This tour includes an English-speaking driver with his air-conditioned Mercedes at Your disposal for 7/8 hours
THE ENTRANCE FEES ARE NOT INCLUDED.
In certain days Castello Brown is closed: in that case you’ll have been told in advance and we’ll arrange together something different to be visited.
You will meet our local professional English-speaking driver by your cruise ship or accommodation to start the tour. Our driver will wait by your cruise or hotel holding a sign with your name on it. After that, transfer to Brown Castle located in Portofino and 1 hour of free time.
CASTELLO BROWN:
Castello Brown is accessible through the climb of the Church of St. Giorgio in the direction of the peninsula and the lighthouse. A walk of about 10 minutes to the private entrance that, through the gardens, leads to two side terraces that allow a full view of the Gulf of Tigullio. The castle is surrounded by a Mediterranean garden full of flowers, roses and trees. Once inside the castle, one can see many bas-reliefs and architectural decorations in marble or slate. In the first room there are some original furniture, furnishings and architectural wall with Gothic windows. From here there is access to the terrace where once were housed gunners. The consul Brown, after whom the castle was named, transformed this area into a beautiful garden. The staircase of the castle, that takes to the upper floor, is decorated with majolica tiles representing a copy of the Adoration of the Magi attributed to Gagini (XV century), whose original masterpiece is in Genoa.
After the 1-hour stop to visit the Castello Brown, transfer to Portofino by car with our local professional English-speaking driver. In Portofino you’ll have 1 hour and 30 minutes of free time for lunch (not included).
PORTOFINO:
Tourist destination famous all over the world, Portofino was until the XIX century a country of sailors and fishermen. From the XIX century it was chosen by nobles from all over Europe as the ideal destination for summer residences while since the 50’s Portofino is made famous by the great protagonists of the international scene. But to enjoy the most genuine aspect of Portofino you need to go up to the Castle of San Giorgio, a legacy of the time of the domination of Genoa, and there you can understand the advantage and the strategic importance of Portofino. The Church of St. Giorgio, which houses the relics of the holy martyr, is perhaps the most revered in all Liguria. Of great interest it is also the beautiful Church of St. Martin, which stands in a slightly elevated position relative to the centre of the historic village of Portofino. Consecrated in 1548 and then rebuilt several times during the XIX century, the Church of St. Martin boasts an impressive bell tower from where one can enjoy a distinctive vision of this village, with the church courtyard decorated with a composition of white and black stones. Spectacular is also the iron gate, on which emerges in relief a depiction of Apollo riding a horse that throws his rays towards the ships at sea.
At the end of the stop in Portofino, transfer to Genova by car with our local professional English-speaking driver and 2 hours of free time there (1 hour of free time to visit "La Casa di Colombo" (Colombo’s house) plus 1 hour of free time to visit the Cathedral of San Lorenzo.
GENOVA:
Genoa is a great city full of history! Many cannot even imagine how many treasures it keeps in its noble palaces, churches and buildings constructed to accommodate, at different times, the pilgrims, the Crusaders and the sailors who passed through its port. Genoa offers exceptional views and angles that impressed artists and writers. Famous in the world as great maritime republic and as the birthplace of Cristoforo Colombo, Genoa has a labyrinth of narrow alleys in the heart of the old city, near the port, which is the most important in Italy. The town’s landmark is its lighthouse, located on the border between the districts of San Teodoro and Sampierdarena, known as "La Lanterna" (The Lantern). Among the highlights of the city one can consider the Cathedral of San Lorenzo, the most important place of Catholic worship in the city of Genoa. It was consecrated to the saint in 1118 by Pope Gelasius II when it was not yet finished and its façade was missing. The square Piazza De Ferrari, located in the heart of the city, with at its centre, since 1936, the large bronze fountain, designed by the architect Giuseppe Crosa di Vergagni that, along with the Lantern, is one of the main symbols of the city.
At the end of the Tour, back to Your cruise ship with our driver.
