There’s a heavenly slice of Italy in the northwestern region —just off the Ligurian Sea, a 3-hour drive from the French city of Nice—that the world’s rich and famous have identified as their perfect get-away. Yet Portofino, as the gorgeous Italian village is called, is not a well-kept secret. The whole region where it lies, known either as Liguaria or Italian Riviera, has long been a hot favorite with travelers. Some of her many attractions include cosmopolitan resorts, sandy beaches, impressive castles, breathtaking cliffs, rugged mountains, and quaint, slow-paced villages.

At the heart of this scenic panorama, is the idyllic fishing village of Portofino, which takes beauty, charm, and allure—to a whole new level. Yet Portofino is better described as an experience and not just a destination. And for all its haunting vistas, Portofino should be among the prettiest destinations in Italy.

According to the accounts of Pliny the Elder, the charming village we now call Portofino was founded by the Romans—and named Portus Delphini—or the port of dolphins. Anyone who wanted to look at dolphins, and they must have been on the first rung of the social ladder—would wend their way to the quiet, attractive village—shaped like a half-moon. Its association with wealthy men and nobles spans several centuries. The Bobbio Abbey of Saint Columbanus was among the first owners. However, like many European cities and towns, Portofino would change hands—just like the ocean waves that seem to give their waters to the next—in a cascading line of succession. At one time it would be in the possession of a nobleman who would then sell it to another, and another, and another.

By the late 19th century, Portofino had…