Fresh Air › Instead of Cinque Terre
Camogli
Camogli is the Ligurian fishing village that Cinque Terre used to be. The harbour is ringed by tall, narrow, colourfully painted palazzi that look almost too good to be real. The seafood is outstanding — the Friday fish fry in the market is a local institution. Boats run to San Fruttuoso Abbey, a medieval monastery with a bronze Christ sculpture submerged offshore that divers visit. The town is primarily inhabited by people who live there, which makes it a genuinely different experience from the tourist villages of Cinque Terre.
Why visit
A working Ligurian fishing village with a spectacular harbour of tall, colourfully painted houses, excellent seafood, and easy boat access to San Fruttuoso Abbey (only reachable by boat or foot).
Crowd level
Known to Italian visitors but largely bypassed by the international tour groups that hit Cinque Terre.
Best time
May-June or September
Getting there
30min train from Genova. Small boat connections to Portofino and San Fruttuoso Abbey.
Tradeoffs
Less dramatic cliffside terrain than Cinque Terre. The town is more ordinary and functional, which is the point.
Direct comparisons
Layers
Region
At a glance
- Country
- Italy
- Region
- Liguria
- Fresh Air Score
- 83/100
- Cost level
- $$
- Distance from Cinque Terre
- 85 km