Portofino Walking Tour - 4K 60fps with Captions

Welcome to Portofino, Italy, the jewel of the Italian Riviera. The first 15 minutes of this walk were filmed on Thursday, July 13. The remaining part of the

tour

was filmed the day before, on July 12. Portofino is a picturesque fishing village that has captivated visitors for centuries. Portofino is clustered around its small port and is known for the colorfully painted buildings that line the coast. Portofino is located in the Liguria region, about 40 km south of the city of Genoa. The Italian Riviera extends from the border with France and the French Riviera south to Punta Corvo. To our left is a monument to the fallen soldiers of the First World War.

We'll go up the stairs and see more of them later in the

tour

. The term Riviera means coast in Italian. The Italian Riviera includes almost the entire coast of the Liguria region. The towns of Cinque Terre are part of the southern area of ​​the Italian Riviera. We have arrived at Piazza Martini dell'Olivetta, also known as La Piazzetta. In 2012, Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli held a concert here where he sang a version of the 1959 hit, Love in Portofino. The song, originally sung by Dalida, was written by Leo Chiosso and composed by Fred Buscaglione. This small town dates back to Roman times when it was a fishing village known as Portus Delphini, Port of the Dolphin.

Portofino is easily accessible by bus, ferry, bike or car, but please note that parking here is very limited. Most visitors arrive in Portofino by bus or water taxi from the nearby town of Santa Margherita Ligure. The bus to Portofino is located right in front of the Santa Margherita Ligure train station. The journey only takes about 10 minutes. You can buy bus tickets at the nearby tobacco shop or with a credit card at a kiosk. The bus will drop off visitors right in front of Piazza della Libertà. There is also a parking lot located here. This road to the port is Via Roma.

It's always time for ice cream! I also filmed a morning and evening tour of Portofino that will soon be posted on the channel. The oratory, dedicated to the Assumption and headquarters of the brotherhood, was founded in the 14th century by the Disciplinanti community itself. Inside there are two large processional crucifixes - one white and the other black - that weigh 105 and 115 kilograms respectively; Even today they are carried in procession on the occasion of the patron saint's day of San Giorgio. During the 15th century, the church underwent several structural modifications that greatly altered its original 14th-century appearance.

Along this street is where you will find clothing stores, cafes, ATMs, hotels and restaurants. Although there are many places to eat, there are very few places where you can buy groceries and supplies to cook your own food. When you look at all the ice cream colored houses, not everything is as it seems. Sometimes windows are not windows, doors are not doors, and even balconies and planters are not balconies or planters at all. If you look closely, you will notice that many of the shutters, large keystones, elaborately carved arches and porticos are cleverly painted on the walls.

You will find this decorative illusionism in all the colorful cities of the Italian Riviera. These "fake" house facades are not made for the benefit of tourists. This artistic fraud has been going on for centuries. The tradition of decorating the facades of houses began in the 15th century. The trend began in Genoa with the construction of new Renaissance palaces. Its facades were richly decorated with sculptures, cornices and marble. However, not everyone could afford these luxurious decorations in their homes, so they invented a new way of decorating the facades. Painted facades added an illusion of beauty and wealth without the need to commission or pay for fantastic marble columns and window carvings.

Originally, the color was applied in the same way as frescoes, painted on wet plaster so that the color would dry on the walls. Using this method, the artwork lasted 30 to 50 years against coastal weather conditions, stormy winters, and abrasive sea air. Today, modern synthetic paints are used that have brighter, richer colors, but only last a few years before needing to be redone. Painted houses also had other practical uses. Originally the Portofinos were fishermen and sailors. The brightly colored houses allowed fishermen to see their homes and villages from far out at sea. At the top of the hill is Castello Brown.

We will visit the castle later in this tour. Over the centuries, ownership of Portofino has changed hands numerous times. Its small natural harbor was perfect for a small fleet of fishing boats, but too small to support a fleet of merchant ships. Pliny the Elder (23 AD – 79 AD) referred to Portus Delphini (Port of the Dauphin) as being on the Ligurian coast between Genoa and the Gulf of Tigullio. Portofino is mentioned in a 986 diploma from Adelaide of Italy, which describes the town as part of the nearby Abbey of San Fruttuoso di Capodimonte. In 1171 Portofino was part of the parish of Rapallo together with the neighboring Santa Margherita Ligure.

