Portofino to San Fruttuoso and Back

One of the places I was looking forward to seeing in Liguria was San Fruttuoso. I had seen pictures and my best friend had said it was a must see. San Fruttuoso can only be reached by boat or by hiking in. We decided to hike there from Portofino and take the boat back.

It is easy to see why Portofino was and still is a popular place to visit, but I found it a bit less glamorous than expected. Still, that may have been because it was early in the season. The two hour walk along the coast was quiet and apart from a large class of students, we passed only a few other hikers.

San Fruttuoso sits in a pretty cove and is nestled in a forest. Most of the buildings date to the 10th and 11th centuries. The watchtower which presides over the abbey complex was built in 1562. Plenty of tourists come for the day and enjoy the clear waters. We were lucky enough to catch the last boat back- or else we would have had to hike back to Portofino.

Once we reached San Fruttuoso, the trail down to the sea winds through the Abbey and then suddenly the pebbly beach is in front of you. We found a spot in the shade and cooled our feet in the chilly water. Our plan was to enjoy a drink somewhere but when we noticed the last boat that day would be leaving in 15 minutes, we rushed to the dock as quickly as possible. A two hour hike back didn’t sound appealing.

It was interesting to see San Fruttuoso from the water, then ride past the coastal trail we had hiked earlier. The light was absolutely beautiful as we entered Portofino’s harbor and I couldn’t stop taking pictures.

 

2 Replies to “Portofino to San Fruttuoso and Back”

  1. It looks like you had a wonderful hike to San Fruttuoso. It looks like a very quiet and special place. Great photos!

  2. Aunt Gail says: Reply

    WOW! What a beautiful little hiding place, nestled in the hills with that clear blue water all around. Definitely worth the 2 hour walk and it looked like a glorious day for it. But glad you were able to take the boat back and get that gorgeous view as you departed.

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