Postcards from Portofino










I cannot believe it took me more than ten years of traveling in Italy before I visited the charming town of Portofino. When planning my exploration of Liguria I had to include the famed Portofino. This small fishing village entered the international spotlight when it was discovered by wealthy English travelers in the nineteenth century. Since then it has remained a premier destination for the elite. The charming and colorful port is dominated by super yachts every summer.

It was the remoteness that initially attracted wealthy travelers and continues to attract them today. This means that getting to Portofino is not easy. You must first travel to the larger seaside town of Santa Margherita and then take a bus, taxi, or ferry to Portofino. The best way to arrive, however, is by private boat or private taxi boat.

The actual town of Portofino is quite small. It consists of the port and a couple of designer-lined cobblestoned streets. Emily and I started our day with a coffee at an outside cafe overlooking the port before hiking up to the church of St. George for the best views of the city. After taking in the view, we headed back down into to town and wondered the colorful streets while salivating over the gorgeous fashion on display in the designer boutiques. We grabbed a quick bite and then walked to the Hotel Splendido, which boasts a splendid (sorry, could resist) view of the entire city. We sipped prosecco, enjoyed the view, and toasted to a delightful day. While we both enjoyed our time in Portofino, we decided to just spend one day there so that we could explore other cities in the area (more on that next week!).

I ordered this postcard print J.Crew dress specifically for this day-trip to Portofino. I knew it would be perfect and after three months of no American shopping, I was so excited for something new! Emily, the good friend that she is, brought it over to me in Italy. It is such a fun print and the style of the dress just embodies the feeling of being on vacation.


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