Camogli
A quiet Golfo Paradiso escape
Camogli is my favourite place after Genova: a fishing village on the Golfo Paradiso, about 40 minutes by train, with tall trompe-lâoeil houses crowding the little harbour and a pebble beach. Itâs quieter than the Cinque Terre â this is where Genovese come to breathe.
The heart of it is the seafront: walk it, sit on a bench facing the sea, watch the fishing boats. Above the harbour stand the Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta, right on the water, and the Castello della Dragonara, a medieval tower built against pirate raids.
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From the harbour, boats run to the Abbey of San Fruttuoso, in a cove reachable only by sea or on foot â the crossing takes about 40 minutes. For focaccia, stop at Revello, a Camogli institution since 1964, also famous for its âCamogliesi al Rhumâ pastries.
If youâre here in May, thereâs the Sagra del Pesce: on the second weekend of the month they fry fish in a giant pan on the seafront. Itâs joyful, chaotic and very Ligurian.
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My favourite escape, ~40 minutes by train.
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