PLACE TO GO > PORTOFINO

Portofino is mostly known for its regular celebrity sightings and picturesque harbour setting but despite its quaint and traditional look, it doesn't rate as a popular Italian destination. The top Italian destinations include the usual suspects; Rome, Venice and Florence. All of these places are beautiful destinations, but in order to escape the tourist-y feel, the queues and the tacky leaning tower of Pisa toys, Portofino could be your next Italian holiday destination. This town on the Italian Rivera is still popular during the summer months but offers a touch more charm as the harbour fills up with yachts and the designer boutiques start to open. Portofino is Genoa's answer to Capri just off the coast of Naples.  It's places like this that I could easily spend the day lazily wandering around, only stopping for lunch and dinner. Visiting this area is definitely an investment and a costly one if you wish to stay in a VIP-style hotel, but for those looking to save a bit, there are plenty of camping sites along the coast and the nearby cities of Genoa and La Spezia offer similar experiences.