The Grand Hotel Miramare of Santa Margherita, a formidable construction, was transformed in 1904 by Giacomo Costa from a villa into a great hotel.

Since then it has been managed by a series of different families, the Kuoni-Stoppani family, the Torriani family and finally by the Fustinoni family. Innumerable important persons have been stayed here; Emperors, Kings and Queens, Princes of Royal houses, presidents of Republics, politicians, actors, singers and prestigious artists (1) have been guests.

Perhaps the most important, from the standpoint of the well being of humanity, was Guglielmo Marconi, foto at Grand Hotel Miramare, who realized from this spot one of this century’s most important technological breakthroughs.

The stone tablet fixed above the entrance to the Hotel reads: “On the terrace of this hotel between the 2nd and 6th of August 1R at an altitude of 38 meters above sea! Cvt. Guglielmo Marconi, with a brillant stroke and technique perfection, transmitted for the first time by means of micro-waves of about 60 cm radio-telegraphic and radio-telephonic signals a distance of 150 kilometers July 1938”

Speaking of Miramare we absoluteh’ must not forget the recently deceased Giovanni Fustinoni and his family who, Santa Margheritans by adoption, begin- fling in 1946 continuously brought about important innovations in the field of hotel management and hospitality and thus greatly enhanced the prestige of Santa Margherita in the world.

(1) Among these were: the emperor of Ethiopia Hailè Selassiè, king Hussein of Jordan, the king of Burundi, Ranieri the prince of Monaco, Albert of Belgium, Marina of Savoia, the Italian delegation (De Gasperi and Sforza) and the French delegation (Schumann and Pleven) in 1951, Lawrence Olivier and Vivian Leigh, Rex Harrison and Lilly Palmer, Luis Dominguin and Lucia Bose, and Renato Rascel who composed the beautiful song “Romantica“.

Portofino World, a world apart.