Hikes and walks

Villa Durazzo · When half an hour in the greenery is enough

You do not always feel like setting off on a proper hike. Sometimes it is enough to walk up to Villa Durazzo’s gardens and leave the noise of the streets below for a while. Walk among the trees, stop to look down at the sea and return to town without having had to plan anything.

This is the walk we suggest for getting to know Santa Margherita, perhaps on your arrival day or when the sky does not encourage you to venture far. Check the park’s opening hours before going up.

Walking to PortofinoThe coast changes around every bend

From Santa Margherita harbour, follow the sea towards Paraggi. At first you pass through the liveliest part of the coast, then the route becomes quieter: little coves, rocky stretches and glimpses of the headland appear that you would miss from the road. There is no hurry to arrive; this outing is especially lovely if you stop now and then to look around.

After Paraggi, where the road narrows, we prefer to take the woodland footpath continuing towards Portofino, the Passeggiata dei Baci. The sea stays close, but for a few stretches you find yourself among greenery above the bay. In Portofino you can stop in the little square or keep climbing: first to San Giorgio church, then Castello Brown and finally the lighthouse. It is that last stretch that gives you the feeling of having truly reached the end of the headland.

To return, you can retrace your steps or take a bus or boat, depending on the day’s timetable.

Nozarego and OlmiThe trail starts behind the apartment

This is one of the things we love about Il Cuore di Santa: you do not even need a car to enter the headland’s landscape. A flight of steps starts behind the apartment; as you climb, you leave the neighbourhood behind and reach Nozarego. From up there, Santa Margherita lies below you, with the Gulf of Tigullio in the background.

If you have time and feel like continuing, the trails from Nozarego take you through olive groves and stretches of woodland towards Olmi, then down to Portofino. We would choose the side facing the gulf: it is the one where it is worth stopping, turning around and recognising from above the places you passed a little earlier. There are several branches, so consult the Park map before choosing your route.

The Hermitage of Sant’Antonio di NiascaFrom the sea to silence

Between Paraggi and Portofino there is a detour we particularly like. From the pedestrian path you climb into the woods and soon leave the bustle of the coast behind. The trail leads to the Hermitage of Sant’Antonio di Niasca, among old terraces, vegetable gardens and trees: a place that seems to belong to another Liguria.

A small religious community lived here as early as the fourteenth century. Today the Hermitage has been restored and can be a stop along your walk or a starting point for exploring more of the headland. Even though the detour is short, check the route; if you would like to stop for a coffee or a meal, check opening times and bookings first on the Hermitage website.

Camogli, Punta Chiappa and San RoccoThe wilder side

Camogli photo: Airb97 / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Set aside a full day for this outing. Reach Camogli by train and first enjoy a wander among the colourful houses and little harbour. If sea conditions and timetables allow, board the boat to Punta Chiappa: you disembark in the Porto Pidocchio area. From there the path descends towards the tongue of rock reaching into the open sea. It is one of those places where you naturally want to linger, even just to listen to the water and look towards the horizon.

For the return, go back through Porto Pidocchio and begin the climb towards San Rocco. There are many steps: take your time, as the views along the coast and towards Genoa make the pauses worthwhile. Along the way you pass the stone church of San Nicolò di Capodimonte. If you arrive in the late afternoon, the light over the Golfo Paradiso can be beautiful.

From San Rocco you can continue on foot to Ruta and take bus 773 to Santa Margherita. Check the boat and bus timetables beforehand: this outing works best when you already know how you will get back.

San Fruttuoso on footA destination worth the effort

San Fruttuoso is easy to reach by boat, but arriving through the Park is a different experience. The abbey and small bay appear at the end of a walk through climbs, descents and woodland: seeing them open up before you after hours on foot feels special.

We would not suggest it as an unplanned stroll. From the Santa Margherita side, the route is long and involves significant changes in elevation; choose your itinerary on the official map, check trail conditions and set out with water, suitable footwear and enough time. If you plan to return by sea, check the last boat before starting your walk too.

Portofino Kulm, an atmosphere from another era

Some places are worth a detour. Portofino Kulm is one of them. Driving uphill towards Ruta di Camogli, higher and higher, you almost unwittingly enter the heart of the headland: the landscape changes, the air grows cooler and greenery takes the place of the sea. Then Portofino Kulm appears, a grand hotel suspended in time, elegant and a little mysterious. Whether it is open or closed, simply passing by is enough to sense an atmosphere from another era, almost like an Agatha Christie novel: you might expect Poirot to appear on the terrace or among the hotel’s large windows. It can be a little destination to reach by car or a detour during a day out towards Camogli. Above all, it is one of the places where you truly feel you have entered Portofino Park, that green, quiet world just above the coast.

If you feel like walking, leave the hotel behind and follow the trail towards Pietre Strette, in the heart of the Park. From there you can retrace your steps and enjoy the Kulm view again, or follow the trails down to Santa Margherita Ligure. You can also do it the other way round: climb from Santa Margherita to Pietre Strette, reach the Kulm to take in the view and then return. The walk to Santa Margherita is a proper hike: choose your route and assess walking times and elevation changes on the Park map before setting off.