portofino - venice

About the destination: Portofino is an Italian fishing village and vacation resort famous for its picturesque harbour and historical association with celebrity and artistic visitors. It is a comune located in the province of Genoa on the Italian Riviera. The town is clustered around its small harbour, and is known for the colourfully painted buildings that line the shore. Nearby beaches include Paraggi, Camogli, Chiavari, Lavagna, and Sestri Levante. There are some notable attractions as well are the beaches, but the view from the harbor or any of the surrounding beaches is unforgettable and one could spend the entire day marveling at it.

About the destination: Perhaps no city is as fabulous as Venice, a metropolis built upon pilings, a labyrinth poised over a lagoon. Venice has been called the drawing room of Europe, and indeed for centuries the city was a sanctuary for ideas and idealists, a crossroad of the Byzantine and Roman worlds. Today Venice is a different kind of drawing room. Wealthy visitors clamber into gondolas to gawk at the Byzantine palaces while being serenaded by accordionists and art appreciators stand on tiptoe for a glimpse of Renaissance masterpieces. No monument is as memorable as the city itself, so use the major sights only as an excuse for wandering. Venice revolves around piazza San Marco. The best feature of the mosaic-covered Basilica di San Marco is the Pala D’Oro, a glittering gold Byzantine bas-relief. The Torre dell’Orologio, left of San Marco, is a beautifully embellished clock tower. For culture vultures check the Accademia for the best of Venetian paintings. Some say that the tourist Venice is indeed Venice, but there are other Venices as well. To find them, wander away from the major sights and into the quieter outlying residential neighbourhoods, you won’t be disappointed, this maze of stone and colour exudes enchantment from every brick.