Portofino Tours: Frequently Asked Questions
Tickets, boats, where tours start, the ferries, children, the sea and refunds, answered from the operators' own listings and the official pages. Ready to make a Portofino booking? The answers below settle most of what you need first.
Two answers matter more than the rest. First, there is no ticket to Portofino itself: the village is free, and the only paid sights are the Abbey of San Fruttuoso and Castello Brown. No tour fare includes the abbey. Second, where your day starts shapes everything else, from the pier in Portofino harbour to Rotonda Marconi in Rapallo.
After that, it is the sea and the calendar. Boats sail only when the water allows, the public ferries run in season, and the abbey and the castle keep shorter hours from November. The Servizio Marittimo del Tigullio's return fares are the ones you see below.
Do you need a ticket to visit Portofino?
No. There is no gate: the village, the harbour and the Piazzetta are free at any hour. The two paid sights nearby are the abbey at San Fruttuoso (€10) and Castello Brown above the harbour (€10), each with its own ticket.
How much are Portofino tours?
From $52 a person for the kayak from Paraggi. A seat on a shared boat runs from $98 to $103, the guided walks from $220 a person, and a private boat from $557 for the whole boat.
Do boat tours leave from Portofino itself?
Some do. The small-group boat to San Fruttuoso and Camogli leaves Molo Umberto I in Portofino harbour, and several private boats let you board in Portofino, Santa Margherita or Rapallo. Others start in Rapallo or in Genoa, so check the pier on your booking.
Can I get off the boat in Portofino?
On some boats, yes. The small-group boat from Rapallo gives you an hour ashore in Portofino, and several private days stop in the village and in Camogli. Other charters sail past and land you only if you ask the skipper.
Is the abbey ticket included in boat tours?
No fare includes it. The abbey costs €10 for an adult, paid at its own door, and some listings say plainly that it is not in the price. Many boats stop in the bay only to swim, so you may not have time to go in.
How much is the public ferry from Santa Margherita?
A return ticket from Santa Margherita to Portofino costs €20 in 2026, and one from Rapallo €22. You buy it at the pier, and the boats run in season and only when the sea allows.
Can I take a boat tour from Genoa?
Yes. A private boat leaves Genoa's Porto Antico for a full day at San Fruttuoso, Portofino and Camogli, and a bus and boat day from the cruise terminal gives you two hours in the village. Some private walks also collect you in Genoa.
Can I go from Portofino to the Cinque Terre by boat?
Yes, two ways. A private boat day sails there with time ashore in Monterosso and Vernazza, and the public ferry's Cinque Terre line from Santa Margherita or Rapallo costs €47 return, with three hours in Monterosso and one in Riomaggiore.
Are there guided walks in the village?
Yes. One meets at the Santa Margherita ferry pier, takes the ferry across and ends with a pesto class and lunch. Private guides walk the Piazzetta and the lanes with you, and a private hike crosses the park to San Fruttuoso.
Is there a kayak or paddleboard tour?
Yes, both start at Paraggi bay, about a kilometre before the village. The kayak, from $52, paddles past the harbour to the lighthouse with a swim; the paddleboard, from $62, stays inside the bay.
What is the fuel surcharge on some boats?
The small-group boat from Portofino harbour charges €10 a person in cash when you board, on top of the fare you booked. Every price shown for that boat carries the note beside it.
How is a private boat priced?
Most are priced for the whole boat, from $557 for up to five people. Two private boats from Rapallo quote a per-person figure that is the price for one traveller, and it rises with each person you add.
What happens if the sea is rough?
The skipper decides on the day, and a boat may change its route or not sail. A trip cancelled for weather is the operator's to refund or move to another date. The public ferries stop too, and so does the abbey, which closes when its boats cannot land.
Can I cancel my booking?
Almost always. Every tour listed here refunds in full if you cancel at least 24 hours ahead, except one full-day private charter, which is non-refundable. That one says so on its card.
How much time do you need in Portofino?
Half a day covers the harbour, the Piazzetta, the church of San Giorgio and the path out towards the lighthouse. Allow a full day if you add San Fruttuoso by boat or on foot.
When is the abbey at San Fruttuoso open?
Its hours change through the year: in October it opens 10:00 to 15:45, and in November and December 10:00 to 15:45, closed on Mondays that are not public holidays. Last entry is 45 minutes before closing, and the Abbey of San Fruttuoso closes whenever the Camogli boats cannot run.
