Once reserved for the rich and famous, the picture-perfect fishing village of Portofino, is known for its pastel-coloured buildings, narrow streets and scenic harbour.
Located on the Italian Riviera and described as one of Italy’s ‘natural jewels’, the Italian village is framed by lush green hills and the clear Ligurian sea, with a population in the winter of just 350.
But, in recent years, tourists have flooded to the celebrity hotspot beloved by Madonna and Kardashians alike, causing huge crowds in the summer.
And Portofino now finds itself caught in a battle between those wanting to protect its charm and those who argue that anyone has a right to visit it whenever they choose.
And it seems the area’s popularity isn’t going to slow down anytime soon, thanks partly to Taylor Swift’s undeniable influence on her fans – dubbed the ‘Taylor Swift effect’.
The popstar is once again dominating headlines with the release of her highly anticipated album, The Life of a Showgirl.
Beyond breaking records in the music world, including exceeding five million pre-saves on Spotify, making it the most pre-saved album in Spotify history, the second track, Elizabeth Taylor, is already influencing global travel trends.
City break experts at Travel Republic have revealed that a single lyric – ‘That view of Portofino was on my mind’ – has already sparked an extraordinary 1329 per cent surge in global Google searches for the Italian Riviera hotspot in just one hour of the song’s release.
Once reserved for the rich and famous, the picture-perfect fishing village of Portofino is known for its pastel-coloured buildings, narrow streets and scenic harbour
City break experts at Travel Republic have revealed that a single Taylor Swift lyric – ‘That view of Portofino was on my mind’ – has sparked an extraordinary 1329 per cent surge in global Google searches for the Italian Riviera hotspot in just one hour of the song’s release
Portofino has close ties to Elizabeth as Richard Burton proposed to her at the Hotel Splendido in the city, where she also honeymooned several times.
Pop star Taylor has previously drawn attention to her admiration for Elizabeth Taylor over the years, including a nod to ‘Burton to my Taylor’ on her Reputation album in 2018.
On TikTok, videos are already popping up showing views of Portofino alongside Swift’s track.
One user wrote: ‘The view she’s talking about,’ accompanied by a series of beautiful Portofino landscapes.
Another user posted a similar video with the caption: ‘I mean who could blame her?’
A separate user shared the view from a window with the caption: ‘This view of Portofino lives in my mind rent free.’
In May last year, Taylor and her now-fiancé Travis Kelce were seen in the Lake Como region, though it’s unclear if they visited Portofino.
She’s also said ‘Portofino Orange’ is the colour of the Showgirl era, and also wore the bright shade frequently during the latter shows of the Eras tour, which wrapped last December.
Taylor Swift is once again dominating headlines with the release of her highly anticipated album, The Life of a Showgirl
Described as one of Italy’s ‘natural jewels’, Portofino is framed by lush green hills and the clear Ligurian sea, with a population in the winter of just 350
It’s not the only time mentions of locations in Taylor’s music has boosted tourism.
Her album Folklore featured a song called The Lakes which included references to Windermere.
The album’s release caused a 311 per cent increase in bookings and a 217 per cent jump in online searches for the Lake District.
The song The Black Dog from The Tortured Poets Department led to ‘massive swarms’ of fans visiting the Black Dog pub in Vauxhall.
Transport for London reported a significant boost in August ridership due to visitors flocking to the city during the Eras Tour.
A city break experts at Travel Republic said: ‘There’s no doubt some Swifties will be hopping on the next available flight to the dreamy Italian escape, Portofino, and they’re in luck – one of the best times to visit is early autumn.
‘During October, visitors can enjoy mild temperatures, clear skies, and fewer crowds, making it the perfect opportunity to soak in the village’s iconic vistas.
‘For those who haven’t got the available annual leave, Portofino is equally glorious in spring, from April to June, when the weather is warm, skies are clear, and the crowds are still manageable.’
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