The glamorous town of Portofino is located on the Italian Riviera just 38 km from Genoa and is one of the most exclusive resorts in Italy. In the twentieth century it was one of the favorite places for celebrities and artists like Greta Garbo, Elizabeth Taylor, Clarke Gable, John Wayne, Ernest Hemingway, Aristotle Onassis and so on. Even if now it may have lost some of that power it is still a major touristic destination.
One of the principal attractions is the Genoese Medieval Castello Brown (Castle Brown) which had had an important function against Venetians, Savoyards, Sardinians, Austrians and fell against Napoleon. It was bought by a British diplomat who turned it into a private home. Nowadays it is possible to visit the castle and its gorgeous gardens where is also located the Museo del Parco: born in the 1987 it’s a modern park which faces the dock and consists of three terraces littered with contemporary sculptures.
From the castle you have a great view of the harbor and the town, for an even better outlook you can just walk a little bit further to the Lighthouse (Faro). Close by you may also like to visit the Church of San Giorgio, tiny Roman church which date back to 1154.
Lastly, you can visit the Abbey of San Fruttuoso, reachable only by foot or by boat, dates from the 11th century, anyway most of the attention is caught by the Christ of the Abyss (Cristo degli Abissi) bronze statue put 15 meters underwater in the 1954.
A short distance away from Portofino is located the Abbey of Cervara, encircled by beautiful gardens dates back to 1361, it has been a monk residence between the 14th and 18th century but it turned into a private residence in 1937.
