Why do you need this guide to Camogli?
I just sat down to write and said to myself, “what would I have FUN writing about”. The first thing that came to mind was Camogli, Italy! Camogli is my favorite place in Liguria and arguably in all of Italy. It is my goal to own property and live here someday. We have now visited twice and I know that we’ll continue to return to this magical town.
If you love vibrant and colorful villages, bright blue water, excellent focaccia and pasta, aperitivo by the sea, and a lively place that is beautiful for any type of traveler… you’ll adore Camogli. We found this town to be SO romantic and enjoyable as a couple. Camogli is an excellent family destination. People with young children were everywhere and it was so nice to see. Kids could explore the town safely on their own, play soccer, grab gelato, and enjoy the beaches. All the while their parents dined or sipped wine on a nearby terrace. It is also an excellent place if you like a little more adventure. There are many hiking trails through the area from here!
This post will detail a few places I suggest staying in Camogli. A few places and things you should eat in Camogli. Wonderful things to do and see in Camogli. And finally, a few places to visit around Camogli.
Where to Stay in Camogli
Due to some weird circumstances, (story for another day) I now have 5 different recommendations for where you should stay in Camogli. Of course these recommendations depend on what type of traveler you are and what type of experience/budget you’re seeking.
Airbnb on the Port
We were seeking a very local and authentic experience here so we stayed in an airbnb. It was truly one of my favorite airbnb apartments I have ever stayed in. The apartment required a few flights of steep stairs, didn’t have air conditioning and didn’t have wifi. So you’re probably reading this thinking I’m nuts. But it was one of my favorite places we’ve ever stayed. The bed was so cozy, the apartment had, what I would argue, is the best view in Camogli. It overlooked the port and all of the beautiful, vibrant buildings of the town. We felt like locals cooking, relaxing, and sleeping with the sound of the waves outside our window. If you’d like the airbnb link feel free to send me a message!
Sublimis Boutique Hotel
If you are looking for more comforts for your stay I do have other suggestions. The first (I didn’t personally stay at) but my friends did, and they loved it. The hotel was an adults only hotel on the main strip in Camogli called “Sublimis Boutique Hotel”. This has all the comforts you’d expect from an upscale hotel room, air conditioning, a beautiful sea view, and food and a bar on site.
Carrick Hotel Camogli
If you are the kind of person that’s looking for a more “Marriott” type experience for your stay, than I’ve got you. The Carrick hotel is a beautiful hotel located right at the end of the main strip in Camogli. It’s about a 3 minute walk from the train station and has all the amenities you could want. It has a fantastic breakfast, very spacious and clean rooms (huge by European standards), and a really amazing rooftop. The rooftop has a lovely bar and has a jacuzzi tub for those wanting to relax. This hotel isn’t the one with all the Italian charm that makes you feel like you’re in Liguria. But, it’s the one where you know what you can expect and that is a VERY good level of service. We were greeted so warmly any time we came in and out. We were escorted to our room upon our arrival. Overall the staff here were SO professional and helpful. If this is what you’re looking for, you will absolutely love this stay in Camogli.
Locanda Tre Merli
Another awesome local recommendation is the hotel Tre Merli right on the port in the main area of town. We had a room with a view looking right out onto the port and it was so beautiful. The room was clean and spacious and the hotel staff were so kind. We were able to sit out on the port to order espresso and breakfast and it was such an easy walk to anything and everything in Camogli. I would highly recommend this spot as a great local, clean, comfortable place with wonderful views.
Hotel Cenobio Dei Dogi
My last recommendation is one I didn’t stay at, and I don’t know anyone personally who did. However, this hotel is my “If I was a rich girl” pick. The hotel is called “Hotel Cenobio Dei Dogi” and it is a stunner of a hotel. We were able to get a few peeks at it from afar but in all honesty I have only seen it online otherwise. It has a pool, restaurants that have amazing ratings, private beach, and an absolutely privileged location with a dreamy view of Camogli. Someday I’ll get the chance to stay here!
How to get to Camogli
By Train
It is very easy to arrive to Camogli by train. You can be in Genoa by train in about 25-40 minutes and Genoa is well connected to other spots in Italy. Personally we came to Camogli from Monterosso in the Cinque Terre and that ride was about 50 minutes. I wouldn’t advise arriving by car unless you really need to for your itinerary. There is not a lot of parking in this small area.
Things To Do/See/Eat in Camogli
Affogato from La Cremeria Del Paradiso
This is not optional when in Camogli! Not only is the gelato at this spot phenomenal, but adding the espresso makes it just magical. I recommend the stracciatella, it pairs SO well with espresso! ** Recent update: the nutella is also AMAZING!
Relax on the beach
There is quite a long stretch of beach in Camogli for you to relax on. There are some spots with umbrellas and other public spots where you can throw down a towel and just chill. The beach vibe here was much more informal than many other places we’ve been in Italy. It is a great idea to just grab a snack and a drink and throw down a sheet and spend the day.
If you are looking to rent beds in peak season they’re going to run you about 20-30pp depending on what row you want to sit in. They also do sell out, so you should plan accordingly.
Enjoy the Sunset
The sunset is seriously stunning in Camogli and I highly recommend you view it from the main promenade area as well as the port. This means you have to stay at least two nights! Personally, I’m trying to find a way to stay forever.
Take a Boat Ride
We rented a boat for the day that picked us up in the port of Camogli. If you’re interested feel free to send me a message and I’ll send you my guide. We really enjoyed him!
