Portofino & Sestri Levante

Italy is a considered a magical, romantic getaway destination. Every stretch of the country and its terrain has its own treasures, and stumbling upon those treasures can be a real treat. When I first planned my trip, I was disappointed to learn that Pisa is hours away from Positano. (Positano is that gorgeous, orange umbrella-lined beach town on the the Amalfi coast.) But I’m a firm believer in exploring just about any place, despite it’s presence on social media. 😂

I was eager to have some beach time during this trip so I spent some time on Google Maps and found a beach town called Portofino. I’m making it sound a little under-the-radar, which it is definitely not. The beautiful town of Portofino is home to gorgeous 5 star resorts, narrow cobblestone streets (many of which I had panic attacks driving down in the rental!!), the occasional billionaire mega yacht docking for the weekend, and some of the best seafood in the region.

Dress by ASOS

While I didn’t stay in Portofino, I was pretty close to it. I stayed in a smaller beach town called Sestri Levante. I decided to splurge on a single night at Hotel Helvetia which was worth every penny. I was treated like a foreign princess.

Hotel Helvetia sits on Bai di Silenzio, which translates to ‘Bay of Silence’. The family-owned hotel sits on the very end of a beach inlet. The beach itself is extremely calm and relaxing, hence Bay of Silence.