Forbes magazine described it as “one of the seven most beautiful beaches in Italy“, an authentic and spectacular coastal paradise in the region of Liguria.
We are talking about the beach of San Fruttuoso, a unique and real jewel in the municipality of Camogli in the province of Genoa.
A beach in a small bay set between the historic and fascinating medieval Romanesque Abbey, today perfectly restored by the FAI (Fondo Ambiente Italiano, The National Trust for Italy) and open to the public, the green Mediterranean Scrub and the crystalline sea of the eastern Riviera, a picturesque oasis of nature, history and relaxed moments that it is impossible not to visit during a stay in Genoa or in Cinque Terre.
Where is it?
San Fruttuoso, one of the pearls of the Golfo Paradiso, is not connected to any arterial road but can only be reached by sea from Camogli, Portofino and other coastal Ligurian cities including Genoa or along a panoramic hiking trail inside the Regional Park of Portofino, a protected naturalistic area of over 1500 hectares.
In both cases, the journey itself to reach San Fruttuoso is an unforgettable experience: in the walking path we cross a breathtaking path suspended over the sea and deep in the scent of brooms while by boat we contemplate a typical stretch of Ligurian coast in which the work of man has integrated perfectly with the environment.
And then is waiting for us the place that contains in itself, in an inlet between land and sea, the history, art, nature, tradition, flavors and colors of Liguria: San Fruttuoso precisely.
A bit of History
Benedictine monastery dates from the year 1000, pirate’s cove and finally a fishing village, today San Fruttuoso is an oasis away from traffic, hectic life and the typical chaos of many other holiday destinations and can offer a pleasant feeling of escapism and peace, a real wellness for body and mind.
What don’t you have to miss?
Do not miss a visit to the village located upstream of the main beach. After crossing the beach, we enter beneath the arches of the ancient monastic complex and climb up to the square where there is the church that you can freely visit.
Here, looking around, we notice that the sea disappears and therefore we have the perception of being in a small village inland!
Then we cross a bridge and reach a picturesque wooden artefact with a series of curious machineries including the “battilisca” used for the spinning of the cables of the Camogli Tonnarella (a simpler and smaller version of the “tonnara” fishing system), once intertwined with the herringbone and today in coconut filet.
Then we admire the ancient Doria’s Tower and, on the way back, we are enchanted by the easternmost house of the village, the so-called Casa dell’Arco that appears among the branches of the holm oaks.
It is then time to move next to the mill’s house, where once a mill-crusher worked thanks to the water of the neighboring river and where today there is a restaurant and the rooms of the Locanda del Parco.
Relax and…
San Fruttuoso offers, we said, relaxed moments, history, a beach where you can enjoy the sun and the unique view of the gulf and even some restaurants where you can taste the typical specialties of the Ligurian territory: seafood cuisine, grilled sea, simple and artisan recipes with seasonal products to savor overlooking the beauty of the bay.
Here, moreover, there is the underwater bronze statue Christ of the Abyss that was installed in the sea off San Fruttuoso in 1954, at a depth of 17 metres (56 ft).
Visiting a unique place almost out of time, reachable only by an exciting boat trip or on foot through a path perched on the sea, be lulled by the sound of the waves on the pebble beach, admiring the centuries-old Abbey, tasting the savory and inviting typical Ligurian seafood cuisine, means living an experience to always carry in your heart, a memory to be kept and shared with all those who have not yet had this luck because “it is impossible not to visit San Fruttuoso and its wonder “.
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