Things to Do in Camogli Italy- The Best Kept Secret on the Italian Riviera
No doubt, there are plenty of things to do in Camogli, Italy.
But the truth is that the best thing to do in this fishing village along the Ligurian coast is nothing at all. It’s an ideal place to enjoy some dolce far niente (the art of doing nothing), if you will.
Never heard of it? Neither had I.
That’s probably by design.
In one of those fortunate incidents of travel, I ended up visiting Camogli after a storm shut down the routes to its glam neighbour, Portofino. (Lucky for me and not those hit by the storm).
Camogli is a quieter and unspoiled version of the Italian coastal towns. The name means “house of wives”, so-called for the women who ran the place while their husbands went to sea to fish.
With its tall, multi-coloured houses facing the sea (so the men could find their way back), it might just be one of the best-kept secrets in Italy.
And if you must interrupt your idleness with moments of activity, here are the best things to do when you visit Camogli, Italy.
Wander the narrow laneways
Behind the rows of colourful houses along the waterfront, you’ll find….colourful alleyways. Some of them are no more than an arms-length wide. Be sure to look up.
These buildings date back to the middle ages, when the fishing business in Camogli flourished. Note the small details, like the Roman-style street fountains, worn by age, but still working to supply fresh water for local Riviera dogs.
Spot the trompe l’oeil artwork
Sometimes, the shuttered windows are real. And sometimes, they’re trompe l’oeil paintings. As you walk the streets, see if you can spot the difference.
It all started when taxes in Camogli were based on the number of windows you had. So villagers closed the windows and painted them on instead. Over time, the trompe l’oeil flourishes took on a life of their own.
Visit the Monuments and Museums in Camogli Italy
Castello della Dragone
On a promontory near the edge of town are the ruins of Castello della Dragone (Dragon’s Castle), built in the 13th century to protect the village against pirates.
Santa Maria Assunta
At the end of Camogli beach, you’ll find the Church of Santa Maria Assunta, the yellow building that completes the postcard picture of the town. Dating to the 12th century, it features some lovely frescos and a Renaissance altar piece. Or you can just relax along the sea wall outside.
Marine Museum
You may also want to drop by the Marine Museum. A couple of the interesting items there: a reproduction of a Camogli house, its port and sailboats inside a bottle, and part of a German torpedo that sank an English Steamship in World War I. (Museum address: Via Gio Bono Ferrari, 42, 16032 Camogli).
Where to eat in Camogli
Enough of the pretty buildings and monuments.
Let’s get to the truly important stuff – – the food.
Enjoy focaccia at Revello
The thing to eat in Camogli is focaccia. Not just your average focaccia.
In Camogli, it has rich, gooey cheese in between the thin sheets of bread. There can be various flavours – – onion and sage is a common one.
The most recommended focacceria is Revello. Also, don’t miss their sweet pastries with cream fillings flavored with rum, Amaretto, or Gianduia, because carbs with carbs is always a good pairing. (Revello address: Via Giuseppe Garibaldi, 183, 16032 Camogli).
Try the local seafood
Go for the fish festival
On the second Sunday in May, the village holds a massive fish fry – La Sagra del Pesce,.
The event’s symbol is a giant frying pan, measuring 4 metres in diameter. In the evening of the festival, there’s a procession followed by a beach bonfire.
Spend some time outdoors
During the summer season, there are boat tours, ferries and kayaks for rent. You can find a list of the water activities and tours here.
A popular area for divers, the Marine Reserve Of Portofino stretches from Camogli to Portofino. Divers will enjoy seeing the Christ of the Abyss at the bottom of San Fruttuoso Bay, a statue dedicated to the memory of one of Italy’s first scuba divers who died near this spot.
There are also hiking trails in the area, especially in Portofino Natural Park. Try this half-day hiking tour to the park and San Fruttuoso Bay.
Relax on Camogli Beach
If you’re looking for an Italy beach vacation, you’ll find a number of beaches in and around Camogli.
The beaches range from fully equipped beach clubs to free and open to everyone sections. The beaches in the area are pebbly, even rocky in some areas. A good pair of water shoes
Best time to visit the Italian Riviera
As you can see, it can be stormy in November, when I visited.
With a generally mild climate though, tourists take Italian Riviera holidays all year round. Like other Italian Riviera towns, the high season in Camogli is from May to September.
Although Camogli tends to be less busy than other Italy beach towns, the best months to visit are April, May, late September and October. This way, you’ll avoid the crowds and hot summer weather and it’ll still be warm enough to go in the water. Also, shops and restaurants that may close or reduce their hours in winter will be open during these months.
How to get to Camogli Italy
You may want to avoid Riviera travel by car in the busiest months.
