Portofino, Italy Morning Sunrise Walk – 4K60fps with Captions – Prowalk Tours

This walking tour of Portofino, Italy was filmed on Friday July 14th, 2023 starting at 6:58 AM at the scenic viewpoint in front of the Church of San Giorgio.

🗺️Map of the Walk – https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1BoiJl6IPSOUrkM5yHXeBEcCa_nl6eo4&usp=sharing 🗺️

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0:00 Drone intro and Map
1:04 Scenic Lookout
2:25 Church of San Giorgio
7:48 Piazza Martiri dell’Olivetta
11:51 Via Calata Marconi
26:30 Molo Umberto I
50:47 Salita della Chiesa
52:03 Church of San Martino
55:46 Piazza della Libertà
56:41 Via Roma
1:00:07 Salita San Giorgio

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For the best viewing experience, be sure to watch on a large smart TV like the Samsung Frame. Closed Captions [CC] which include historical facts and descriptions are available in all languages. This tour was filmed using amazing Binaural Audio 🎧 which is a method of recording sound that uses two microphones, arranged with the intent to create a 3-D stereo sound sensation for the listener of actually being there.

No part of this video may be used for personal or private use without written permission from Prowalk Tours. I will not remove a copyright strike after one has been issued.

#ProwalkTours #Walkingtour #Portofino #MorningWalk

Welcome to Portofino, Italy, a picturesque fishing village on the Italian Riviera. The Church of St. George, next to which we start our walk, was consecrated in 1154 and stands as a testament to the town’s medieval heritage. St. George is the patron saint of Portofino and the church holds his relics inside.

Saint George was a Christian soldier in the Roman army. In 303 AD, St. George was sentenced to death for refusing to recant his Christian faith. This path is called Salita San Giorgio, which means the ‘Climb to St.George.’

This walk was filmed during the peak of tourist season, but at 7am, Portofino still retains its quiet fishing village vibe. This terrace on the left is a monument to the fallen soldiers of WWI.

While it seems like a good spot for a picture of the harbor, the better view is right here from the path. The picturesque harbor is surrounded by lush Mediterranean vegetation and is often filled with luxurious yachts and sailboats.

Sunrise was at 5:52 am, which was about an hour an 10 minutes ago. On our right, you can see the rear sides of the buildings that face the harbor. Portofino is a very small village and it can easily be seen in one afternoon.

To get to Portofino, you can either take a bus or a ferry from one of the larger towns nearby, Santa Margherita Ligure or Rapallo. Homes here around the harbor cost anywhere between 2 and 20 million dollars. We have now arrived at the Piazza Martini dell’Olivetta, also known as, La Piazzetta

If you look closely at the buildings, you will see that the stonework is actually painted onto the buildings giving the illusion of depth. La Piazzetta is Portofino’s iconic main square. The square overlooks the harbor and the myriad of boats anchored at the port.

In 2012, the Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli put on a concert here where he sang a cover of the 1959 hit, Love in Portofino. The song, originally sung by Dalida, was written by Leo Chiosso and composed by Fred Buscaglione.

Here you can get a better view of the painted shutters and cornerstones skillfully painted on to the walls. You’ll find this decorative illusionism in all the colorful towns along the Italian Riviera.

These “fake” house facades are not done for the benefit of tourists. This artistic trickery has been going on for centuries. The tradition of decorating the house facades started in the 15th century. The trend started in Genoa with the construction of new Renaissance palaces.

Their facades were richly decorated with sculptures, cornices and marble. However, not everyone was able to afford these lavish decorations on their homes, so they invented a new way of decorating facades.

The painted facades added an illusion of beauty and wealth without having to commission, and pay for, fancy marble columns and window carvings. Originally, the color was applied in the same way as frescoes, painted onto wet plaster so the color dried into the walls.

Using this method, the artwork lasted 30 to 50 years against coastal weather conditions, stormy winters and abrasive sea air. Here you can see the bell tower of the Church of St. George where we started this walk.

Today, modern synthetic paint is used which has brighter and richer colors, but only lasts a few years before having to be re-done. The painted houses had other practical uses too. The men of Portofino were originally fishermen and sea-faring navigators.

The brightly colored houses allowed the fisherman to see their homes and villages from far out at sea. These steps lead up to the road above. The view from that point is nice looking down through these two buildings into the harbor.

Portofino’s history dates back to Roman times when it was known as Portus Delphini, due to the abundance of dolphins in the area. The traditional Ligurian cuisine of Portofino includes dishes like pesto pasta, focaccia, and fresh seafood, which you can savor at local restaurants.

The charming village of Paraggi, just a short walk from Portofino, is known for its crystal-clear waters and is a favorite spot for swimming and sunbathing. Portofino is located in the region of Liguria, about 40 Km south of the city of Genoa.

The Italian Riviera extends from the border with France and the French Riviera south to Punta Corvo. The term Riviera means coastline in Italian. Throughout the centuries, ownership of Portofino has changed hands numerous times.

