Next weekend -in the Portofino area. Which town will be the most lively, Camogli, SML or Portofino?
Mar 11th, 2006, 08:04 AM
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Next weekend -in the Portofino area. Which town will be the most lively, Camogli, SML or Portofino?
Last minute trip to Italy arriving Friday (3/17) at noon in Milan/Malpensa and driving down. We plan to spend Friday night there and then continue on to Tuscany where we will stay with family. I thought of splurging on Hotel Splendido because it's probably the only time of the year that I would be able to, perhaps, afford it but I don't think the hotel is open yet. I really want an incredible view more than anything! It's also my fifth wedding anniversary and would love any suggestions on a nice restaurant where we can celebrate 
Mar 11th, 2006, 08:35 AM
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In March, there is no guarantee of an incredible view. You are so much in the off-season, why don't you play this by ear? Wait until you are in Italy to see what the weather will be like, then decide where is the best place to be.
If the weather is lousy, I would recommend booking yourself into the nicest hotel in Firenze and having a special brunch above the Piazzele Michaelangelo to admire the beautiful view of Firenze. It's even pretty is the rain or snow.
If it looks like sunny weather, head for the coast. Camogli will be dead, so rule that out. Portofino might be far less obnoxious in March than it is in July, but you probably don't need the Splendido. Portofino is not known for its great restaurants, but maybe the view will make up for it.
Santa Margherita Ligure is generally the liveliest in summer, but in March, I don't know. It's pretty, but not a knockout view.
If it were me, I'd ask the Tuscan locals where to go for the special occasion. There are coastal towns in Tuscany with fantastic views and beautiful castles. I've sometimes seen these special places discussed on Slow Travel, so you might also ask over there.
If the weather is lousy, I would recommend booking yourself into the nicest hotel in Firenze and having a special brunch above the Piazzele Michaelangelo to admire the beautiful view of Firenze. It's even pretty is the rain or snow.
If it looks like sunny weather, head for the coast. Camogli will be dead, so rule that out. Portofino might be far less obnoxious in March than it is in July, but you probably don't need the Splendido. Portofino is not known for its great restaurants, but maybe the view will make up for it.
Santa Margherita Ligure is generally the liveliest in summer, but in March, I don't know. It's pretty, but not a knockout view.
If it were me, I'd ask the Tuscan locals where to go for the special occasion. There are coastal towns in Tuscany with fantastic views and beautiful castles. I've sometimes seen these special places discussed on Slow Travel, so you might also ask over there.
Mar 11th, 2006, 09:06 AM
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Thanks Nessundorma, that's exactly what I was thinking about the coast. If it's nice when I arrive, I'll drive down to Portofino and look for a last minute bargain. If it's not, I'll head for the hills!
Mar 11th, 2006, 11:12 AM
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We did this same thing in September. We stayed at the Hotel Piccolo in Portifino and had a beautiful view out our windows of the harbor in Portofino. We found Portofino a bit boring for our taste, though pretty. It took us almost 3hrs to get there from the Lakes. We stayed two days then drove to Tuscany.If your flying into Milan why not stay on one of the Lakes for a couple of nights? Most of them you can reach in an hour.
Mar 11th, 2006, 12:23 PM
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The lakes are usually an even dicier bet than the coast weather wise. You can get quite a bit of fog and rain that obscures the views. But if the weather forecast is pure sunshine, might be just fine. I'd look for a hotel with toasty heating though!
