When you’re not savouring the bespoke menus onboard your Portofino yacht charter, indulge in some Ligurian cuisine rich with fish, shellfish, pesto Genovese, tomatoes, porcini or regional pasta.

Here are some of our suggestions of where to eat when you visit Portofino on a yacht charter:

• Skip super-popular Ristorante Puny and head to Ristorante Stella instead for great harbourside views and fish dishes. Reservations are highly recommended.
• Make a reservation at Chuflay Bar Restaurant at Splendido Mare with a terrace facing the Piazzetta – enjoy local flavours with sea bass or seasonal grilled vegetables drizzled in extra virgin olive oil.
• La Taverna del Marinaio has a 1950’s nautical décor but serves excellent fish dishes.
• Finish with a gelato from Gelateria Gepi Portofino, they have a shaded terrace area to sit and relax with an ice-cream. The dark chocolate or cremino Portofino (flavoured with nut and orange peel) are particularly good!
• For something a bit different and far off-the-beaten track for the yachting set, U Pin is an agriturismo set on the hills above Portofino. The owners serve home-made food and the view from the rustic terrace over the olive groves and sea is lovely. Book in advance because they aren’t open daily.
• For seaside dining away from the tourist crowds in Portofino, try The Eight (the Eight Hotel’s seafront restaurant) at nearby Paraggi Bay, or just around the corner reserve a waterside table at Capo Nord restaurant/bar.

Visit Faro di Portofino, located on the promontory past the Church of San Giorgio and Castello Brown. Follow the signs for ‘Al Faro’ out to the lighthouse and you’ll be rewarded with spectacular views at a small bar overlooking the sea where Antonio serves a vibrant Aperol Spritz or a refreshing limoncello on a summers day! Or, head to San Rocco between Portofino and Camogli where the tiny cliffside bar, Bar Dai Muagetti, is a fantastic spot to enjoy the sea view with a chilled cocktail.

Soak up the view from the terrace at Belmond Hotel Splendido, it’s included in every luxury travel guide for Portofino, a bucket list spot for day trippers and the food and drinks have a price tag to match.

Enjoy a tasting session with a glass or two of Ligurian wine from any of the wine producers who tend to their vineyards on the steep terraces in the region. You’ll be suitably persuaded to linger ashore by grapes grown in soils that are no stranger to wild herbs or crisp sea breezes. Try a glass of Nostralino, Pigato, Vermentino or the sweet Sciacchetrà that pairs well with crisp biscotti – where better to buy a bottle to enjoy back on your charter yacht?

Enjoy an aperitivo in the Piazzetta which is the heart of Portofino and watch the world go by.

Walk up the pedestrian street beside Trattoria Tripoli (on the south side of the harbour) to the Church of San Giorgio and a few minutes later Castello Brown for superb views over Portofino town and the visiting superyachts.

Go shopping in Portofino! For a small town, Portofino has plenty of high-end boutiques including Prada, Loro Piana, Missoni, Gucci, Dior, Giorgio Armani, Luca Jewellers and Louis Vuitton. For the luxury brands, head to Molo Umberto I, Piazza Martiri dell’Olivetta, Via Roma or Calata Marconi. Mingo Portofino is well-known for custom footwear especially sandals, or take a half-day trip to the town of Chiavari to browse their large antiques market, Mercatino dell’Antiquariato, where you can buy everything from antique furniture to vintage Italian fashion and artworks.

Much of the Ligurian coastline is best seen from the sea, however there are lots of walkways between towns if charter guests want to go ashore for a leisurely amble or a more strenuous hike.

Did you know about the crêuze de mä? These are literally ‘paths on the sea’, the Ligurian cobblestoned walkways. You can walk from Santa Margherita Ligure to Portofino in just over one hour, follow the red carpet walkway and signs saying ‘Pedonale per Portofino’.

Explore underwater or the great outdoors – the Protected Marine Reserve of Portofino is perfect for using your yacht toys, go swimming around the rocks at Punta Chiappa or try diving at Grotta dei Gamberi or Punta Vessinaro. Portofino falls in the protected zone for the Pelagos Sanctuary, therefore it’s a wonderful opportunity to appreciate marine wildlife viewing of whales and dolphins. Portofino Regional Natural Park has many walking paths that follow ancient pilgrim trails through wild thyme, holm oak and pine forests. You can visit the park website here for more information about walking trails.

Museo del Parco di Portofino is situated at the edge of Portofino harbour and has a collection of outdoor sculptures. Open in summer, the sculpture park also hosts meetings, events and cultural gatherings.

Book a tour to the 14th century La Cervara Abbey, positioned on a cliff between Portofino and Santa Margherita Ligure with elegant gardens overlooking the sea including a wisteria courtyard. You can visit the first or third Sunday of the month between April and October.