Returning to the destination we chose to spotlight in the first-ever issue of TIDE, we check out the smart new bar at Portofino’s perennially glorious Splendido, then kick back at a low-key alternative around the coast
Portofino needs no introduction. Gelato-coloured houses, turquoise sea, Italian hospitality, Champagne and Superyachts galore: it’s a name that’s synonymous with La Dolce Vita. But, as anyone who has sailed into this dreamy harbour can attest, it’s absolutely miniscule. I’ll never forget the first time I docked in Portofino town quay, affectionately named ‘La Piazzetta’. I was bewitched by its beauty, and at the same time amazed that this was it. How could somewhere so famous, so evocative and so romantic be… so little?
But the longer you sail this coastline, the more you realise Portofino is just the starting point for what the Italian Riviera has to offer. At every little cove and bay in both directions, you’ll discover more cliffside towns and sun-drenched beach clubs. Between France and Tuscany, the Ligurian coastline has been the playground of wealthy merchants for centuries, and home to traditional fishing, artists and sailors. As well as Roman history (Pliny the Elder referenced Portofino as “Port of the Dolphins”), there’s a smattering of medieval castles and churches to explore here (the 12th-century Chiesa di San Giorgo and 16th-century Castello Brown stand out). By the turn of the 20th century British and European aristocrats discovered the village, turning it into a fashionable place to stay.
We return to the destination featured in the launch edition of TIDE for a nostalgic visit to Splendido, A Belmond Hotel, Portofino, one of the most glamorous stays in Italy. Serenaded by a pianist and sated by free-flowing negronis, we then cruise down towards the sleepy village of Zoagli for a more casual – though no less memorable – affair.
The Must Go: Splendido
For all out maximalism, there is nowhere quite like Splendido. Perched high above Portofino harbour, with dramatic bay views, it’s a Riviera icon and a royal among the grande dame Italian hotels. Its many fans have ranged from Princess Grace of Monaco to Ernest Hemingway to Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, who got engaged here.
The building itself goes back far earlier than when it opened as a hotel in 1901, with its foundations built by Benedictine monks in the 16th century. It’s been subtly modernised over the last 125 years, but has always stayed true to the area’s timeless glamour. In 2025, Martin Brudnizki Design Studio zhuzhed up the bedrooms and public spaces in the “spirit of a private Italian villa”. The designer wanted that palatial drama, which is not always achieved even in the most sumptuous of hotel lobbies.
“Splendido is an icon and so our approach to the project was similar to that of a portrait painter, creating a design centred on the building and one that is as much a restoration as a rejuvenation,” explains Brudnizki. “It was important the design [created] that comforting feeling of being at a friend’s holiday home while allowing [guests] to experience the beauty, art and life of this magical place.”
The sparkling new Baratta Sedici Bar is the vibrant epicentre of Splendido, leading out onto the terrace and the famous saltwater heated pool beyond. In a space that before was all dark wood, there is now lightness and whimsy. It’s a moodboard that says Ladurée macaroons and Marie Antoinette and peach sorbet in crystal coupes.
Throughout the renovation, there’s an impeccable respect for artisanal craftsmanship – which both Liguria and the rest of Italy have in droves. Pull up a stool at the white onyx bar, and take in all the little details: from the hand-laid black-and-white Carrara and Lavagna stone flooring to the local Albissola ceramics through to the original Margerin frescoes and hand-painted botanical murals. Any classic yacht owner will appreciate the hand-carved timber tables and intricate woodwork along the bar. For, as Brudnizki explains, it must feel “luxurious as well as contextual”.
Baratta Sedici’s cocktail menu is no less fabulous than its setting. Highlights for a sun-drenched aperitivo include La Vela, a refined negroni-esque blend of Portofino Gin, Campari and amaro, or a refreshing Rossini: prosecco with freshly crushed raspberries. Waiters are dressed like Wes Anderson characters, and pianist Vladi plays from the terrace.
belmond.com/belmond-hotel-splendido
The Hidden Gem: L’Arenella, Zoagli
Sailing south away from Portofino and along the Gulf of Tigullio, several charming villages span out before you: Paraggi, Santa Margherita Ligure, Rapallo… and then you reach Zoagli. Understated and unpretentious, it’s a pastel-coloured harbour so small you could easily miss it. Zoagli has a history of silk and velvet production, dating back to as early as the 14th century, and the town still feels lost in time. Drop anchor off L’Arenella, and settle in for platters of seafood just metres from the swishing waves.
Sea urchin harvested from the shallows nearby, scallop crudo, spaghetti with clams and bottarga, octopus and prawns grilled in lashings of butter: simple, pure flavours are on offer here, with nothing to distract. There is none of the grandeur of Splendido, but all the atmosphere of a classic waterside trattoria. The wines, as you’d expect for such a dramatic location, feel deeply rooted in the region. Over a platter of fritto misto, there’s nothing that beats a crisp white Vernazza from nearby Cinque Terra. After lunch, escape the crowds of Portofino and reserve a sunbed on the restaurant’s private beach. At night, the whole mood changes, and L’Arenella feels like a secret spot. Lanterns flicker against rustic brick walls, the sea shimmers in the darkness below and the coastline glows along the horizon.
