Rapallo to Portofino: A Walk Through History, Luxury, and Overpriced Espresso – By Andy

Going for a 5km run on the same day you’re planning to walk nearly 10km to Portofino taking in the many sites between was perhaps not the best idea, but I’m committed. Since starting Couch to 5k last April, I’ve been on a mission to get fitter, and a four-month trip isn’t going to derail me. I think it’s also a good way to explore, or soak up what normal life is like in a place, get out early see the locals going about everyday life, it’s insightful.

Unlike the run in Turin, I didn’t overdo it and was therefore back in good time to join Zoe for a well earned but healthy breakfast. Turning my nose up at the many sweet treats offered as part of our Italian buffet breakfast, they do love a bit of cake in the morning, I opted for fruit and yoghurt! Whatever has happened to me, actually looking after myself for once!

With a couple of extra bread rolls snaffled from the breakfast buffet, we set off on our walk to the famous Portofino. But first… Hannibal’s Bridge. 

A Bridge Older Than Hannibal?

Near Rapallo’s port, an ancient single-arched stone bridge called “Hannibal’s Bridge” crosses the road that leads to Santa Margherita Ligure. This name was given to it because it seemed likely that, during the Second Punic War, supplies or reinforcements were landed on the coast in the area of ​​Rapallo, which was then a commercial maritime port, for the troops who would later clash in the famous battle of the Trebbia (218 BC).

However, no basis can be found for the fact that Hannibal, having crossed the Alps in 218 BC, traveled with his army along the coast, crossing, or even building, the bridge. In all the documents, papers, drawings and maps from the most remote past there is no trace of a link to Hannibal. 

The oldest document that mentions the bridge is from 7 April 1049. It is a donation with which a Rainaldo donates to the church of Santa Maria di Castello the assets he owned in Rapallo, including lands that Guinizio and Dueta held on lease from him “around the bridge” with ten olive trees and five fig trees. 

So, even if the bridge isn’t Hannibal’s, it’s sodding old, and incredibly… intact. 

From Ancient Relics to Modern Luxury

Our journey continued past the very grand hotel Excelsior Palace, high on the hill between Rapallo and San Michele di Pagana it’s one of those hotel’s with a beach club/spa/wellness centre across the road, complete with infinity pool.

Completely luxurious and completely out of our league… for this trip at least! 

Unexpected Charm in San Michele di Pagana

In the next bay from Rapallo lies San Michele di Pagana, a chance find as we assumed it was just somewhere to walk past. However, we found a nice little beach coffee hut next to the canoe club. A chance to sample another caffeine hit to supercharge our walk. (Zoe’s favourite, we returned.)

Up the hill is Parrocchia di San Michele Arcangelo, another church with an interior decadently decorated. We take the obligatory photo for our mounting collection and move on.  

Santa Margherita: A Sleepy Town with a Lively Heart

The next bay houses Santa Margherita. What at first seems a sleepy beach/port, turns out to be a surprisingly lively little town when you go into the streets behind. There’s an enthusiastic trumpeter entertaining the great and the good of the town in Piazza Caprera in front of the church, which of course we pop our heads into to see just how ornately it was decorated, not to be disappointed. There’s some nice boutique shops and a lovely veg stall, people seem happy and friendly as they greet each other while carrying out their morning chores. 

We explore a little more and find further back some lovely narrow alleyway streets, the sort we have become very used to seeing on our travels. Always charming, always, somehow, other worldly, a throwback to when town planners and health and safety didn’t exist. 

As we work our way from the beach side of town to the port we pass the castle, the inventively named Castello di Santa Margherita. It’s fairly unremarkable, apart from the fact it has a public toilet built into the base of it. The castle was apparently built in the 16th century by the Republic of Genoa to defend against pirates, I presume the facilities are an addition and weren’t offered to them.

A Coastal Walk with Thoughtful Touches

Exiting the town and walking onwards to our destination the pavement makes way for a wooden walkway hugging the coastline next to the road. The walkway is an excellent addition, it gets you close to the coastline. There are some nice touches where, rather than uprooting trees that have found a way to grow in the most unlikely of places, out of a coastal wall, they have built around it, allowing the tree up through the walkway and building the handrail around it. A nice nod to looking after nature.

Silvio’s pad

Following the coastline path, we soon caught sight of our next historic landmark. As you pass Pino D’Aleppo you see on the next headland a grander castle built into the rocks, Paraggi Castle (aka Bonomi Castle). 