We were able to visit San Fruttuoso which is an extremely small village with an absolutely stunning abbey. It is so dreamy to pull up by boat and see the incredible site. This place can also be visited by ferry boat or by hike. There are a few spots to grab food and drink and a beach to relax on. We were glad we stopped here first and got to have a look around before the first ferry arrival.
Next, we stopped in Portofino which is arguably one of the most famous villages of this region. It was exactly as delightful as I imagined it to be and we loved strolling around for a bit.
We stopped in Santa Margatheria Ligure for lunch and had a nice authentic Italian lunch down an alleyway.
Finally we stopped at some beautiful swimming spots on our way back to Camogli. Our boat captain Rocco was a pleasure and was happy to take us to do whatever we wanted. Seeing this region by boat is SO worth the money and a good chunk of one of your days.
Create your own boat day on the ferry
Every place I mentioned above can also be visited by Ferry. The ferries here are affordable and very easy and run on the hour and half hour. The views are the same, the only difference you can’t jump in and swim off the ferry. So if you’re looking for a more affordable way to do the trip we did above, the ferry is the way to go!
Hiking/Walking
This area of Italy is known for having some incredible hiking/walking paths. I use the term hiking loosely because you’re not really going up a mountain side, but some paths can be a bit more challenging than others. There are so many amazing hikes to do in this area and I know we’ll continue to come back to explore more! Here are some we’ve done so far.
–Walking from Camogli to Recco: This walk took us about 30 minutes and was so beautiful along the way. We were able to walk on sidewalks the whole way and past some incredibly beautiful villas.
–Walking from Camogli up to San Rocco Church: This was a lot of uphill and took us about 25-30 minutes. The views from up at the church were incredible and the grounds were stunning. Looking down over Camogli from up here is really cool!
–Hiking from Camogli to San Fruttuoso: We absolutely loved this hike, though it took about an hour and a half-two hours. Arriving to San Fruttuoso this way is so special and the hike is relatively easy once you’re up past the church. The decent into San Fruttuoso is arguably the hardest part as it requires a LOT of switchbacks. But we loved it, and when you arrive you can take a dip in the sea. We took the ferry back to Camogli after the hike!
Buy Homemade Pasta and Cook!
We popped into the most charming home made pasta shop and we knew we HAD to do this for dinner. We were able to choose our town type of pasta and sauces to bring home and throw on the stove. We ended up choosing trofie and pesto as they are both very popular in this region. It was honestly one of my favorite dinners of our trip! The shop in town was called “Fiorella” and I will 100% be returning to this spot.
Try Focaccia
This area of Italy is KNOWN for having excellent Focaccia and Camogli did NOT disappoint! We tried the famous spot “Revello” and we LOVED it! But to be honest we also had another spot along the main drag that we loved even more, it was called “Cose Buone”. It was just a little shop, and I had a zucchini and onion focaccia that I think was the best I’ve ever had in my life. The bottom line is, any opportunity you have to have focaccia in this area you should take it!
Explore Neighboring Towns
During our time in Camogli we took the train over to “Bogliasco” to spend a few hours for aperitivo and dinner. The train ride was about 10 minutes and cost a few dollars and we had an excellent dinner overlooking the sea at “Just Peruzzi”. The food was fantastic and the views were even better! It was nice to walk around another town for a bit and see the beautiful beach side vibes.
We also walked to the “town next door” of Recco”. The walk took about 30 minutes and the town was very local and chilled out. We saw a bunch of surfers practicing in the water and people out for aperitivo and a stroll. I love being able to walk to see some different places and sights and then head back to Camogli as it was the most perfect base. I also went for runs here in the morning and it was a perfect way to get a few miles in!
Dinner at Jacks Braceria
This is a great little gem off the main promenade in Camogli. Make sure you don’t skip these streets in Camogli as they have so much charm, great little shops, and great food. We enjoyed everything we had at Jacks from lamb skewers, to octopus, to cacio e pepe, and finally steak and a nice wine to go with it. The staff was super friendly and we loved sitting out on the street and enjoying the scene.
Dinner at Izoa
This was an awesome spot for a special dinner! You can’t miss it, right on the main promenade on a little spot overlooking the beach and the view. The view was PERFECTION but the food was too! I had raw red prawn, scallops, and a prawn pasta! Griffin had a beef dish that he thought was fantastic as well. Definitely book this spot in advance as it was quite popular.
Lunch or Dinner at Xodo Osteria
This was another great find and we rolled up here for a late lunch and were able to get a table. The pasta was so fresh and delicious and even though it was the heat of peak summer, Griffin had lasagne and loved it! The wine was great and the tomato and burrata was to die for. We’d definitely eat here again!
Aperitivo
Okay, I think it goes without saying that you should take advantage of aperitivo in Italy always. In Camogli it seemed like the port area was the SPOT for it! You can watch the sun set in the distance and enjoy your drinks and snacks. Kids were EVERYWHERE in this town and it made us so happy to see. I love when a place is safe and comfortable enough for kids to just be running all over while parents relax. Aperitivo was super reasonable here as well for about 15 euro for 2 people we each had a drink and a sufficient amount of snacks. If you want a special aperitivo, the one at the rooftop of the hotel Carrick really was fantastic!
Explore the Streets and Shops
Don’t skip taking some solid time to just wander all of the streets in and around this area. Every building is so cool and charming. There is so much more to see than just the main drag and you really should explore a bit further.
If you’re interested in other places I’ve stayed and loved in Italy check out my —> FREE Guide to my favorite stays in Italy
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