Well, no, I didn’t. Sadly. I obviously wasn’t here long enough; you’d have to look far and wide for a more romantic place to find love. Just ask Bogie and Bacall, or Dolce and Gabbana, or Madonna, or Elizabeth Taylor, or George Clooney.
As you might have guessed, Portofino is one of the world’s glamour spots. But on this balmy spring day at least, the little Ligurian fishing village is blissfully free of celebrities and their hangers-on.
Andrea Bocelli found love in Portofino – or, at least, he sings about it rather beautifully. Have a listen while I show you some pictures and tell you about a lovely local project.
Restore, reuse and revamp in Portofino
Niasca Portofino is a group of local women working to restore local traditions, reuse abandoned land and revamp decaying buildings. I’m at their HQ in Via del Fondaco for an olive oil tasting, in which, admittedly, I have only a middling interest. However, I’m in for a delicious surprise.
We begin our visit with a wander up in the hills above Fondaco, past vines and groves of lemon and olive trees. My nose is happily sniffing the flowers, the aromatic herbs and spices. We walk over to a villa with a terraced garden and a cavern used for wine and beer production. Hens roam around. Best of all, from up here, the view of Portofino is pure fairytale.
Back at headquarters, we’re taught the art of creating pesto, a Ligurian specialty…
All the makings of Pesto Genovese
Making pesto properly is manual work, with a pestle and mortar
and boom, on the plate in a matter of seconds
…then’s we’re treated to a vegetarian feast. That’s right, this is one place in Italy where vegetarianism is not considered an exotic disease. In fact, one of the young women behind the project is a vegetarian herself.
In addition to a wide array of tastings and cooking courses (veg or non-veg), Niasca also offers guided tours in and around the hills of Mount Portofino.
Disclosure: I was in Portofino as a guest of Turismo in Liguria. As always, I retain complete freedom to write about all or nothing, whatever takes my fancy, good or bad… you know.
Delicious…
I know!
I think I’m in love too!
🙂
That pesto looks delicious! You have to pass the recipe.
I might just do a Ligurian food post.
I see they make mouth watering pesto. Could be love for me:)
Pesto is a speciality of the region. But then you probably know that 🙂
Omigosh! That food looks amazing, let alone the views…..
It was all amazing.
Oh wow, just a tiny bit jealous that you got to do olive oil tasting! 🙂 Great that there are so many local projects like this around the world that aim to keep local traditions alive. Long may it continue.
Julia
Amen.
I love the colorful building fronts. Everything looks wonderful.
Even better when you’re there.
Between the view and the food, I don’t know which way to turn! It’s early here, and my mouth is watering for some of that pesto. I think I’ll have to settle for a green smoothie! 🙂 #TPThursday
Green smoothies are good, too .
Oh what bliss!! Surrounded by such beauty and indulging in the best food in the world! I would LOVE to attend an olive oil tasting! On my list for sure!
Knowing you, you’ll be there before you know it, Jeff 🙂
Oh my word, that pasta looks amazing! As are the colors of those buildings in the first photo. Just beautiful.
Thanks 🙂
I literally met my love in Portofino. My wife (to be) and I were travelling independently in 1999 and met for the first time in Portofino. We’ve been together since 2001, married in 2011.
Love that, Tom. So wonderfully romantic 🙂