But Camogli is easy to reach by train. It’s on the main rail line between Genoa and La Spezia. It’s just over a half-hour train ride from Genoa. See the train schedules on the Trenitalia web site.
Getting around in Camogli is best done on foot, but take note that there are plenty of steep stairs to get from the hillsides down to the town and the main beach.
Where to stay in Camogli Italy
I didn’t have the opportunity to stay over in Camogli, but one of the most recommended hotels is the four-star Cenobio dei Dogi, a former villa for a wealthy Italian family. It has an incredible location, and a pool, that overlooks the town and the seaside. Check pricing and availability for Cenobio dei Dogi or click here to see all hotel deals in Camogli.
I can only image what bliss it would be to relax by the pool at this Italian coastal resort, and take in the sunset, perhaps with a bubbly prosecco on hand.
With that vision in mind, I’m convinced that Camogli Italy has to be one of the best places to visit on the Italian Riviera.
More Information:
Tourism Information: Turismo Roma, Discover Italy
Where to stay: Check pricing and availability for Cenobio dei Dogi or click here to see all hotel deals in Camogli.
Tours: Camogli Food Tasting tour, Hiking to San Fruttuoso Bay
Suggested Reading: Rick Steves Italy 2019
Avoid data roaming fees: I use an aloSIM eSIM (a digital SIM card) to stay connected when I travel. Get 5% off your first order with the promo code: TRAVELBLISSNOW.
Pin it:
You may also like:
How to Get the Best Photos in Rome, Italy
How to Eat Like a Local in Rome
See wild cats roam among the ruins at a cat sanctuary in Rome
Wow.. Interesting how small incidents can lead you to discover charming towns like Camogli.. 🙂 It looks like a charming and relaxing place to unwind. The narrow laneways look intimidating though.. Can you get lost wandering around or is it easy to navigate?
Getting lost is part of the fun. It’s a very small village though, so you won’t be lost for long. Thanks for reading Marvi!
I love how your photos tell the story. Very well done! Camogli sounds like a beautiful town. I’ve wanted to go to Portofino for some time now, probably because I keep going to the Universal resort of the same name. Now it sounds like Camogli should at least be considered. What a beautiful destination.
Thanks you so much! I never did get to Portofino on this trip, but Camogli might make a nice base for exploring the area.
You’re right, I’ve never heard of it. Great to hear its on the train line though as I will definately bookmark this for our next visit to Italy!
It’s definitely worth a visit if you’re exploring the area. Thanks Sandra!
In our opinion, travel is all about places like this – these hidden gems keep us going. The onion and sage focaccia would ALSO keep us going this case!
It’s so nice, as a reader, to actually “discover” a new destination on a travel blog, and you’ve shared your discovery with us. Thanks!
Thank you Jerry and Fiona! I was pretty happy to come across a “new” destination too–or at least one I hadn’t heard of.
I love your photos of Camogli! This is the kind of town that I would also love exploring and be idly wandering about. The fish festival sounds like a cool event to be at in Camogli,too.
Thanks Jing. It’s the perfect place for idle wandering.
We stopped in Camogli a few years ago during a road trip through Tuscany and Liguria. The weather wasn’t good, so we only strolled around for a couple of hours, but the little town was lovely though. Now we’d love to return there again, to do “nothing” like said! 🙂 Because slow travel is what we like best, and towns like Camogli are perfect for walking around without any fixed plan!
Thanks Mei and Kerstin. I really want to do more slow, no fixed plan travel myself.
This totally sounds like my kind of destination. I love how you discovered it “accidentally.” That’s what I love about travel – finding treasures that are off the radar of most people! Your photos make me feel like I am right there. Just beautiful. When I get to the Italian Riviera, I will be going to Camogli!
Thank you so much Alison. It was a serendipitous change of plans, for sure!
I am a big fan of Italy. I especially like the small towns with their colorful houses and of course the attitude to life that you can feel in the cities. Time to go back to Italy …
Susanne
Thanks Susanne! Those are all of the reasons why I fell for Camogli.
We’re heading to Italy this summer, but unfortunately we won’t have time to visit Camogli. The architecture would have been lovely to see. This will just have to go on my list for the next time we visit Italy.
Well, you can never get too much Italy. Enjoy your trip and thanks for reading, Astrid!
Hi Cindy, I am on my way to Camogli, well next week, staying for three nights, I just found it on the map and looked it up on line and decided it would be one of the resorts to stay on my train trip, I am particularly interested in photography, so this was one of the reasons I chose it, so nice to see your photos, just up my street, ( sorry for the pun). Also hopefully will be enjoying the food, and going for walks. Thanks for your information. Valerie
Hi Valerie. It’s so great to receive feedback like this. I hope you have a wonderful time in Camogli and get some fantastic photos! Thank you.