Every summer someone posts a video telling you to skip Portofino. Too expensive, too many yachts, mediocre food, tiny beaches. The most popular one right now is a day-trip vlog that ends with the verdict that you can skip it. I have been to Portofino about ten times, and I disagree with almost all of it. So I sat down and reacted to it.

Here are the five Portofino myths I hear most, what you are really getting, and how I would plan the day (or, better, the night).

Myth #1: “It’s a Day Trip”

This is the root of almost every disappointing Portofino review. Most people arrive by bus from Santa Margherita Ligure, which is cheap but twisty enough to make you carsick, walk around for a few hours and leave before the evening. Is Portofino worth a day trip? Honestly, not really. It is worth a weekend, or at least one night. The town changes completely once the day-trippers leave.

Myth #2: “It’s All Designer Shopping”

There are a few serious luxury boutiques on the harbor, but they are not the point and they do not dominate the town. Most of the shops are small, independent and often more interesting than the big names. I have been to Portofino around ten times and have never set foot in most of the designer stores. If you want something special, buy it. Just do not go expecting a shopping trip.

Myth #3: “It’s All Superyachts”

There is usually only one or two big yachts in the harbor at a time. Look past them and you will see that most of the boats are small, and many belong to local fishermen and guides. You can hire one for a sunset cruise or a half- or full-day tour, and the people who run them are friendly and completely unpretentious. A private boat tour is one of the best things you can do here.

What Portofino Is Really About

This is where most of these videos miss the point. You do not come to Portofino for what you cannot afford. You come for the atmosphere, the views, the food and the harbor at night. Places like this have been famous for a long time because they are beautiful, and if all you can focus on is who owns which boat, you will miss the whole thing.

Myth #4: “The Food Is Mediocre”

In the video, the couple has a light lunch at Café Excelsior and calls the food mediocre. The problem is that Excelsior is a café. It is for a coffee or a drink with a view of the harbor, not a proper meal.

Portofino has excellent restaurants, almost all of them locally owned. DaV Mare is a favorite of mine. Cracco Portofino, on the harbor, holds a Michelin star. And there are plenty of relaxed trattorias on both sides of the port where lunch does not have to be expensive. Sit down at a real restaurant and you will eat very well.

Myth #5: “The Beaches Are Overrated”

The couple skip the walk to the lighthouse, which I always recommend, and head to a small cove instead. It is a pretty little beach, and we swim there whenever we stay at Hotel Piccolo, just above it. But it is rocky, like every beach in this part of Liguria, and on a day trip I would not spend my limited hours there.

If you want a proper beach day, go to Paraggi, just down the road. The beach clubs there are not cheap, but you are in the sun all day and the food and drinks are lovely.

Why You Should Stay the Night

Everyone assumes Portofino is only for people spending thousands a night. It is not. Hotel Piccolo, one of my favorites, is far more reasonable than people expect, even in high season. Staying means you can have dinner in town and walk the harbor after dark, which is the most magical version of Portofino there is. Read my complete guide to Portofino for more on where to stay.

My Portofino Day-Trip Plan

If a day trip is all you have, do it like this:

• Skip the beach. Save your time for the town and the views.
• Have lunch at a real restaurant in town, not a café.
• Walk up to Castello Brown. It is a short, steep climb with a small entrance fee, and the view over the harbor is the best in Portofino. Wear proper flat sandals, not heels.
• Finish with an Aperol Spritz on the harbor and just enjoy the atmosphere.

For a day like that I pack a linen midi dress, a good pair of sunglasses, a basket bag and a cashmere cardigan for the evening breeze off the water. And if you are going in the shoulder season, read why late October on the Riviera works so well.

The video reacts to “PORTOFINO, ITALY (disappointed)” by Shannon x Aaron, which you can watch here. Clips are used for commentary and criticism.

Shop the Edit

• Ancient Greek Sandals Desmos Leather Slides, NET-A-PORTER
• Faithfull the Brand Adalee Linen Midi Dress, Nordstrom
• CELINE Triomphe Mini Sunglasses, NET-A-PORTER
• LOEWE Anagram Basket Bag, Saks Fifth Avenue
• Vince Wool-Cashmere Cardigan, Saks Fifth Avenue
• Castañer Carina Wedge Espadrilles, Shop Simon