The National Park of Portofino is a very large park that extends from Santa Margherita Ligure to Camogli.
Portofino and the Abbey of San Fruttuoso are peacefully hidden in the most protected hinterland with few human traces.
The Abbey is a place under the protection of the FAI Donated to the FAI by Frank and Orietta Pogson Doria Pamphilj, in 1983 and we like to quote as they say “Benedictine monastery of the year one thousand, a true oasis in a setting already unique, between the land and forests of the mountain of Portofino and the blue sea of Liguria di Levante.“
Starting from Santa Margherita Ligure you can go up from Via Costasecca to quickly climb in the upper part of the city, passing many wonderful villas overlooking the Gulf of Portofino.
Slowly the path dips into the vegetation and enters the woods where the real magic begins, immersed in a crazy silence if you do this hike out of season. This part of the trail is however one of the steepest and you will rarely find many people.
Once you reach the highest part of the park you will find all the indications to do the tours you want, to lengthen or shorten your excursion.
Very characteristic is the part where there are the Pietre Strette (narrow stones) from where several tracks start, from which you can reach the Top of the Park.
Here it will be easy to find people having picnics or even boyscouts wandering around the mountain.
From here you can go down directly to the Abbey through a quite steep path that leads directly to the sea level.
With the last steps you can reach directly on the sea at the beach and enjoy this wonder.
Perched inside the park, there is her, the Abbey of San Fruttuoso, a pearl set in the Ligurian Sea that for many is a sacred place, for others a magical place to spend moments of total relaxation.
We highly recommend taking a break at Agriturismo Molini, where you can enjoy some typical dishes overlooking the sea. What’s more, you can pay by credit card, which is not for everyone to be lost in the middle of a mountain.
For the return we suggest to come back from Località Olmi, passing through Nozarego. The path to take is the one that we left on our left to go down towards the Agriturismo Molini on the way out.
Once taken, it will be much easier to follow than the one on the way out and will take you on the way back to Santa Margherita.
This track is very beautiful and comfortable to be followed also in the evening, because from Località Olmi almost everything is lit up and you can enjoy a very good view in the evening.
Trail Type: dirt, asphalt
Water: at one of the farms in the area of the Abbey of San Fruttuoso, otherwise better to equip yourself
