Portofino is so postcard-perfect that it’s almost hard to believe it’s real—a historic fishing village on the Italian Riviera with a population of fewer than 400 and spanning just 2.5 square kilometers. But beneath the surface lies a slower rhythm, a softer elegance marked by simplicity. It’s this more authentic Portofino that inspired Portofino Dry Gin and the philosophy it celebrates—a spirit born not just of botanicals, but of memory, ritual, and a deeply rooted way of life.
The Piazzetta is the heart of Portofino: a timeless, jewel-box square hemmed in by sun-kissed pastel buildings with windows framed by pine-green shutters. The Ligurian Sea laps against the shore, where wooden gozzi, sleek motorboats, and glossy yachts bob gently in the sparkling azure water. Gnarled trunks of holm oaks curl skyward past green awnings, their sun-dappled leaves presiding over the square with an elegant, effortless grace.
Snuggled in between the newcomers are classic institutions like Restaurant Puny, Hotel Nazionale, and Café Ugo. Tables brim with patrons sipping aperitivi or spooning up a paciugo: a mix of vanilla gelato and berries topped with whipped cream and amarena cherries, a local favorite concocted in 1941 at Gelateria San Giorgio, now 101 years old and still tucked into the opposite end of the square.
To be in the Piazzetta is to stand in the heart of where everyday ritual meets timeless elegance. Portofino hums with energy fueled by a gentler rhythm: one shaped by familiar faces, enduring traditions, and an effortless sense of ease. Like the gin that bears its name—inspired by the flavors of the hilltop botanical garden of Casa Montefino—Portofino itself is best appreciated slowly, and with care. This spirit of unhurried, joyful living is at the heart of The Portofino Way.
Dreamt up by Portofino Dry Gin founders Alessandro Briola, Christopher Egger, and Ruggero Raymo, the Portofino Way is, above all, a state of mind that reflects their lifelong bond with this village, formed in childhood—an effortless blend of elegance and ease shaped by the quaint Ligurian fishing village, where life moves to the rhythm of the sea and sun. It’s an invitation to live beautifully, and to do so with intention. It’s a philosophy born not just from the place itself, but from the people who live it every day. The true custodians of Portofino’s unfading character thrive in plain sight: the Portofinesi, who anchor the village in tradition and craft, such as the fishermen casting their nets in the wee hours and nonagenarian Giorgio Mussini, creator of Portofino’s signature gozzo boats, seated outside his harborfront shop in a baseball cap. It’s slipping into the shimmering bay for a swim, the local stand-in for a beach.
Portofino’s essence drifts up the stone steps and into the hills, where cars can’t reach and only Vespas dare go, and refueling at Trattoria Concordia en route. The Portofino Way allows the village to reveal itself slowly, quietly, over time, perhaps while lingering over a morning espresso in the Piazzetta—where Briola, one of just six local babies born in 1990, kicked around a football with his friends. Where, as Egger recounts, locals reclaim the off-season, dragging out tables to play cards in the afternoon sun. It’s what Raymo describes as a timeless beauty—the unfussy, familiar side of Portofino he remembers from his childhood. Despite its evolution, the village’s essence quietly persists.
Of course, the best way to experience this side of Portofino is in the off-season—April or October, in particular, when the pace softens and the village breathes more freely. But that’s not possible for everyone, so when you’re in town, keep this in mind: Portofino is a place to savor, not rush. Allow its rhythms to guide you. Slow down.
Portofino isn’t just a place—it’s a pace. A way of being. One that inspired a spirit crafted with care, and an invitation to savour life moment by moment. That is the essence of Portofino Dry Gin. That is The Portofino Way.
