Baia di San Fruttuoso

You can only reach this place by sea or on foot — there are no roads into San Fruttuoso, which tells you everything about how untouched it feels. Drop anchor in the bay and you're looking straight at a 10th-century Benedictine abbey framed by wooded cliffs, one of the most dramatic backdrops on the entire Ligurian coast. The bay has two small beaches, part free and part private, and the abbey itself is open to visit. Tucked between Camogli and Portofino, this is a genuinely special stop that most people only ever see in photos.