Camogli

Camogli (Camuggi in Genoese dialect) is a small Italian fishing village and tourist resort located on the west side of the peninsula of Portofino, on the Golfo Paradiso at the Riviera di Levante, in the province of Genoa on the Italian Riviera. As of 31 December 2010 its population was of 5582 inhabitants. The name Camogli is of disputed but ancient origins. Camogli is one of the largest part of the Parco Naturale Regionale di Portofino, and a part of the Portofino Marine Protected Area.

History

In the late Middle Ages Camogli was a considerable seaport. In its heyday, its fleet consisted of hundreds of Tall Ships, and it was called the "city of a thousand white sails". In 1798 the city hosted a large contingent of Napoleon's fleet, which was then beaten in Egyptian waters of the Nile by Admiral Nelson. A prestigious naval college, Cristoforo Colombo, was founded in Camogli in 1874. Camogli is also a retirement home for ship captains.

In 1880 the former fishing village had (in a population of 12,000) 500 registered ship captains. Camogli now lives mainly from tourism and is known for its colorful houses that line the beach. The house colors once helped the fishermen of Camogli find the way back to their port.