Castello Brown above the bay

Castello Brown was a Genoese fort, bought in 1867 by a British consul who turned it into a home and planted the two cypresses that still stand in its courtyard. It sits directly above the harbour, five minutes up a stepped lane from the Piazzetta, and is now open as a museum with a garden and a long terrace.

The terrace is the reason to climb. From it the whole of Portofino is directly below — the harbour, the boats, the coloured houses, the church of San Giorgio on its point and the gulf of Tigullio beyond. Unlike the harbour view, this one includes the pine and olive slopes of the promontory, so the picture is green and blue rather than pastel. Inside, the vaulted rooms and the walled garden give shaded settings when the terrace is too bright.

Entry is ticketed with fixed hours; check them, as they change by season and generally end before sunset. The lane up is stepped throughout, so it needs sensible footwear and rules itself out for anyone with mobility limits. The castle is a popular civil wedding venue — worth confirming there is no ceremony booked on your date if you plan to use the terrace.