After 1229 it was part of the Republic of Genoa. In 1409, when Charles VI of France was Doge of Genoa, he sold Portofino to the Republic of Florence. When Charles was expelled from Genoa, the Florentines returned it. Here you can clearly see the painted masonry. The path to our right leads to the Church of Divo Martino which will be visited later on this tour. Above left is the balcony of the apartment I stayed in during my visit here. The name of the property is "Sun's Homes "Red". The cost was €420 for two nights. The apartment included a kitchen and balconies on both sides.

The entrance to the apartment is on the left next to the cafe. In 1815 Portofino became part of the Kingdom of Sardinia. From 1861 it was part of the United Kingdom of Italy. It was around the same time that British aristocrats began visiting Portofino and reporting on its beauty. Since the late 19th century, Portofino's main industry has been wash tourism. Unlike many popular tourist destinations in Italy, Portofino is known more for its beauty than its history. This road along the western side of the port is called Corso Umberto I. Umberto I was king of Italy from 1878 until his assassination in 1900.

This is the ferry port with passengers arriving from Rapallo and Santa Margherita Ligure. Many movie stars and VIPs from the last 100 years have enjoyed their dinners here next to this port. There are many online databases where you can search for the owners and specifications of these superyachts. This is the Nouf, which is 31 m (101 ft) long and has a top speed of 30 knots. It was built here in Italy in 2005. This is the Museum Park, a sculpture park that began in the mid-1980s. The museum, which houses sculptures by some of the great international artists, is enriched every year with new acquisitions.

The names of each artist and photographs of their works can be seen on the museum's website: www.museodi

portofino

.it This final piece is by Vezio Moriconi, an artist from the nearby city of Viareggio. This sculpture park offers some of the best views of the harbor. The tour through the park lasts until minute 55. The sculpture at the top of the stairs is by Simon Benetton (1933-2016). If you enjoy this tour, leave a LIKE on the video and SHARE it with a friend. Portofino is part of the Portofino Regional Park, which is located between the Gulf of Paradiso on one side and the Gulf of Tigullio on the other.

The Portofino Regional Natural Park, established in 1935, is a beautiful area offering an interesting mix of rural and maritime landscapes. There are 9 named mountains in the Portofino Regional Natural Park. The tallest and most prominent mountain in the park is Mount Portofino (Monte di Portofino) at 2,021 feet (616 m) high. Portofino's eponymous park stretches about 13 kilometers (8 miles) along the coast from Camogli to Santa Margherita. Hikers to the Portofino Regional Natural Park can enjoy views of both the Golfo Paraíso and the Golfo Tigullio. Coves, inlets and bays are typical of this part of the coastline. As a result, outdoor sports such as coastal tracks and cliff jumping are popular, as people try to make the most of the high ridges and deep seas found in the region.

Human presence on the promontory has been documented since the Bronze Age (14th century BC). The Portofino Regional Nature Park is also home to other sites of historical interest, such as the World War II bunkers overlooking the sea and the Portofino Lighthouse. There are around 50 miles (80 km) of hiking trails in the park that offer spectacular views of the Mediterranean Sea. Portofino hiking trails tend to be old mule tracks or rugged trails that wind along rocky cliffs or wooded areas. This is a designated swimming area. These stairs lead to the castle and from there we follow the path to the lighthouse.

These trails can be walked all year round, although they are best seen on a sunny day during the coldest months of the year. The main cities of the Portofino Regional Natural Park include Portofino, Camogli, Santa Margherita Ligure, Rapallo and Genoa. Affectionately known as "Santa Claus" by many Milanese, Santa Margherita Ligure is bustling with activity in the summer. It became a famous tourist center after World War II. The city is now a great place to settle on the Italian Riviera. For many decades, Rapallo has been the winter residence of many wealthy Italians living in northwestern Italy. In addition to enjoying the sea and having access to the Portofino Regional Natural Park, tourists in Rapallo can enjoy the castle, which was actually built to protect Rapallo from pirates.

Genoa is the capital of the Liguria region and is known as the birthplace of the sailor Christopher Columbus. At its peak during the 12th and 13th centuries, Genoa had one of the largest naval forces in Europe. It was considered one of the richest cities in the world due to its leading role in European trade. Parking is available in all cities, but is usually limited due to lack of space. Camogli, Santa Margherita Ligure and Rapallo are located on the train line between Genoa and Pisa. There is also a fast intercity train from Milan that will take you to all these locations in about 2 hours.

