„There is a long summer in Portofino and a lot of guests from all around and streams of wine are flowing here, in Portofino, all night long[…]” – these are the lyrics of a song by Agnieszka Osiecka, Anna German and Sława Przybylska.

Portofino is a small town on the Italian Riviera which is seen by the Poles as actual, true paradise on earth. In fact, Portofino is a very small and very prestigious… fishing village. What is more, it is surrounded by picturesque National Park. This unique resort has always been loved and eagerly visited by world-famous artists and writers. For many of them, this small harbour surrounded by colourfully painted buildings reflected in the azure blue sea is one of the prettiest harbours in the Mediterranean Sea. Right at the centre of the harbour there is a square with exclusive bars and snobbish restaurants with exorbitant prices.

The largest fashion designers have opened stores in this inconspicuous town. You can meet such fashion stars as Valentino or Dolce and Gabbana, who bought their luxury houses here. Famous four D&G villas host celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, Naomi Campbell, Kylie Minogue and Victoria Beckham.

Besides elegant boutiques and splendid restaurants, there is also a lot to explore in Portofino. It is worth to visit the church of San Giorgio, which is said to have the remains of St. George, which, according to legend, were brought here by local corsairs in the twelfth century. Moreover, you must see the beautiful Castello Brown castle overlooking the town and also take a walk to the Faro di punta di Portofino, which is surrounded by unique nature. The time needed to get from the harbour to the lighthouse is about 20 minutes. It’s definitely worth to enjoy a delicious drink served by the nicest waiter in the world! This charming waiter at Al Faro di Portofino Lounge Bar – because that’s the name of this bar, improves the overall atmosphere with good music and all this combined with breathtaking views makes this fantastic location unforgettable.

Wayne Rooney, a Manchester United star, and his long-time fiancé Coleen McLoughlin got married in Portofino in June 2008. Five years later, Chad Kroeger and Avril Lavigne had a honeymoon here. Also Anna and football star Robert Lewandowski along with Marina and Wojciech Szczesny have enjoyed leisure time in this Italian paradise, and former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi reportedly rented a house for many years, paying sky-high rent every day.

PHOTO / MIND2TRAVEL

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Craving for dessert very often comes unexpectedly. And most frequently when we least expect it. When we need comfort, when the weather outside the window causes you to hide under a blanket and wait for the sun.

Tiramisu is definitely our „comfort food”. We like the one from an Italian restaurant, with strong coffee taste. But these home-made, with favourite ingredients, are what we, the ladies, sometimes need in order to find balance after a very, very arduous day.

When tea does not help. When your favourite radio station does not help. Then tiramisu with pistachios comes to the rescue. A reliable way to improve your mood.

A dessert for Four
– 250g mascarpone cheese
– 2 whipping creams 36% (small packages)
– 2 tablespoons of icing sugar
– a packet of your favourite cookies (crackers, dessert with sugar, biscuits)
– a cup of strong, slightly chilled coffee
– a few pieces of dark chocolate
– 100g pistachios, crushed

1. Whip the chilled cream with the icing sugar, add the mascarpone cheese and gently mix
2. Set aside 8 cookies (2 per serving), crush the rest
3. Crumble the pistachios and prepare dark chocolate chips.
4. For each dish (for 1 person) lay a layer of cream, then a cookie dipped in coffee, sprinkle with chocolate, crumbs and pistachios, then again cream + cookie dipped in coffee + additives, finally, the 3rd layer of cream. Decorate it with crumbs, chocolate chips and pistachios.