2025 Volendam, Portofino, Italy...

I was outside on deck in the rain, in the dark and in a futile gesture to get some sail in pictures of Portofino. Getting into Portofino was iffy due to weather conditions but today, we finally made it by tender to Portofino. On our stop in Portofino last summer high winds stopped our visit. In the heart of the Italian Riviera, on the Ligurian Sea, lies a coastal town of Portofino with a tranquil crescent harbor with a hill of olive groves and small vineyards in its background. The town is clustered around its small harbor, and is known for the colorfully painted buildings that line the shore. Since the late 19th century, Portofino has attracted tourism of the European aristocracy and it is now a resort for the world's celebrities. Iconic landmarks include the Church of St. George and the Castello Brown, which offers panoramic views of the Mediterranean. Due to the heavy rains the ferry to Comogli was not running this morning so we drove making a couple of photo stops along the way. The driver dropped us in Comogli and we walked down to the waterfront. By the time we reached Comogli the sun appeared giving you a very different perspective on the area. Comogli is a small seaside village, with its colorful houses, stairs and alleys. Each building, church and tiny detail contains an intertwining of history, sea and pastel colors. We walked through the weekly market along the promenade to the Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta, which stands on an island on the most extreme point adjacent of the village. The heart of the village is its characteristic marina with gozzo boats (small double-ended fishing boats), fishing boats, nets drying in the sun. We had a nice time exploring Comogli topped off by sample of fresh warm Focciacia bread courtesy of our guide Francesco. From Comogli we took the train to Santa Margherita. Santa Margherita Ligure is an elegant coastal town in the Liguria region of Italy, nestled between Rapallo and Portofino. It’s known for its palm-lined promenade, stylish villas, and vibrant marina filled with yachts and fishing boats. We left the train station and roamed the charming streets and stopped for delicious Italian gelato. Francesco and I did a very strenuous climb to the Villa Durazzo complex, composed of villas, a 16th-century castle and 17th-century park…thankfully Ann and Cathy stayed behind at the marina as they may have died of heart failure or fallen and broken some bones on the treacherous path and stairs. After we returned to the marina we returned to Portofino by ferry. The ferry is a nice way to take in the scenic rugged Italian Riveria coastline. We returned to ship right after arriving back in Portofino and enjoyed the sail away festivities. It was great day with Francesco and our first ever visit to Portofino. A big day tomorrow arriving in Civitavecchia and meeting our friend Susanna for a tour around Tuscany.