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Sara Sozzani Maino’s guide to Portofino
The favourite getaway of the Milanese seen through the eyes of a long-term aficionado.
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As someone who has been visiting Portofino since she was born, Sara Maino is perfectly placed to share its secret spots and little-known nuggets about the Ligurian location affectionately known around the world as the Italian Riviera. Here, she talks scents, where to stay and the restaurants to make a reservation at on the pastel-hued peninsula.
Valextra: Buongiorno Sara, thank you for sharing your Portofino! Let’s start by asking you what’s the one thing everyone should know about Portofino?
Sara Sozzani Maino: That it’s the most beautiful place on earth. Portofino is a place where time has stopped; because it is protected by FAI (Fondo per l'Ambiente Italiano) there hasn’t been new construction there in the last 50 years so that has kept it very special. Tourism is high, but there is a respect for the ambience and the infrastructure.
V: What is one thing few people know about Portofino?
SSM: Not very many people know that during the war, tunnels were created under the rocks. There are three to four tunnels that start at different points of Portofino and take you to the other side of the mountain and give you direct access to the sea - it's a bit like Batman! These are the places that people don’t really know to look out for and they make for a unique experience. The other is the festival of San Giorgio on April 23, when there is a big bonfire in the middle of the main square. That’s a tradition that has kept going for years.
V: What is your first memory of Portofino?
SSM: They are beautiful memories of freedom. My family had a house on the hill, and I always remember spending weekends in the garden and by the seaside. There were no cars or traffic, just the freedom of nature. In the evenings, we would go down for aperitivo and I remember playing boules in the square with all the other kids in the piazza – something you don’t see that much of anymore.
V: Is there a particular scent you would associate with Portofino?
SSM: Funnily enough when you go to Portofino you really smell the sea. Every time I go, when I leave the highway, the first thing I do is put down the windows and smell the sea. There are also these Agapanthus flowers which smell beautiful, too.
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V: So, what is the quickest and calmest way to get to Portofino from Milano?
SSM: We’re so lucky in Milano because it’s near the mountains and the sea. We can get to Portofino by car in an hour and a half with no traffic – door to door let’s say two hours. The train to Santa Margherita Ligure is quick also– that takes two-and-a-half hours.
V: What is the first thing you do when you arrive there?
SSM: I kick off my shoes, head out to our terrace and have a moment with the sea and in nature.
V: Where would you recommend someone who likes to discover local colour stays now?
SSM: There aren’t that many hotels in central Portofino, but the Hotel Splendido is a very special place where actors and celebrities have been visiting since the Fifties. In nearby Santa Margherita and Zoagli there are additional hotels and bed and breakfast accommodation to be found.
V: Where is somewhere people should eat that is a local gem?
SSM: In Portofino, they are all owned by families who have been there since I was born. These days, if it’s not the father still running it, it’s the son or grandson. The best are Trattoria Tripoli, Taverna del Marinaio, Mulino del Gassetta and and Ö Magazín. Then there is Ristorante Da Ö Batti that does the most amazing prawns. Nobody has ever discovered the recipe, and they are really good!
“Portofino is unique; Portofino is not to be taken for granted”
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V: What if you wanted to cook something yourself?
SSM: Aside from fish, Portofino is known for its focaccia and white wine [such as Pinot Grigio] but there isn’t even a supermarket in Portofino, just two small shops for focaccia so if you want to buy something else, you have to go to Santa Margherita. It’s this kind of slow way of life in Portofino that makes it special and encourages a slower kind of tourism. Same for the carpark – there is only one and when it’s full, it’s full!
V: We’ll keep that in mind! While we are there, are there any standout examples of architecture that we should try and see?
SSM: There is Castello Brown [a historic house museum that was used as a defence lookout in the Roman times] which you always see above you when you arrive. You can also take a boat and see the Christ of the Abyss which is a bronze statue placed on the sea floor in the San Fruttuoso bay [in the Portofino Marine Park]– you can swim down easily and see it.
V: Are there any particular times of the year that you would say are best to visit?
SSM: Nowadays, because of climate change, the Portofino weather is good all year round and even though there are tourists there during the day, from 6pm onwards it’s just the local people who live there. May, June and September are lovely months to visit.
V: You’ve convinced us to make a trip there. So, to finish Sara, please can you tell us what Portofino is and what it is not?
SSM: Portofino is unique; Portofino is not to be taken for granted.