Portofino Natural Park

Portofino Park grants a complete view of the Ligurian coast both from a naturalistic and a historical-anthropological point of view.

A very thick network of paths crosses wild habitats, rural settlements, and sea villages rich in art and history and offers beautiful landscapes worldwide known as Italian best coastline views.
The Park territory reaches the Municipalities of Recco, Camogli, Portofino, Santa Margherita Ligure, Rapallo, Zoagli, and Chiavari.

The exceptional variety of habitats and microclimate forms one of the largest flower concentrations in the Mediterranean area.

The northern section is dominated by woods of hop hornbeam, ash trees, chestnut trees and common maples, while the southern slope is covered by a thick Mediterranean maquis by pine woods, holm, oak forests.

Moreover, peculiar biological systems can be found on cliffs near the sea, on crags and dry-stone walls, in the fresh little valleys which originated by the Promontory complex orography (like San Fruttuoso one).

The rocky spur of the Promontory stretching towards the open sea and characterized by overhanging coasts, gives origin to the most interesting and intact seabed of the Mediterranean basin.

It is particularly relevant the presence of several species of the southern Mediterranean Sea, the exceptional vegetal and animal richness of the coast, with birds of prey’s constant presence.

Our itinerary starts from the village of San Rocco, climbs to the feets of Monte di Portofino among deep forests and later on down to the shore.

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The first stretch of the path is simple and relaxing, while on the cliffs the track makes it harder, with beautiful views to Parco delle 5 Terre and eastern Liguria.

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The sudden view of the bay of San Fruttuoso is marvelous, it’s incredible to walk into such a unique place. The Abbey is one of the most considerable monumental complexes of the Ligurian coast.

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From now, the path is recommended only to expert trekkers, the presence of a methallic wire helps in the most exposed stretches, directly over the sea.

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We are moving towards Punta Chiappa and Porto Pidocchio, from there we can see all the western Ligurian Coastline, with the snows of the Maritime Alps.

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One last series of steps ascending over the sea brings us to the starting point of San Rocco, where we could taste the charachteristic Focaccia Genovese.

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