The Bonomi castle, or Paraggi Castle, was constructed starting 1626 by the Genoese Republic. The castle was occupied by Napoleon Bonaparte’s French troops between 1812 and 1814. Today the structure is used as a private residence, apparently home to the Burlesconi’s for the last thirty years. One Google reviewer said he had the time of his life at the parties, and thanks Silvio for his generosity. Fake? Maybe. But made us laugh either way.

In the bay of Paraggi we get a taste of what’s to come with one beachside restaurant/bar adorned in Dolce and Gabana logos. Everything is shut and getting a refurb for the summer ahead, so we pass through quickly.

Passeggiata dei Baci: Romance or Clever Marketing?

At this point, we have a decision to make, to walk the road with no pavement or go up the “Passegiatta dei Baci” (“the walk of the kisses”) the romantics we are, I have no other option but to drag Zoe up the hillside for a kiss. 

Having logically, perhaps romantically, thought we may cut a bit of the corner off as a reward for our climb, we realise our passeggiata closely tracked the shape of the road. However, a few honks of horns from buses and cars at pedestrians brave enough to still walk the road without pavement justified our decision.  

I can appreciate a well-marketed safety route, would they get as many people taking it if they just labelled it as the route to Portofino instead of “the walk of the kisses”? I think not. Well played!

And another moment to be thankful for travelling out of season. This would be at best impassable, most likely insufferable for all the wannabe influencers making their way to spot a Khardasian, Hollywood star or pop star, and undoubtedly spending hours taking selfies from multiple angles.

Portofino: the celebrity retreat

The Passeggiata dei Baci drops you into town next to the bus stop and Romanesque Lombard-style Chiesa del Divo Martino, which when open apparently has a richly decorated interior. Sadly, we didn’t get to see the interior of this church. Saved for another day, maybe.

Once a humble fishing village, Portofino now has just 369 residents—though its visitors include some of the world’s wealthiest.

The beauty of the pastel-colored houses, and charming piazzetta, a small cobbled square overlooking the harbour, has attracted the great and the good of Hollywood, politicians and the rich.

Where the rich holiday, the high-end boutiques follow. The piazzetta is lined with them and vastly overpriced restaurants. Dolce and Gabana have some kind of cafe/restaurant come boutique where an espresso will set you back 5 euros! Which I actually thought was a crime in Italy, like officially, anyone selling espresso for more than 1.50 is locked up, no?! Delfino’s tackily has photos of what I guess is the owner arm in arm with Elton, Armani, Rod Stewart and Burlesconi in greater than life size prints on the wall outside. Scoring a horrid 2.3 on Google reviews, a place to be avoided like the plague!

Anyhow, the piazzetta is pretty for sure, the village has a charm, you can understand what attracts people still. But again we’re so happy to not be visiting with the crowds of the summer season, I think it would be unbearable. It would rob the place of its charm and make me feel like a day had been wasted.

If you’re into that scene, hob-nobbing with wannabe influencers, celebrity spotting, oggling super yachts, and have money to burn on bowls of pasta that’ll set you back 50 euros, then by all means, knock yourself out. Or like us, take a stroll there at a quieter time of year.

A tasty escape

Forewarned by a friend regarding the restaurants that line the piazzetta and harbour, and without the budget for 50 euro bowls of pasta, we opt for a restaurant a street back, but still with a view of the piazzetta from its terrace (just!), called L’Isolotto. 

Yet, this place wasn’t a lottery, it had fair reviews and we found it to be good, honest food. Trofie pasta with pesto and seafood ravioli with prawns, mussels and clams – both excellent and no eye-watering bill. 

A Final Stroll Before Moving On

After our late lunch, we explored more of the village heading out towards Castello Brown and Faro di Portofino, a lighthouse at the end of the peninsula.

Unfortunately, we didn’t make it to the lighthouse, our legs were crying out for a rest and so we turned back. Again, saving for another visit, maybe, maybe not.

Explore, don’t linger

I am certain that a village that has been around and thriving since the 8th century BC will not live or die on my somewhat ambivalent review. And don’t get me wrong, Portofino is undeniably beautiful, but it’s a place to see rather than to linger. It thrives on its reputation, and while the charm is real, the exclusivity can be off-putting. A glimpse into its world is worth the walk. 

But like Genoa’s most famous son, Christopher Columbus, we are eager to keep exploring.

Next stop: Genoa.

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