Day 5 Portofino

Travelogue: Day 5 – From Genoa to Portofino: Stars, Scenic Trails, and Sleepless Tents

We woke up in Villa Doria, or as we now fondly call it, Villa Bella Zoo—not just because of the wildlife around us, but because, well, we were camped next to an actual zoo. After a much quieter second night, we set off in a leisurely, stress-free fashion, strolling down to Genoa Pegli station and hopping on the train to Santa Margherita Ligure. The journey took about an hour and a quarter, winding along the coastline—beautiful and relaxed.

Once in Santa Margherita, we paused for a cheeky coffee and croissant (as all civilised travel days should begin), before boarding the ferry to Portofino. Under glorious skies, we glided into the iconic harbour, where pastel buildings spill down the hillside and money seems to drip from every yacht.

We spent a good few hours in Portofino, exploring its charming alleyways, enjoying foccacia piled high with tomatoes and onions, and walking up to the castle. There, in the sunlit rooms of Castello Brown—once bought by an Englishman, naturally—we discovered a brilliant exhibition of black-and-white photography featuring the film stars of the '40s to '60s who had filmed in the area: Greta Garbo, Liz Taylor, Orson Welles, Burt Reynolds. Glamour and nostalgia on every wall.

After soaking up the views and the stories, we made our way back down along a shaded park path and enjoyed a well-earned beer with more foccacia , before wandering further—right round the curve of the town to gaze back across at Portofino from the opposite side. The view was something else: almost too perfect to be real, a living postcard.

We caught the 4pm ferry back to Santa Margherita and enjoyed a gentle uphill wander to a striking church and villa, before making our way back down into the town’s quieter backstreets. Dinner was delicious: sea bream for Gill and traditional fried fish and chips for me. We rounded it off with another essential gelato and caught the evening train back to Genoa Pegli

Back at the campsite, I valiantly attempted another night in the tent. Between the chorus of chirping bugs, 4am birdsong, cold feet, and a trail of ants with far too much confidence, I gave up around 5am and snuck back into the van. A proper nap followed until 8.30am, when another day of Ligurian exploration beckoned.Read more