Porto di San Fruttuoso

San Fruttuoso is a deep bay sandwiched between Camogli and Portofino in the province of Genoa on the Ligurian Sea. The village can only be reached on foot or by sea and is nestled in the Portofino Regional Nature Park.

The nature park is also part of amarine protected area, and in order to gain access to the marina, one must take note of Ordinance no. 94/98 issued by the Maritime District Office of S. Margherita Ligure.

The locality is famous for theabbey of San Fruttuoso di Capodimonte dating back to the year 1000, in front of which there is a beach, the Doria tower, a church and some fishermen’s houses surrounded by greenery.

The Abbey of San fruttuoso is a well-known place of worship, and in the bay is the famous Christ of the Abyss, a bronze statue about 2 1/2 meters high that was placed 15 meters deep on the seabed in 1954 by the Italian Navy.

Scuba diving to admire the statue is a classic in all Italian diving centers, but it must be done with escorts because the area is a protected area. A short distance from the beach is also the wreck of a British-rigged steamship that sank in 1855.

The marine environment is very diverse and there are numerous micro habitats where animal and plant species of great naturalistic interest live. The seabed slopes down to very deep depths and is full of corals, posidonia, rare animal and plant species.

The special feature is precisely this biodiversity, which makes the seabed of San Fruttuoso a true paradise for divers from all over the world, who can admire, among other things, red coral, black coral, and more than 150 species of sponges.

In the bay of San Fruttuoso there are a number of docks intended for disembarking passengers, who also arrive by ferries departing from neighboring seaside resorts. It is also possible to moor in the anchorage, which is quite wide and sheltered. Near the docks one must be careful of the rocks and the seabed, which is very shallow in some places.

The free beach is very busy and a continuous landing place for boats, dinghies, and canoes arriving from Portofino, Santa Margherita Ligure, Camogli, and Genoa. San Fruttuoso is a popular destination by sea, and every village on the Ligurian Riviera organizes expeditions to the famous abbey.

The marine protected area is divided into zones, some of which are completely off limits to boating and bathing and others have some restrictions. Some spots are free, while in others it is forbidden to drop anchor.

To find out exactly what the rules are you need to consult the Portofino Marine Reserve website or Ordinance no. 94/98.