Santa Margherita and Portofino are perhaps the most famous of the Italian Riviera towns, but for some reason were amongst my final destinations in Liguria. I was determinedly avoiding the most touristy of destinations thinking them to be somewhat overrated, or maybe it was all part of my attempt to see Italy as an Italian would. But it turns out that both Santa Margherita and Portofino are worth much more than an afterthought. I am defeated.
In Santa Margherita I fell in love with the sparkling water and the lavish port with all its luxury boats in an instant. Then delving further into town and I found the little piazza decorated with tall, ornamented buildings and a grand church which demands more than just a glance. From there the cobbles take you past Italian cafes and restaurants with sophisticated diners sipping coffee and eating cake, little green grocers with fresh fruit and vegetables spilling out of wooden baskets outside and the scent of the famous focaccia protruding from the open doors of bakeries. And then there is an array of shops selling shoes, bikinis and designer clothes. Add to all of this the palm tries lining the promenade and wealthy Italians dressed all in white (because this is apparently what you do if you are Italian and rich) and there you have Santa Margherita.
From sparkling Santa Margherita I took the bus along the seafront to Portofino. It is more than likely that you have heard of this place and would recognise the classic photo of the coloured buildings lining the edge of the port, but seeing it in real life is something quite special (without sounding too cliche...). It is a town undoubtedly full of tourists, where everybody steps off the bus and immediately grabs their cameras to capture every little corner of this charming little town. And I was not to be the exception, it is too beautiful not to. Yet despite the many tourists there is a definite feeling of seclusion here, of being far far away from beeping horns, illuminated lights and any sense of time. My favourite place in Portofino was near the church, a little walk up the hill. On one side there is the serene port with its little boats encased within the cliff faces, and on the other side there is the open sea, wide and endless with no restrictions. Almost like two different worlds, and me in the middle writing postcards home and eating melting ice-cream.
Everything sparkles in these two enchanting towns, I fell in love.