Portofino is not on the train line, but can be easily reached from Santa Margherita Ligure on foot, by car or by bus. Castello Brown was built in 1557 as a defensive fortress. The site has been used for military defense since Roman times. As a Genoese coastal fortress, it was called Castello di San Giorgio. After peace fell in the region at the beginning of the 19th century, the Castello was abandoned in 1815. This is the best view of Portofino. In 1867, Montague Yeats-Brown, then British consul in Genoa, bought the castle for 7,000 lire. He converted the castle into a comfortable villa.

Brown purchased many church reliefs during the general church sale in the 1880s and made them a feature of the interior and terraces of the villa. In 1945 the castle was occupied by the Germans who used it as a prison. In 1949, the villa was sold to an English couple, Jocelyn Baber and Lieutenant Colonel John Baber. From here we contemplate the Gulf of Tigullio. You can see Rapallo in the distance. After many restorations, the Babers sold the castle to the city of Portofino in 1961. Can you live here? The two pine trees on the terrace were planted by Brown in 1870 for his wedding day.

You climb a staircase covered with "laggioni" (Genoese tiles): the use of majolica to cover the walls was widespread in Liguria. This room played music that I had to edit due to copyright issues. The song that played was Love in Portofino. During the time that the Germans occupied the castle, a terrible event known as the Portofino Massacre took place. On September 8, 1943, Italy surrendered, as Italian troops began to surrender to their former German allies. As happened previously in Greece, they were massacred. Here, in Portofino Castle, the Germans shot 22 Italian prisoners on December 2, 1943. The prisoners were taken the day before from the Marassi prisons in Genoa and Chiavari.

The 22 prisoners were shot, then tied up and thrown into the sea, just below the castle. Their bodies were never found, except for one who was thrown back into the water after getting caught in a fisherman's net. The files related to this event were archived and rediscovered only in 1994 in a closet, later nicknamed "the closet of shame", in a room in the Palazzo Cesi in Rome. This path leads to the lighthouse, which will take about 10 minutes. This path descends to a small beach. The lighthouse was built in 1917 and is still in use today. Today, the lighthouse is fully automated and powered by a solar panel.

Did you see the first

walking

tour of Portofino thatI filmed in August 2020? I hope you enjoy this tour as much or more than the previous one. The noise we heard throughout the tour comes from the cicada insect. At the foot of the lighthouse there is a lounge bar known as Al Faro. The phrase "Al Faro" means "to the lighthouse." I stopped at the bar here and took a sip of an Americano before continuing

walking

. The next landmark on this tour is St. George's Church which can be seen at time 1:57:42. After visiting the church, we will take a tour of the cemetery.

Saint George was a Christian soldier in the Roman army. In 303 he was sentenced to death for refusing to renounce his Christian faith. Street. George is the patron saint of Portofino and the church houses his relics. During World War II, a bomb fell on the church and was completely destroyed. The church as it stands today was built in 1950 with the same structure as the original church built in 1760. During excavations after the Second World War, the remains of an ancient chapel were found at this site. The Italian word "Salita" means to climb or climb. So this path is the Climb to the church.

He knows what he likes to see his baby. To our left is the Cimitero ai Caduti I^ Guerra Mondiale, a monument to the fallen soldiers of the First World War. If you enjoy this tour, leave a LIKE on the video and SHARE it with a friend. Thank you! We take one more step along the water before returning to the Church of Divo Martino. The church is the seat of the parish of San Martino and San Giorgio of the Rapallo-Santa Margherita Ligure Vicariate of the Diocese of Chiavari. The church was originally built in the 12th century, but has since been rebuilt and restored many times.

The church as it stands today dates back to the 16th century. One of the original documents dates back to 1130 and recounts Pope Innocent II's decision to transfer ownership of the church to the monks of the nearby abbey of San Fruttuoso di Camogli. The church is dedicated to Martin of Tours, a Roman bishop and soldier from the 4th century. We will complete this walk by turning the corner to a public beach. Santa Margherita Ligure is about 3 miles from the coast. I wanted to come back here after filming the hike and go swimming, but there was no time.

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