The Italian Riviera is beautiful like the French Riviera, only more primitive, less built up: a wonderful area to tour, full of colourful history, architectural splendour, fabulous food and wine, and beautiful countryside and coastline.
Before visiting, I had heard so much about Portofino, and the celebrities who go there, that I had imagined it to be bigger, more impressive, more sophisticated. Instead, it is a small, quaint harbour, probably a former fishing village, where most visiting yachts have to anchor out.
There used to be a boutique there which sold pretty knick-knacks, including costume jewellery made from Murano glass and gold leaf. I bought an unusual bangle during my visit all those years ago which I am still wearing. Maybe that boutique is still there.
I haven’t been back in ages, but I remember eating a marvellous meal in an upstairs restaurant in the harbour. For our aperitif we had a strawberry Bellini, a cocktail of strawberries and champagne made in paradise! Writing about this makes me want to go back, but there are so many unknown places to visit that I probably won’t return, or at least, not for some time
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