Camogli is a small fishing port on the north end of the Portofino peninsula. Set on a steep hill, the town climbs from the harbor and dark pebble beaches to groves of pine and olive trees. Many of the narrow pastel houses are decorated in trompe-l'oeil, a painting technique often used on stage scenery which makes a flat surface seem multi-layered. These houses seemed to have interesting window and door casings which in reality were just flat painted surfaces. Indeed, some windows and doors were not even real.

The name Camogli is a contraction of Casa Mogli (Wives' House) from the days when the women ran the town while the men spent months at sea with the town's huge fishing fleet. Today, the fleet is much smaller and the men have resumed control of civic affairs. Piles of fishing nets filled with sleeping cats cover the docks along the great 17th century seawall.

By the time we arrived, ominous clouds covered the sky. We checked into our hotel, Cenobio dei Dogi, formerly a summer villa of the doges of Genoa; and then set out to look over the harbor, have a gelato, take some pictures, and enjoy the high surf. At the end of the harbor, built into sheer rock is the Castello della Dragonara which houses the Acqario (Aquarium).

By dinner time, the rains came. We had pizza at Ristorante La Rotonda which offers a nice view of the beach and sea, even in a rainstorm.