San Fruttuoso, the abbey with no roads

There are places you earn by walking. San Fruttuoso is one of them: no road reaches its bay, set between Camogli and Portofino, on the seaward side of the Portofino headland. To see it you have to choose: a boat cutting through the clear water, or the steep trails of the regional nature park, which descend to the tiny inlet in about ninety minutes. Either way, the arrival is a small reward.

The abbey

The abbey appears all of a sudden, almost resting on the pebble beach. Its origins reach back to the medieval era: rebuilt as a Benedictine monastery and tied, from the 13th century, to the fortunes of the Doria family, who moved their burial place here and added the loggia with its two tiers of triple-mullioned windows. Since 1983 the complex has been entrusted to the FAI - Fondo Ambiente Italiano, following the donation of its last owners. Walking among the cloisters, with the sound of the waves below, has a rare value.

The Christ of the Abyss

In front of the bay, beneath the surface, rests another silent presence: the Christ of the Abyss, a bronze statue placed on the seabed in 1954 at a depth of around seventeen metres. You can glimpse it by diving, or come to know it through the stories of the place. It is a detail that speaks of the deep bond between this corner of Liguria and its sea.

When to go

San Fruttuoso is not an absolute secret, and on August days the bay fills up. But its secluded nature protects it: with no car parks or easy access, those who arrive are almost always people who have chosen to do so unhurriedly. Visiting in spring or early autumn means finding it in its most authentic dimension, with less crowded boats and breathable trails.

The advice here is to slow down. Bring suitable shoes if you choose the trail, respect the tiny village and its few inhabitants, leave the bay as you found it. San Fruttuoso does not ask to be consumed in a hurry: it asks only to be reached, and then listened to.

Related guides: The most beautiful abbeys in Italy to visit, region by region · Instead of the Cinque Terre: colourful Ligurian villages without the crowds · Off-season destinations in Italy: where to go away from the crowds (and when).

Getting there

The abbey stands in a small bay reachable only by sea or on foot, with no roads for vehicles. The easiest way is the boat, which in the warm season departs regularly from Camogli and also connects Recco, Genoa and Portofino. Alternatively you arrive on foot along the trails of the Portofino headland from Camogli or from Portofino. The reference railway station is Camogli-San Fruttuoso; the nearest airport is Genoa.