Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
A Splurge in the World's Most Romantic Hotel
€€€€
555
(Viale Baratta;
%
0185-267801; www.hotelsplendido.com),
you know you're in heaven:
The moon rises above the billionaires' boats bobbing in the harbor below,
and twinkling lights outline the distinctive shape of Mount Portofino, its
cypruses like dark exclamation marks against the lush hillside. Then the
tinkling of the piano starts up, and you're humming along: “a kiss is just
a kiss . . .” Whether you're here just to sample Corrado Corti's superb fare
at La Terrazza (bank on around
€
215 for two with wine), or booked in for
the evening, you'll have the time of your life.
The Splendido is unlike any other hotel I've ever visited. With tight build-
ing restrictions in the park, nothing much has changed in this sprawling
villa since Bogart and Bacall frequented the bar, or since Garbo came “to be
alone.” Staff members are unusual, with quirky personality and charm count-
ing for more than coiffed looks and A+ diplomas in hotel management, and
many have been here for years: 3 decades for barman Antonio Beccalli, who
has mixed cocktails for the likes of Madonna and De Niro. By the time din-
ner is over, and you find yourself twirling around the bar to some cheesy
love song crooned by an incorrigible flirt (“chosen just for you, madam”),
you feel truly at home. And the thing is, for that night, you are.
Relaxing on the terrace at the
Splendido
€€
-
€€€
There are no surprises at
Il Faro
(Via Maragliano, 24a;
%
0185-
286867),
with all the usual suspects typical of Ligurian fare, and plenty of seafood.
But the three-course menu at
€
25 is a bargain; there's also no
coperto
charged here.
Trattoria Cesarina
(Via Mameli, 2c;
%
0185-86059)
is another regularly lauded
restaurant—Fabrizio changes his small menu almost daily, depending on his
mood and what's available at the market;
primi
here range between
€
€
12 and
15.
€€€
Santa Margherita is also where the most creative cooking is happening:
Head for Slow Food member
Piccolo Ristorante Ardiciocca
(
%
0185-
281312; www.ardiciocca.it),
and you'll be stumped with a choice of intriguing
combinations (nettle ravioli with walnuts and thyme? risotto with Taleggio cheese
and pears?) as well as the more predictably delicious selections—sea bass cooked
with lemon leaves and served with fresh mayo. Count on spending at least
555
€
14
before you've ordered a drink.
Hotels & Restaurants in Portofino
For an additional dining option, see
à crêuza du Gio,
below, under “Why You're
Here: The Top Sights & Attractions.”
€€€€
This postcard-perfect village is
the
place for people-watching, and while
you could settle for just doing dinner here (a far more convivial affair than lunch),
it's rather marvelous to wander from the cobblestone streets to your own bed
