Visit Portofino

A piazzetta opening onto a tiny harbour, ochre and pink houses pressed against the hill, trails climbing through holm oaks to the coves of the headland: Portofino is best discovered on foot and by sea, ideally away from summer weekends.

Why visit Portofino?

Portofino is a village in Liguria on the Riviera di Levante, at the tip of a headland protected as a regional nature park and fringed by a marine protected area. Visitors come for its picturesque harbour, coastal trails and the abbey of San Fruttuoso, reachable only on foot or by boat. One day is enough, from Santa Margherita Ligure or Genoa.

Portofino's must-sees

Four sights, on foot or by boat, around a tiny village.

Castello Brown

A fortress above the harbour, about ten minutes' climb from the piazzetta. Its terraces give the best-known view over the bay.

San Giorgio church

A small church on the spur between the harbour and the open sea, on the way to the castle and the lighthouse, with a viewpoint over the village.

Punta Portofino lighthouse

A lighthouse at the tip of the headland, reached by a shady path. Open views over the Gulf of Tigullio, ideal at sunset.

San Fruttuoso Abbey

A medieval abbey tucked into a cove with no road. Offshore, the submerged Christ of the Abyss statue draws divers and snorkellers.

What to do in Portofino and on its headland?

The harbour and the piazzetta

The heart of the village covers just a few hundred metres: the cobbled piazzetta, the quay where boats tie up and the lanes climbing towards the church of San Giorgio. You can walk it all in an hour, but the point is to linger early, before the excursion boats arrive around 10 am, or late in the day. Harbour terraces are among the most expensive on the Ligurian Riviera: a coffee costs noticeably more than in Santa Margherita. The village is the most famous postcard of north-west Italy's coast.

Trails across the headland

Portofino Regional Nature Park is criss-crossed by waymarked trails. The shortest runs from the church of San Giorgio to the lighthouse at Punta del Capo, about 20 to 30 minutes of level walking under pines. The best known crosses the hill to the abbey of San Fruttuoso in about two hours, with steep, stony stretches: closed shoes and water are essential. Spring and October bring ideal temperatures. In high summer, set off before 9 am and plan to return by boat.

Santa Margherita and Paraggi bay

Santa Margherita Ligure, 5 km away, is the logical base: a railway station on the Genoa to La Spezia line, more hotels and more reasonable prices. The coast road to Portofino passes the small bay of Paraggi, one of the few sandy beaches in the area, largely taken up by paid beach clubs. You can walk the route on a path built alongside the road in about an hour. Two nights in Santa Margherita let you combine Portofino, San Fruttuoso and Camogli.

Frequently asked questions about Portofino

How do you get from Santa Margherita Ligure to Portofino?
Three options: the local bus, about twenty minutes depending on traffic, the boat in season, or walking along the coast road via Paraggi, around an hour. In summer the boat avoids jams on a road with just one lane in each direction.
Can you walk from Portofino to San Fruttuoso?
Yes, on a waymarked nature park trail that crosses the hill in about two hours. It includes steep climbs and rocky sections. Many people walk there and return by boat, after checking the time of the last departure.
Where can you see the Christ of the Abyss?
The bronze statue has stood underwater in San Fruttuoso bay since 1954, at a depth of about 17 metres. Divers visit it with local clubs, and in calm seas it can be glimpsed from the surface on organised boat trips.
Is Portofino worth visiting out of season?
Yes, and it is arguably the best time: in April, May or October the village is calm again, the trails are pleasant and boats are still running. In winter, several shops and sea links run at a slower pace.
Should you stay in Portofino itself?
There is no need. The village has few places to stay, all very upmarket. Santa Margherita Ligure, Rapallo or Camogli offer a wider choice and rail access, while remaining less than half an hour away.

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