Levante, located about a 2.5 hour drive from Milan. Tucked in between the surrounding hills and a gorgeous little harbour, the village, with its brightly-coloured houses and quaint alleys is absolutely picture perfect. Probably because of its relative seclusion and its incredible beauty, Portofino has been a favourite vacation spot for the jet-set since the 1950′s. These days, the jet-set moor their stunning yachts in one of the secluded coves along the coast – Madonna and her family were spotted on a yacht just off the Portofino coast not too long ago – leaving the village to the thousands of day-trippers.
Despite the throngs of tourists, it’s hard not to feel drawn by the charms of Portofino. Strolling along the harbour, with its many colourful fishing boats against a backdrop of houses in shades of yellow, pink and orange, I felt like I was walking through a gorgeous painting, albeit one with noisy tourists and designer boutiques. 
With beautiful luxury villas dotting the hillsides surrounding the picturesque harbour, I can imagine why Portofino is a dream getaway for many. Set off with a mild climate and relaxed, friendly people, this little town is one of my favourite spots in the Italian Riviera.
There are various places of interest in the village such as the beautiful Castello Brown and the San Giorgio church. However, Portofino’s main attraction is its picturesque harbour. I spent many moments, sitting at the water’s edge, sipping wine and taking in the sights: the schools of fish in the crystal-clear water, the brightly-coloured boats floating on the glassy surface of the harbour, the charming houses, the boisterous locals, and the fascinating mix of camera-toting tourists and glitterati.
Please scroll down to view a photo essay of Portofino.
Search for hotels in Portofino.
Read other Velvet Escape posts on Italy:
- A day trip to Capri
- Enchanting spots: Palazzo Ducale Mantua
- My velvet escape travel tip: Tuscany
- My velvet escape travel tip: Liguria
- Breathtaking Positano
- The faces of Pompeii
Grazie for the dreamy photos! I’ll live vicariously through the beautiful colors until my next visit!
I just came back from Italy like 2 weeks ago. How did I miss this cute little town, Portofino? I’ll definitely add it to my next visit list plus Milian. I love the water and scenery by the boat. Beautiful shots!
Portofino is one of my all time favorite places in the world, especially off season, when the tourists are few and far between. The photos are gorgous! It truly is a lovely place. Love your travel topics and articles!
I have not been to Portofino, but my next trip to northern Italy, I will make sure to drop by! Gorgeous!
Oh wow, what gorgeous pics!!! I wanta definitely visit now.
Too nice!! How nice to see blue sky too . We’ve have a spell of endless dreary days here in Melbourne which is so unlike September. It’s usually warming and reaches 20C+ by now but we’re still waiting for the first true, warmer Spring day. Thanks for your teasing photos!