The French town of St. Tropez is internationally recognized as the ultimate blueprint for Mediterranean glamour. It seamlessly blends a rustic, maritime heritage with the high-octane hedonism of the global elite. Yet, just across the border, the Italian coastline boasts its own sanctuaries of la dolce vita. These destinations offer an identical intoxicating mix of sun-drenched exclusive luxury and historic charm. Chief among these are Portofino and Forte dei Marmi.
Nestled in a protected bay on the Riviera di Levante, Portofino stands as the ultimate Italian sibling to St. Tropez. Long before super yachts crowded its waters, the town was a humble settlement. Founded during the Roman Empire, it was originally named Portus Delphini (Port of the Dolphin) due to the large number of dolphins that frequented the Tigullian Gulf. For centuries, it remained a secluded, quiet fishing village hidden away from the world.
Portofino's aesthetics mirror the bohemian, pastel-hued waterfront of St. Tropez. It is defined by a tiny, cobblestone piazzetta hemmed in by tall, skinny houses painted in terracotta and ochre. The emerald-green water forms a stark contrast to the dramatic, pine-covered cliffs looming behind the marina. The transformation from an isolated outpost to a global playground accelerated in the 1950s. Hollywood elite and European aristocrats began docking their wooden Riva boats along the harbor.
Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton frequented the town, hiding away from paparazzi in the cliffside Hotel Splendido. Brigitte Bardot, the very symbol of St. Tropez, regularly crossed over to Portofino with Italian playboy Gigi Rizzi. Their presence permanently fused French effortless allure with Italian seaside romance. Further south along the coast sits Forte dei Marmi. While technically located in northern Tuscany's Versilia region, it shares a continuous cultural lineage with the Italian Riviera. It provides a slightly different, beach-club-centric echo of the St. Tropez lifestyle.
Forte dei Marmi’s origins are firmly rooted in industry rather than leisure. The town grew around an 18th-century military fortress (il Fortino) commissioned by Grand Duke Leopold I. This structure served as a defence outpost and a secure warehouse for marble blocks hauled down from the nearby Apuan Alps before being shipped across Europe.
Unlike Portofino's rugged cliffs, Forte dei Marmi features a flat coastline lined with wide, fine-sand beaches. It captures the St. Tropez vibe through its immaculate, exclusive beach clubs. These clubs are instantly recognizable by their symmetrical rows of colorful tents, private cabins, and open-air luxury restaurants. The town center feels like an open-air fashion boutique. Visitors trade Ferraris for vintage bicycles to navigate the quiet, pine-shaded avenues.
The destination owes its glamorous reputation to Italy’s industrial nobility. The Agnelli Family, the powerhouse dynasty behind Fiat, established their summer residency at the grand Villa Agnelli in 1926. For thirty years, writer Susanna Agnelli and her brother, the legendary style icon Gianni Agnelli, spent their summers here. They institutionalized a relaxed, wealthy barefoot elegance that drew artists, intellectuals, and captains of industry away from traditional cities.
Both towns remain timeless monument sites to mid-century European glamour. They demonstrate that while St. Tropez may have invented the modern jet-set vacation style, the Italian coast perfected its execution.