‘I visited a stunning Italian town that’s a playground for millionaires and billionaires’

Portofino was never on my bucket list – but I accidentally ended up there thanks to my wife.

She was always telling me how beautiful the place was after visiting as a child with her mum. Now I visit every year in February.

I wasn’t too aware of the town’s celebrity history before, but I knew it was a place where millionaires and billionaires play around in gorgeous surroundings.

I was somewhat reluctant to visit because I assumed it was only for the rich. And in some ways, it is.

Portofino is located in Liguria, Northern Italy, close to my favourite city of Genoa. From Genoa, it’s just a 40-minute train ride to Santa Margherita Ligure, where Portofino slowly comes into view.

From Santa Margherita Ligure, you can either walk or take a bus to Portofino. In summer, there’s also a ferry between the two towns. We always walk because, in my opinion, it’s one of the most beautiful walks in Italy.

You follow a mostly flat coastal promenade right next to the sea, surrounded by cliffs and mountains. The colour of the turquoise water is incredible, with an insane level of clarity.

The walk takes around two hours one way, but it’s so stunning that we always walk there and back. It turns into a whole-day trip, but it’s worth it.

Alternatively, the bus from Santa Margherita Ligure takes about 20 minutes and costs €5 one way.

Let me tell you more about the walk. It’s a specially designed path along the coastline, with views that are difficult to describe.

Every turn reveals something different – from stunning Italian mansions and luxury hotels to massive rocks in the ocean and even crabs crawling along the shore.

There’s also the option to walk through the Passage of Kisses, which offers incredible ocean views and eventually leads to Portofino. In the distance, you can see Liguria’s mountains stretching for miles along the coast. The view is so breathtaking that I’m glad I took pictures to prove it.

But enough about the walk. Once you get to Portofino – which translates to “port of dolphins” because you can sometimes spot them (though I’ve never been lucky enough to see one myself despite visiting a few times) – you instantly understand why the place is so famous.

Portofino has been a hotspot for A-list celebrities since the 1950s, when Fred Buscaglione composed the famous song “Love in Portofino”. And almost overnight, the small village became the ultimate retreat for the rich and famous.

It’s known for its picturesque harbour, luxury yachts, and colourful buildings. Over the years, it has welcomed Hollywood icons like Greta Garbo, Marlon Brando, Sophia Loren, and Grace Kelly, but the list is truly endless.

Many stunning villas in the area belong to celebrities and billionaires. Even Italy’s former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi reportedly has a house here, and fashion designers Dolce & Gabbana are among the high-profile names with properties in town.

The town is packed with tiny, charming streets and high-end boutiques like Prada, Dior, and Louis Vuitton. It’s surreal to see all this glamour and wealth in what is essentially a small fishing village.

What’s more, unbeknownst to me until after my first visit, Kourtney Kardashian married Travis Barker in Portofino on May 22, 2022. Their lavish wedding was hosted by Dolce & Gabbana at their villa, L’Ulivetta, with the reception held at Castello Brown, a historic castle and museum I walked past without even realising what it had seen.

The castle itself is stunning and open to visitors (for a fee, of course). You pass by it on the way to a viewpoint overlooking the Ligurian Sea. When you gaze out into the horizon, the nearest land is Corsica, followed by Tunisia.

I don’t think you’ll be too surprised after hearing all of this, but the one thing that absolutely shocked me was how expensive Portofino is. That being said, the scenery and atmosphere make you feel like a million – if not a billion – dollars.

A small can of iced tea will set you back around €6 (£5) if you sit down. The same goes for a cup of coffee. A beer costs around €10 (£8), and I’m very glad I don’t drink because I dread to think what cocktail prices are like.

I also have to confess that I had the most expensive pasta of my life in Portofino. While my body stupidly wasn’t hungry in Santa Margherita Ligure, where a plate of pasta costs around €10 (£8), it decided to crave food in Portofino. My wallet didn’t like it, especially when the final bill showed a whopping €33 (£27) for a single plate of pasta.

That being said, it was probably one of the best plates of pasta I’ve ever had. Maybe it was the surroundings, I don’t know.

All I’m saying is while Portofino makes you feel important and rich, it’s definitely pricey. Of course, you don’t have to spend a fortune while visiting. If you bring a backpack, you can stock up in Santa Margherita Ligure before heading there.

It is definitely worth a visit, especially because it gives you a taste of a millionaire’s playground – at least for a few hours.

As for official figures, Portofino is one of the richest places in Italy in terms of income.

According to Corriere della Sera, the average income in Portofino was over £80,000 in 2023, which is impressive for such a small fishing town. While the exact number of millionaires and billionaires who live there or own homes is unknown, it is believed to be a substantial amount.

To conclude, Portofino is undoubtedly synonymous with exclusivity and luxury. This small Ligurian village offers an exceptional quality of life, thanks to its natural beauty, historic charm, and top-tier services.

Despite its modest size, Portofino has luxury hotels, high-end restaurants and designer shops.

Plus, its proximity to Genoa and other major Ligurian cities makes it a desirable location for both residents and visitors.