Soggiorna
An isolated bay between Camogli and Portofino
San Fruttuoso is a small cove on the southern side of the Portofino promontory, with no roads for cars: it can only be reached by boat (from Camogli, Santa Margherita Ligure or Portofino) or on foot along the trails of the Portofino Park. This very isolation has preserved its atmosphere, making it one of the most distinctive destinations on the whole Riviera.
The Benedictine abbey
At the heart of the bay is the Abbey of San Fruttuoso, founded according to tradition in the 10th century by Benedictine monks and now owned by FAI (the Italian National Trust), which manages it and opens it to visitors. The complex includes the church, the cloister, the monastic refectory and the tombs of the Doria family, the powerful Genoese family that owned it for centuries. The 16th-century tower on the beach, built to watch for Barbary pirates, completes the bay's shoreline.
The Christ of the Abyss
Offshore, on the seabed at a depth of about 17 metres, stands the famous Christ of the Abyss, a bronze statue placed there in 1954 to protect sailors: it can only be visited by divers, but it is one of the best-known symbols of Italian diving, and a copy on shore also commemorates it.
How to get there
Besides the seasonal boats from Camogli, Santa Margherita and Portofino, San Fruttuoso can be reached on foot via trails in the Portofino Park from Camogli (about two hours) or from Portofino: a half-day hike, with some elevation gain, best tackled with proper footwear and always checking the return boat schedule.