Normally the word "Portofino" conjures up images of the jet set relaxing on their yachts in an exclusive harbor. For some of us, however, Portofino is also synonymous with one of the most important areas of protected coastline on the Italian Riviera, and some of the best hiking in Italy.

The Parco Regionale di Portofino (Portofino Regional Park), in the province of Liguria, protects the Portofino Promontory, with its dramatic landscape and wide variety of flora and fauna. The promontory is lined with cliffs that spill hundreds of meters into the blue Mediterranean Sea. At the park's summit is Monte Portofino (610m), where cool continental air from the north collides with warm, humid Mediterranean air from the south. To the north of the park lies the old fishing village of Camogli; to the south of the park lie Portofino and its colorful neighbor, Santa Margherita. This article describes a spectacular full-day hike through the park from Camogli to Portofino, as well as a shorter but beautiful walk from Santa Margherita to Portofino. The walks can be completed at any time of year, though spring (March-June) and fall (Sept-Nov) have cooler, better hiking weather, and the towns aren't as crowded as they are in July or August.