San Fruttuoso is one of the most remarkable places on the Ligurian coast — a 10th-century Benedictine abbey tucked into a narrow bay with no road access whatsoever. You reach it either by boat from Camogli (the trip takes about 20 minutes) or on foot over the Monte di Portofino headland, which takes around two hours from Camogli along a well-marked trail. The combination of turquoise water, the small beach, the medieval tower, and the Romanesque abbey cloister is almost absurdly beautiful.
The abbey was founded in AD 711 according to tradition, though the current Romanesque structure dates mainly from the 10th and 13th centuries. It is managed by FAI, the Italian National Trust, and you can visit the cloister, the church, and the tower for a modest entrance fee. The beach in front fills up in summer — if you want peace, come early or in the shoulder season. Ferries from Camogli are run by Golfo Paradiso and operate from spring to autumn; the schedule can be checked on their website.