A photo tour of Camogli, one of Liguria's most beautiful coastal villages

Close your eyes and imagine a fishing village in Italy:

colorful balconies,
a long sandy beach,
white boats fishing in the harbor...

You can open your eyes now 🙂

You have arrived in Camogli.

What to see and do in Camogli

Enjoying a day at the beach

Almost in front of the exit of the train station you will find stairs like these that go down to the coastal area of Camogli.

Stairs to go down to Camogli from the train station

When you get downstairs, you can:

Slip down one of the small alleys that continue down to the fine rocky beach hidden by the buildings.
Or turn to your right and be dazzled by one of the most beautiful views of Camogli, with its large sandy beach at the foot of the city.

From here you can go down to the beach and look for your favorite spot, either in the narrow public areas or in one of the paid"lidos" with sun loungers and umbrellas.

And if that's all your plan for the day, you've got it.

Relax and enjoy 😉.

Camogli photographic route

Walking around Camogli is a delight.

Pastel-colored facades along the seaside promenade in Camogli, Italy

You will find a thousand and one perspectives to shoot your camera, the hard part will be making the selection afterwards 😉.

I have marked on the map some points of interest where you should go to enjoy the views (with or without camera):

At the beginning of the promenade.
At the viewpoint next to the church.
Two points at the end of the pier in the port.

My recommendation? Walk slowly and attentively.

Camogli is full of charming details, wherever you look at it.

Savoring Italian gastronomy

Lunch and dinnerYou will find a multitude of restaurants of all kinds in Camogli (pizzerias, specialized in fish, trattorias with delicious fresh pasta...).
- However, our favorite was always the Fatamorgana bar. For the food? Not especially, although it was good. Actually we always went there for the ambience: an open-air terrace (but protected from the sun), overlooking the harbor and the colorful facades, covered by a huge green ivy. Can you eat with more charm?

Focaccia to goone of the most economical and delicious Ligurian specialties (alternative to pizza).
- Although we tried other "foccacerie" in Camogli, our favorite was always Cose Buone, especially the Recco and onionfoccacia.

Ice cream and semifreddido you know what is the "semifreddo de panera". or simply breadbasket? If you like coffee and creamI'm just telling you that you'll melt with pleasure 😉.
- The ice cream parlor with the most delicious bread basket I have ever tasted in my life is the one that stopped the pedestrian traffic under the arch of Camogli. And I say "stopped" because as I write this article (March, 2020) I can't find the company that runs it online. In any case, I have marked its location on the map.

Visit the natural park of Portofino

Camogli is a perfect starting point to visit the natural park of Portofino.

Panoramic view of the beach of Camogli and part of the natural park of Portofino.

How?

On footFrom Camogli there is a path (marked with two red dots) that climbs up to San Rocco and from here it branches off to:
- Punta Chiappa.
- San Fruttuoso.
- Portofino.
By boatfrom the port tourist boats leave for the following destinations Punta Chiappa y San Fruttuoso. Once there, you can lie in the sun and enjoy a day at the beach, or put on your hiking boots and walk along one of the trails in the natural park.
- For example? The trek from San Fruttuoso to Portofino.
By train: another way to approach the park is to start from the other end, in Santa Margherita Ligure, and travel along the southeastern coast from beach to beach as far as Portofino.

Directions

Tourist boat departing from Camogli to San Fruttuoso

Although there are some parking areas in the southeastern end of town (marked on the map at the end of this post), I recommend you visit Camogli by train.

The lines that pass through the station connect it directly to major cities such as Genoa and La Spezia.

When to go

Port of Camogli, next to the natural park of Portofino

If you want to spend the day at the beach, the best time is from mid-June to mid-September, that is, in summer.

However, in addition to being quite hot, you will also find the hammock area and the streets crowded with tourists, both foreign and domestic.

So, if you can do without a bath (or if you like cold baths), any other time of the year will be a much calmer and more pleasant time to visit Camogli.

Where to stay

Zoom on some of the balconies of Camogli

As I lived for 5 years in Genoa, a mere 30 minutes by train from Camogli, I never had to look for accommodation in this area.

However, if I were to return for a visit I would try to stay in one of the hotels and cottages in Camogli.

I would love to wake up early (or go to bed late) and take the opportunity to walk through its almost deserted colorful streets.

What will it be like?

Useful Links

National rail network – Trenitalia.
Boats from Camogli to San Fruttuoso.
Official website of the Portofino Nature Reserve (in Italian).
Accommodation deals in Camogli.
Flights to Italy: Trabber, eDreams,Momondo, andVueling.
Get 5% off when you purchase travel insurance with IATI.

Panoramic view of the port of Camogli, Portofino, Italy

Are you traveling through Liguria? If so, you might also be interested in these destinations:

And not far away…

Map

Did you also fall in love with Camogli during your visit to the natural park of Portofino? Tell me about it 🙂 🙂