The Winner Takes it All

Rapallo
The Italian Riviera spans the whole coastline of Liguria region and after a fabulous start in Genoa we were heading east to the seaside town of Rapallo, which is only a forty-five minute train journey from the capital. Rapallo has a nice, cosy feel about it. It has a great selection of restaurants and bars and a market that arrives every Thursday and extends the full length of the fabulous seafront. It is even home to a castle, although it was covered up for restoration work when we visited. 

Rapallo, Liguria, Italy

We were staying in an apartment that sat high on the surrounding hilltops so it had great sea views extending as far as Portofino and it's lighthouse. The location of Rapallo is excellent, with the train station providing access to regional and national services that connect the waterfront town with all the villages of the Riviera, so it makes a great base for exploring.

Hilltop living in Rapallo, Liguria, Italy

First up on our daily excusions was the pretty holiday town of Sestri Levante, which is just a couple of train stops east along the coast. From the station in Sestri Levante the road meanders into the old town and from Piazza Giacomo Matteotti you can marvel at the two bays separated by a thin outcrop of the peninsula.

Sestri Levante on the Italian Riviera

The enclosed, crescent shaped Bay of Silence is one of the nicest beaches in Italy accordingly to the guidebook, and it does retain some of that charm on a damp, overcast September morning. There is a lonely bronze sculpture of a fisherman just off the shore that blends perfectly with the surrounding landscape. Opposite, the larger Bay of Fables was a favourite of Hans Christian Anderson and was subsequently named in his honour.

Bay of Fables, Sestri Levante, Italy

Make sure you grab a Cappuccino at the charming art deco Caffè Centrale and then walk up Via Cappuccino to a great viewing point of the colourful sea front. An excellent lunch option is the lovely MILLELIRE, which is a lovely old style bar which probably hasn't changed that much since Hans was grabbing a bite. The toasted focaccias are on another level and the draught beer is excellent.

Bay of Silence, Sestri Levante, Italy

Next stop on the train was Camogli. This beautiful village is located on the west of the Portofino peninsula and has a long dark-sanded beach and harbour separated by the imposing Castle della Dragonara which is adjacent to the Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta. 

Camogli, the Italian Riviera

The historic old port also boasts a little lighthouse which is perfectly placed to look stunning against the backdrop of coloured houses, each painted a different colour so the fishermen could recognise their home. It is a stunning looking seaside village.

The Marina at Camogli on the Italian Riviera

The Lighthouse at Camogli, Italy

Santa Margherita Ligure is only a eight minute ride on the train from Rapallo. It sits on the opposite side of the Portofino Promontory from Camogli and has a more well-healed clientele, reflected in the large yachts nestled in the vast marina and the proliferation of high-end eateries lining the seafront. It felt touristy but is a slightly less ostentatious neighbour of Portofino, our next port of call.

Santa Margherita Ligure, the Italian Riviera

One of the pleasures of exploring Liguria is having the option to travel by train or by boat. To get to Portofino we chose the ferry and on the way were rewarded with a view of the Lighthouse at Punta Santa Maria della Spezia, which appeared to be part of a military base. It was all quite dramatic with a helicopter practising manoeuvres and there were even explosions. Thankfully neither the lighthouse or our ferry were the targets of the Italian navy.

 Lighthouse at Punta Santa Maria della Spezia

One of the most famous destinations on the Italian Riviera, or in fact in the whole of Italy is Portofino. But it very nearly ceased to exist during the German occupation in World War Two. As the Nazi army retreated from the Allies, the German Commander was given instructions to destroy Portofino, but a Scottish lady, Frau Von Mumm persuaded him against this horrific act and the village was spared.

Portofino, the Italian Riviera

After the exciting thirty minute ferry journey from Rapallo we got to enjoy one of the the jewels in Liguria's crown, unspoilt and almost exactly as it was almost sixty years ago when it was saved. The very famous and pretty village has just enough character, plus a lighthouse and castle to redeem itself from the whiff of affluence that threatens to envelop it.

Portofino Lighthouse, Italy

Once off the boat we headed straight up the headland to the lighthouse which is a twenty minute walk from the harbour. In typical Portofino style the lighthouse has it's own cocktail bar! It was approaching midday so how could we resist not having a beer at Il Faro Bar. 

Portofino Lighthouse, Italy

The harbour at Portofino is relatively small, but heaves with super yachts vying for a spot to drop anchor. The town itself caters perfectly for the elite crowd with lots of exclusive looking restaurants decorating the waterfront and hoards of designer boutiques crammed into the back streets. Ce la vie. We did manage to find a nice local artist's shop selling hand painted fish and hand-made scarves at a reasonable price, so bought a few nice mementoes of the famous village.

Portofino Lighthouse, Italy

And after a hectic five days of touring, our time in Rapallo was up and we were now headed to La Spezia, the final port of call on our Italian trip. We loved Rapallo. The waterfront is unpretentious and there are lots of great, affordable places to eat and drink. On our last night we were amazed to find a full blown ABBA tribute band playing a free concert to a big crowd on the beach. The band were superb and the atmosphere was so much fun. Everyone was smiling and singing and the lighthouse at Portofino was twinkling in the distance. Perfect.

ABBA, Rapallo seafront, Italy