Free walking tours in Camogli and what to see

Must-sees

Camogli is a fishing village on the Golfo Paradiso, west of the Portofino headland. Its tall, narrow houses, painted with trompe-l'œil cornices and shutters, look onto a small harbour. Beside it, on a rock, stand the basilica of Santa Maria Assunta, of medieval origin, and the Castello della Dragonara, a small fortress built to defend the coast. The Maritime Museum recalls the village's seafaring past with paintings of ships and models.

The other big draw is the Portofino nature park. From San Rocco, trails lead to Punta Chiappa, a tongue of rock over the sea, and to the bay of San Fruttuoso, where a medieval abbey looks onto a cove you can only reach on foot or by boat. At the bottom of that bay lies the Christ of the Abyss, a submerged bronze statue.

Free tours and guided visits

Camogli has no free walking tours. What Civitatis offers is a guided hike through the Portofino nature park, a good option if you don't know the paths, which have steep and exposed sections. On your own, the boats leaving the harbour for San Fruttuoso and Punta Chiappa let you combine walking out with returning by sea.

How long to spend

The village can be explored in two or three hours, with time for lunch by the harbour. If you want to walk to San Fruttuoso or Punta Chiappa, set aside a whole day. In good weather, a swim at the pebble beach below the promenade rounds off the visit. With two days you can add Portofino, Santa Margherita or Recco, known for its cheese focaccia.

Where to stay

Camogli itself has little accommodation, with a few hotels and apartments near the promenade and the harbour, so book early in summer. Further up, in San Rocco, there are quiet places to stay by the trails. If you can't find a room, Recco and Rapallo, a few minutes away by train, have more options.