Restaurant A Marinasca, Portigliolo

We were wracking our brains trying to think of somewhere different for a quick spot of lunch when we remembered ‘A Marinasca’ at Portigliolo. Now a campsite restaurant is not something I would ordinarily advocate, but this is one not to be missed!



Tucked away amongst the pretty oleander and colourful flowers, the restaurant is like something you’d find in the Caribbean or Africa. The main section is a huge round structure with thatched roof and curtains and if, like us, you time it just right, you can bag a plumb spot just overlooking the pool with a view through the trees to the beach beyond.



Yes, that’s right, this restaurant has a pool! OK, so it’s only a childrens pool about a foot deep, but it does mean that the little ones can play in the water while you enjoy a leisurely lunch undisturbed. What bliss!



As soon as I saw the menu, I knew it would be difficult to choose so we decided to start with a cocktail and then order two different dishes so we could share and try twice as much! I wanted the maracchioni with Gorgonzola and walnuts and was persuaded that we should also try the Carpaccio d’Espadron (finely sliced raw fish).



Both dishes were absolutely delicious but the Espadron in particular turned out to be a really refreshing change to a salad on a hot sunny day.