The coastal Italian town of Portofino is undoubtedly one of the most photogenic places I’ve ever visited. It’s one of those destinations where you can pretty much just drop your camera and still end up with some incredible shots.

I arrived in Portofino by boat, from the nearby town of Santa Margherita, which is another stunning town on the Italian Riviera (although, I don’t think there’s any coastal towns in this area that aren’t drop dead gorgeous!). Sailing in to the little harbour of Portofino I was taken aback with just how picturesque it was. It’s the type of place that in real life, looks exactly like it does on postcards.

This was the view that greeted me upon sailing into Portofino…not too shabby!

Portofino is a small town, and on many days it’s filled with tourists, especially if there’s a cruise ship anchored in Santa Margherita, like the day I visited. However, this didn’t stop me falling head over heels in love with its undeniable charm and beauty.

Petty pastel colours on St. Martin Church

One of my favourite things about Portofino is the gorgeous pastel colours that all the buildings are painted in. They all seem to be different shades with differing complimentary, or clashing colours adding details to the buildings. This means that no two are the same and I loved this quirky feature of the town. I particularly appreciated the colours in the buildings on the edge of the harbour, which created mesmorising technicolour reflections in the shimmering afternoon sea.

I like to think I’d be able to paint like this in such inspiring surroundings…

The downside of Portofino is that it’s ridiculously expensive. It’s the playground of the rich, famous and the beautiful, and the prices undoubtedly reflect this (8 euros for a diet coke?!). This makes it a great destination to explore on a day trip, but too expensive to stay for much longer. Unless, of course you’re the type of person who has millions in the bank, and a boat like this…

If you do have a boat like this, let’s be friends!

Sadly, it wasn’t until I had left the Italian Riviera that I was told there’s a place just around the corner in the next bay from Portofino that is apparently even more beautiful. San Fruttuoso apparently makes Portofino and Santa Margherita look like nothing special. So, suffice to say, San Fruttuoso has made it pretty close to the top of my ‘places to visit’ list!

And since Portofino is just so photogenic, I’ll leave you all with some more lovely pictures…

So dreamy…

I think this is the only type of boat I’ll be able to afford…

So beautiful