Splendido, A Belmond Hotel, Portofino

Bike along the beautiful Portofino coast and uncover the legends of this breathtaking region. Arrive at the vineyard of La Portofinese. No ordinary venue, this is the only vineyard in Portofino where you can gaze over the glittering Ligurian Sea as you sip a locally produced wine.

In 1576, the Senate of the Republic of Genoa created a public roll of all the noble palaces in the city. Owners of these palaces were granted the honor of welcoming visiting diplomats, dignitaries and aristocrats to their homes. This unique model of hospitality was celebrated throughout Europe and is now available for our guests to sample. Explore two of Genoa’s ‘rolli’ and admire their breathtaking 16th-century architecture and interiors. Uncover the city’s mercantile roots at the stunning Lomellino and Palazzo Negrone.

Thee harmonious encounter between Man and Nature Having gone through various incarnations – a Benedictine monastery, a pirates’ den, a humble home of fisherfolk and then, for centuries, the property of the Princes of Doria – the Abbey of San Fruttuoso is today an utterly unique place, where the work of Man has been pleasingly integrated with that of Nature. Set within the breathtaking bay that opens up between Camogli and Portofino, the Abbey is a pearl dating from the 10th to the 13th centuries, which radiates out from the deep inlet on the coast of the promontory. The Nolare Tower, built in the 11th centuries, is not only one of the most ancient parts of the original nucleus of the Abbey but also one of the most interesting towers anywhere in the Liguria region. The section that faces out to sea – complete with its delightful loggia, which has two orders of triple-mullioned windows – was built in the 13th century by the Doria family. The lower level of the cloister affords access to the deep, barrel-vaulted space that the monks reserved as a burial chamber, where the members of the Doria family were laid to rest. A living museum of the life of the ancient monks. During the restoration of the complex, a number of important artefacts were found in a storeroom, which document the history of the Abbey and, in particular, the life of the monks. Today, these artefacts, which came from a variety of places (Liguria, southern Italy and the Islamic world), are collected in a museum that has been set up across the two floors of the main body of the Abbey. This part of the Abbey dates from the 13th century, though during the restoration it emerged that it had been built on top of even older Romanesque structures. A tower to defend the Abbey from pirates An imperial eagle, the coat-of-arms of the Doria family, dominates the two facades of the Doria Tower that face out to sea. The Tower is accessed via a steep staircase that can be reached along the road that links the Abbey to the nearby fishing village (which dates from the 16th century). The Tower was erected in 1562 by the descendants of Admiral Andrea Doria to defend the village and its prized source of fresh water from incursions by the Barbary Corsairs.

The Cinque Terre (Italian pronunciation: [ˌtʃinkwe ˈtɛrːe]) is a rugged portion of coast on the Italian Riviera. It is in the Liguria region of Italy, to the west of the city of La Spezia. "The Five Lands" comprises five villages: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. The coastline, the five villages, and the surrounding hillsides are all part of the Cinque Terre National Park and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Over the centuries, people have carefully built terraces on the rugged, steep landscape right up to the cliffs that overlook the sea. Part of its charm is the lack of visible corporate development. Paths, trains and boats connect the villages, and cars cannot reach them from the outside. The Cinque Terre area is a very popular tourist destination.

Genoa has been nicknamed la Superba ("the Proud one") due to its glorious past and impressive landmarks.Part of the old town of Genoa was inscribed on the World Heritage List (UNESCO) in 2006. The city's rich art, music, gastronomy, architecture and history allowed it to become the 2004 European Capital of Culture. It is the birthplace of Christopher Columbus and Niccolo Paganini.