Its small natural harbor was perfect for a small fleet of fishing boats but too small to support a fleet of merchant vessels. Pliny the Elder (AD 23 – AD 79) referred to Portus Delphini (Port of the Dolphin) as on the Ligurian coast between Genoa and the Gulf of Tigullio.

Portofino is mentioned in a document from 986 by Adelaide of Italy, in which the village is described as being part of the nearby Abbey of San Fruttuoso di Capodimonte. “Dolphin” In 1171, together with the neighboring Santa Margherita Ligure, Portofino was part of the commune of Rapallo.

After 1229 it was part of the Republic of Genoa. The pier below is the ferry terminal where the tourists unload in mass. When Charles was ousted from Genoa, the Florentines gave it back. In 1815, Portofino became part of the Kingdom of Sardinia. Only one of those balconies is real.

From 1861 on, it has been part of the unified Kingdom of Italy. It was around that same time when British aristocrats started visiting Portofino and reporting about its beauty. This is the entrance to the Portofino Sculpture Park.

Portofino has been a favorite destination for celebrities, including Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra, and George Clooney, who have visited the town over the years. Since the late 19th century, the main industry of Portofino has been tourism. Unlike many popular tourist destinations in Italy, Portofino is known more for its beauty than its history.

Unlike many popular tourist destinations in Italy, Portofino is known more for its beauty than its history. These yachts and super yachts have become part of the landscape here in Portofino. You can look up the name of each yacht online to see who is the owner.

Just a friendly reminder to please subscribe to the channel. This really helps me out. Thank you. Since the harbor is full of boats, there is no place to swim here except for a small designated area at the end of this path.

This is a typical gozzo, a traditional wooden fishing boat with oars. The steps up ahead lead up to the Castello Brown, a defensive fort built in 1557. Here next to the boat launch is a small swimming area.

On the right, in the distance, is the Splendido hotel, which features a pool, spa, tennis court, fitness center and several restaurants. The hotel has had many famous guests including Winston Churchill, Maria Callas, Grace Kelly, Charlie Chaplin and Walt Disney.

The castle was built on the site which has been used for military defense since Roman times. After peace fell upon the region in the early 19th century, the Castello was abandoned in 1815. In 1867, the castle was purchased for 7,000 lire by Montague Yeats-Brown, who was then the British consul in Genoa.

He transformed the castle into a comfortable villa. Brown bought many church reliefs during the general selling-up of churches in the 1880s and made them a feature of the villa’s interior and terraces. In 1945, the castle was occupied by the Germans who used it as a prison.

In 1949, the villa was sold to an English couple, Jocelyn Baber and Lieutenant-Colonel John Baber. After much restoration, the Babers sold the castle back to the City of Portofino in 1961.

I stopped and asked these girls if they wouldn’t mind me taking a few pictures of them in front of the harbor to use as thumbnail image for the video. They said sure. 🙂 The hills surrounding Portofino are part of the Portofino Natural Regional Park.

Founded in 1935, the Portofino Natural Regional Park is a beautiful area offering an interesting mix of rural and maritime landscapes. Portofino’s namesake park stretches around 8 miles (13km) along the coast from Camogli to Santa Margherita.

Hikers to Portofino Natural Regional Park can enjoy views across both the Paradise Gulf, and the Tigullio Gulf. The Portofino Natural Regional Park is also home to several other sites of historical interest, such as World War II bunkers overlooking the sea and the Portofino lighthouse.

This name of this path means the Climb of the Church. This sign shows the location of the 4 churches in the area. The one at the top of this path is the Church of the San Martino.

The church is the seat of the parish of San Martino and San Giorgio of the Rapallo-Santa Margherita Ligure vicariate of the diocese of Chiavari. The church was originally built in the 12th century but has been rebuilt and restored many times since then.

The church as it is today dates to the 16th century. During my visit to Portofino, I stayed two nights at an apartment located here on the left called “Sun’s Homes “Red.” The property name is The cost was €420 for two nights.

I cooked spaghetti on the stove both nights I was here. This path leads out to the Piazza della Libertà, a parking lot and turn around area for the cars arriving in Portofino. The piazza is also where the bus stops. There is a parking garage in the hill side.

There is a gelato shop here on the left. The church here on the right is the Oratorio di Nostra Signora Assunta. An oratory is essentially a place where Christians go to pray. Hello ladies.

The Italian word “Salita” means climb or ascend. So, this path is the Climb to the church. This path continues past the church out to the lighthouse, Il Faro. At the base of the lighthouse is a lounge bar known as Al Faro.

The flag flying above the church is the Cross of Saint George which from the Late Middle Ages became associated with Saint George. Associated with the crusades, the red-on-white cross has its origins in the 10th century.

The flag has been used as the ensign of the Republic of Genoa from perhaps as early as the 10th century. Thanks for watching! If you enjoyed this tour, please leave a Like on the video and Share it with a friend. Thank you! Ciao!