Portofino Park

Access

The park is accessible via the railway network of the Genoa-La Spezia line (Camogli and Santa Margherita Ligure stations) and via the A12 Genoa-Livorno motorway with exits at Recco or Rapallo. There are local public transport links and seasonal maritime services. Access to many of the main trails, as well as enjoyment of the areas of natural interest, is guaranteed by good infrastructure, although some routes are only advisable with a guide and in the dry season, due to the presence of steep sections, exposed areas and variations in the road surface due to rain.

Introduction

The Portofino Regional Nature Park, located on the Riviera di Levante about thirty kilometres east of Genoa, covers an area between the eastern Golfo Paradiso and western Tigullio. This park protects one of the most famous stretches of coastline and promontory in Liguria, mainly involving the municipalities of Camogli, Portofino and Santa Margherita Ligure, which also houses the administrative headquarters of the park and the adjoining marine protected area. Established on 20 June 1935, the park was created to preserve an environment of great natural and landscape value, characterised by an extraordinary variety of environments that include Mediterranean forests, rocky coastlines and striking views.

Description

The park area is characterised by a complex morphology with hilly stretches, sheer cliffs and a 13-kilometre-long coastal strip, making it the northernmost coastal protected area in the western Mediterranean. The land area is approximately 1,055 hectares, plus 372 hectares of marine area. The vegetation, typically Mediterranean, includes chestnut trees, pines, holm oaks, strawberry trees and olive groves, while the fauna is rich in bird species such as finches, robins and peregrine falcons. Mammals are also numerous, including wild boars, foxes, hedgehogs and red squirrels; amphibians and reptiles include the Savi's salamander and Strinati's geotriton. The park is also criss-crossed by over 80 kilometres of paths maintained by the Park Authority, including hiking trails of great historical and natural interest.

The establishment of the protected area dates back to the need to avoid invasive infrastructural operations, such as the construction of a scenic road in the 1930s. Over time, management passed from the Province of Genoa to the Region of Liguria, with a gradual extension of environmental protection to the marine area in front. Several proposals for recognition of the park as a UNESCO site for its universal value are worth mentioning, although they have not yet been accepted. Traditional human activities, such as olive growing and fishing, survive in a reduced form. Numerous local legends, rural architecture and geological features complete the cultural-environmental profile of the area

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Information

(Monte di Portofino)
Municipalities concerned: Camogli, Portofino, Santa Margherita Ligure
Year of institution: 1935
Managing body: Ente Parco di Portofino
Official site: www.parcoportofino.it