CAMOGLI
- 2km southeast of Recco - was the "saltiest, roughest, most piratical little place", according to Dickens when he visited in 1884. It's had its rough edges knocked off since then, but remains one of the most attractive small resorts along this stretch of the coast, well connected by road, rail and boat. The town's name, a contraction of
Casa Moglie
(House of Wives), comes from the days when voyages lasted for years and the women ran the port while the men were away. In its day, Camogli supported a huge fleet of 700 vessels, which once saw off Napoleon. The town declined in the age of steam, but the crumbling arcades by the harbour and the dark flight of steps into the town centre still have the "smell of fish, and seaweed, and old rope" that Dickens relished.
The
train station
is just south of the beach; turn right towards the centre for the small
tourist office
, 50m north at Via XX Settembre 33 (Mon-Sat 8.30am-noon & 3-7pm, Sun 9am-1pm; tel 0185.771.066). Summer
boats
shuttle over from Genoa's Porto Antico in an hour (L10,000/5.16), using the old harbour on the north side of town, separated from the unimpressive pebble beach to the south by a promontory occupied by the medieval
Castello della Dragonara
. You can wander up through the alleyways to the castle, which nowadays is home to the rather humdrum
Acquario Tirrenico
(Tues-Sun 10am-noon, also Fri-Sun afternoons: summer 3-7pm; winter 2-6pm; L4000/2.06), housing tanks full of marine life.
The best
hotel
is the lavish
Cenobio dei Dogi
, in its own waterfront park at Via Cuneo 34 (tel 0185.7241, fax 0185.772.796; L300,000-400,000/154.94-206.58); once the summer palace of Genoa's doges, it boasts its own beach, pool, tennis courts, restaurants and tasteful guest rooms.
La Camogliese
, Via Garibaldi 55 (tel 0185.771.402, fax 0185.774.024; L90,000-120,000/46.48-61.98), is a friendly spot excellently situated by the water (take the steps down opposite the station); it has pleasant rooms and they don't insist on full pension. Otherwise, try the spartan
Selene
, Via Cuneo 15 (tel 0185.770.149, fax 0185.770.195; L60,000-90,000/30.99-46.48). The
Camogliese
hotel has a quality mid-priced
restaurant
(closed Wed in winter). The much pricier
Vento Ariel
on the harbourfront (tel 0185.771.080; closed Wed) serves only fish brought that day directly from the nets into the kitchen. Away from the sea,
Don Riccardo
on Salita Priaro (the flight of steps up from the fishing harbour), does affordable Mexican food, and Revello is a fine bakery at Via Garibaldi 183.
Fish aside, Camogli makes its living from
ferries
operated by Golfo Paradiso, Via Scalo 3 (tel 0185.772.091,
www.golfoparadiso.it
). Departures to tranquil
Punta Chiappa
, ideal for a spot of swimming and basking in the sun, and
San Fruttuoso
, are most frequent (May-Sept at least hourly; Oct-April 3 weekdays, hourly at weekends; around L8000/4.13), with a special
night excursion
offering the most romantic views of the gulf plus 3hr in San Fruttuoso for dinner or a stroll (July & Aug 3-5 weekly; L16,000/8.26). There are also boats east to the
Cinque Terre
(June-Sept 3-4 weekly; L20,000/10.32), which stop beforehand at
Portofino
and continue to
Portovénere
, as well as plenty more west to
Recco
and
Genoa
(L10,000/5.16).