How much does the abbey cost in 2026?
€10 for an adult, €5 for ages 6 to 18 and students up to 25, free under 6, and €26 for a family of two adults with children. You buy it at the door.
How do you get to San Fruttuoso?
Only by sea or on foot: there is no road. Public boats run from Camogli all year and from Portofino, Santa Margherita and Rapallo in season, and the park's trails lead there on foot.
What is the Christ of the Abyss?
A bronze statue of Christ, about 2.5 metres tall, set on the seabed in the San Fruttuoso inlet in August 1954, about 17 metres down. The Christ of the Abyss was placed near where a diver died in 1947.
Can you see the underwater statue from a boat?
Several boats stop over its bay with snorkel gear, so you can look for it from the surface. It stands about 17 metres down, so what you see depends on the light and the water.
What is Castello Brown, and what does it cost?
The comune's castle on the path above the harbour, named after a British consul who owned it in the 1800s. Castello Brown costs €10, free under 12, at the gate only; in October it opens 10:00 to 18:00, and from 1 November 10:00 to 16:00.
Is the church of San Giorgio free?
Yes. The small church on the cliff above the harbour is free and open in daylight hours. It was first built in 1154 and has been rebuilt four times, and relics of St George lie under its high altar.
Can I take the ferry to San Fruttuoso?
Yes, in season. A return from Portofino costs €20 and from Santa Margherita €24. The Servizio Marittimo del Tigullio sells tickets at the pier, and sailings need a minimum number of passengers and a calm enough sea.
How do I get to Portofino by train?
Take the train to Santa Margherita Ligure-Portofino station. From there, bus 82 runs along the coast road to Portofino, or you can take the ferry from Santa Margherita's pier. Genoa is about 45 minutes away by train, by the kayak operator's own directions.
Can I drive to Portofino?
You can, from the A12 motorway exit at Rapallo, but access is hard in peak season and parking is limited. The kayak operator's own directions recommend the train and the bus instead, and the ferry is the other way in.
Can cruise passengers do these tours?
Yes. Ships anchored off Portofino tender to Molo Isolotto, and those off Santa Margherita to Molo Maloncello, and private walks meet you at either. A bus and boat day starts next to the Genoa cruise terminal.
Do I need to be able to swim for the kayak or paddleboard?
Yes, both listings require it. You wear a life vest, and the kayak includes a wetsuit and a stop to swim below the lighthouse.
Is snorkel gear included?
On most private boats and on the small-group boat from Rapallo, yes. The small-group boat from Portofino harbour does not include it: bring your own, or buy a mask and snorkel from the crew.
How long do Portofino boat tours last?
From two and a half hours on a small-group boat to a full day of seven or eight hours on a private one. Most private boats sell a half day of three or four hours.
How many people are on a shared boat?
Up to 12 on the small-group boats from Portofino harbour and from Rapallo. A private boat carries only your party, up to five to eight people depending on the boat.
Are the tours wheelchair accessible?
Almost none of the listings say so; only one full-day private charter says it is. The village has steps and cobbles, and the abbey is on three levels joined by stairs. Ask the operator before you book.
Is Portofino good for children?
Yes, if you plan around the sea. Most boats take the whole family and stop to swim, the kayak and paddleboard need children who can swim, and the abbey is free under 6. The steps up to the church and the castle suit children who walk well.
When is the best time to visit Portofino?
Spring to early autumn: from April the abbey and the castle keep their longer hours, and the public ferries run in season. Every boat still depends on a calm enough sea on the day.
Is Portofino worth visiting in winter?
Yes, for the village and the walks, which do not close. The abbey and the castle keep shorter winter hours, and the boats to San Fruttuoso run from Camogli all year but from Portofino only in season.
Where do boat tours meet in Rapallo?
The small-group and private boats from Rapallo meet at Rotonda Marconi, by the operator's office next to the bridge over the river. Other private boats board at the end of the Andrea Doria pier or at the harbour.
Do walking tours run in the rain?
The private walks do, and one swaps the ferry for a bus or car in winter or bad weather. Bring a jacket and shoes with grip for the stone lanes and steps.
Still deciding? The practical detail is in the visitor guide, what travellers made of each tour is in the reviews, and every fare sits side by side on Portofino Tours.