My wife and I organised the rental of the villa in San Michele to facilitate a family get-together. Our requirements were for a property that would accommodate 3 sets of couples, with a pool, but where the location afforded us the ability to easily visit local places of interest, of which there are many.

The villa is set within an olive grove, terraced to accommodate the steep gradient. It is located above the towns of Santa Margherita Ligure and Rapallo. From this elevated position it overlooks Rapallo bay and affords extensive views of the surrounding hillsides. It has a welcome sense of privacy and seclusion, with the decor and style, the pool and the large verandah helping to create a very relaxing atmosphere. The bedrooms on the top floor are beautifully decorated with views across the olive grove and the bay. The sleeping arrangements are best suited to two adult couples with two singles/children. Whilst there is a further sitting-room and bedroom in, what is effectively the basement but with views through folding doors to the front of the property, this space obviously doesn’t have the same feel as the other bedrooms. We did find the noise of the trains passing on the local line a little disturbing, especially at night, with the bedroom windows open. With 6 adults, we did find the kitchen a little small for preparing meals, with relatively little bench space.

We would recommend the walk winding up Monte di Portofino, along paths with breathtaking views of the area. The tracks are well maintained and the villages along the way are stunning. Once you arrive at Portofino, you can walk back along the road or catch a bus. Think carefully about taking children or people with reduced mobility as the gradients are steep in places. There is a restaurant, serving meals and drinks at Mulino, which, again, we would recommend. We used a combination of the local train service to Levanto, then the hop-on/hop-off boat to visit the Cinque Terra region. The return was train from La Spezia. This was a trip worth making with amazing views.

The supermarket, Basko, in Rapallo, was very well stocked with car parking facilities conveniently located directly above the supermarket. Santa Margherita has a small supermarket but both towns had excellent food stores. The staff in the Information bureau in Santa Margherita were extremely helpful.