lucywilliamsglobal August 7, 2021

What to See in Camogli Italy

What to see in Camogli Italy?

Camogli is a hidden spot that not many people know about unless you know the region of Liguria well. Most people have either heard of Portofino, Santa Margherita or Cinque Terre. Captivating Camogli has all the beauty and charm of these places but without the high prices and loads of tourists. Here I will show you what to see in Camogli Italy.

This is a gorgeous seaside fishing town with a beach and a little harbour. The name Camogli comes from the shortened Italian name ‘Casa de Moglie’ which means housewife. As it was the village of the fishermen and it was where the women lived. Waiting for their husbands to return, hence the name Camogli.

What to See in Camogli Italy - Lucy Williams Global

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Why Camogli?

Before I met my husband I spent a lot of time in Portofino. As the cruise ship, I was working on at the time used to go there every 10 days.

I had a fabulous time with my friends, spent loads of money on expensive cocktails and delicious food. I didn’t really know any other places like this at the time. The other Italian ports we went to were not like Portofino and the inner snob in me loved it!

Camogli A Hidden Gem in Liguria Italy - Lucy Williams Global

Then I met my husband (we both worked onboard) and on my first trip to Genoa (Italy) to visit him (I was still living in the UK) he took me to Camogli and I fell in love with the place.

I live in Genoa now and Camogli is still my favourite place in Liguria as the buildings are colourful, it is by the sea, beautiful to walk around, it has a beach, the restaurants and bars are fabulous, and there are not loads of tourists, even in the height of summer.

It is the place I take all my friends and family that come to visit me in Genoa and they are always blown away by how beautiful it is. So there is my back story, now you know why I am a little bias.

Where is Camogli?

Camogli is located in the region of Liguria in northern Italy, near Genoa. It is around 45 minutes away by car or train and 2 hours and 45 minutes from Milan.

How to get to to Camogli

You can reach Camogli by train, boat or by car. The train station is called Camogli – S. Fruttuoso and is located in the centre of town. There is a small ferry boat to take from Porto Antico in Genoa that is nice on a beautiful day. If you are going by car, be warned the car park is tiny, so arrive early.

What is there is see in Camogli?

Camogli is on the other side of Portofino Hill and is slightly bigger than Portofino and it has a larger selection of restaurants and has the normal price tags of local restaurants.

It is a beautiful place to just walk around as Camogli is very photogenic from every angle, between the colours of the buildings, the little harbour, the beach, the ocean and the hillside, it is just aesthetically pleasing.

There are lovely little shops with handmade shoes and clothes, artwork, quirky souvenirs and jewellery. Most of the bars and restaurants are on the waterfront with fantastic views either of the ocean, Portofino Hill, the little harbour or the church.

There is a gelato shop under the arch that is a must to go to if you visit. This is my favourite gelato shop and there are lots of flavours to choose from.

The Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta is worth a visit as it is stunning inside. This church is in all the scenic photos of Camogli.

Near the church, there is Castello Della Dragonara, this castle is from the 13th century and you can see the old cannons outside from back in the day defending Camogli.

In the little harbour (Camogli Porticciolo) which is where you arrive if you take the boat from Genoa, you can also take the small ferry boat to neighbouring places Punta Chiappa or San Fruttuoso for more beauty.

If you fancy a beach day, you can sit on the small public beach, but get there early, as it’s small. Or use one of the private beaches and pay for a sun lounger for the day.

In Liguria and most parts of Italy, the beaches are private and they provide sun loungers, deck chairs, an umbrella, changing room, showers, toilets and a beach bar/restaurant for a charge.