It’s Easy to Love Portofino

Two of the most famous seaside villages in Italy are Positano and Portofino. It’s easy to confuse the names, but these are very different places. Positano is on the Amalfi Coast in southern Italy, while Portofino is part of the Italian Riviera in Liguria on the northern coast adjacent to the border with France. Both cities are breathtaking and must be on every Italophile’s bucket list.

We stopped in Portofino for dinner this past summer and I remembered why this village is so famous. Beyond the mega-yachts in the harbor is a tiny village that is so picturesque it looks like a movie set. But it’s not.

There’s no need to stay IN the village of Portofino. Rooms are limited plus there is little space for kids to run around. We stayed in Santa Margherita Ligure, just 10-minutes down the road, and found this lively village to be a great base for exploring Italian Riviera highlights including Cinque Terre.

We just added the Grand Hotel Miramare to the Ciao Bambino Italy family hotel portfolio. It’s a winner with kids of all ages with immediate access to the beach. They have a lovely grassy garden and swimming pool overlooking the coastline. For more details and to check availability, read the full Grand Hotel Miramare review.

Relevant Links:

Tips for visiting the Italian Riviera and Cinque Terre with kids

52 things to know before traveling to Italy with kids

Essential tips for a farm stay in Tuscan with kids

Kid-friendly tour guides in Italy 

Conquering the Amalfi Coast with a toddler

Amalfi Coast highlights