Portofino in One Day: Three Ways to Plan It
One day is enough for Portofino if you choose where it starts. The village is small; the time goes on getting there and on the sea. Here are three plans, built from the Portofino Italy tours and the official hours, each from a different base.
What does one day in Portofino need to include?
Three things, in whatever order the sea allows. The harbour and the Piazzetta, which take an hour. The climb to San Giorgio and on to Castello Brown, which fills a morning if you go inside. And the headland from the water, by boat, kayak or ferry.
San Fruttuoso is the fourth thing, and the one that decides your day. It has no road, so you reach it by boat or on foot, and the abbey keeps set hours. In October it opens 10:00 to 15:45, with last entry 45 minutes before closing.
How do you do Portofino in a day from Genoa?
The simplest way is the bus-and-boat day. It meets on Via Fanti d'Italia, by the bus stop three minutes from the cruise terminal. A tour leader stays with you, and headsets are handed out.
The coach takes 75 minutes to Santa Margherita, where you taste focaccia for half an hour. Then a boat carries you along the coast to Portofino in 30 minutes. You have about two hours free in the village before the boat and the coach bring you back.
What does the Genoa day look like, step by step?
| Step | What happens | How long |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Meet by the cruise terminal and board the coach | — |
| 2 | Coach to Santa Margherita | 75 minutes |
| 3 | Focaccia tasting | 30 minutes |
| 4 | Boat along the coast to Portofino | 30 minutes |
| 5 | Free time: the Piazzetta, the harbour, San Giorgio | About 2 hours |
| 6 | Boat and coach back to Genoa | The rest of the 5.5 hours |
Two hours is enough for the village and the climb to San Giorgio, but not for San Fruttuoso. For the bay as well, take the private boat from Porto Antico: about an hour and a half ashore each at San Fruttuoso, Portofino and Camogli, at $1,276 per group (up to 7).
How do you do it from Santa Margherita?
Santa Margherita is the gateway. It has the station, the ferry pier and several of the boats. You can reach Portofino by bus 82 along the coast road, or by the ferry at €20 return.
The pesto walk makes a morning of it. It meets in front of the ferry pier, crosses to Portofino, climbs to San Giorgio and stops for focaccia. Then comes a pesto class and a light lunch on the harbour, and you take the ferry back when you like.
The meeting point is Piazza Martiri della Libertà 1, in front of the ferry pier, where the leader holds a sign. The walk takes up to six, and it is booked in twos.
What does the Santa Margherita day look like?
| Part of the day | What you do | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Morning | The pesto walk: ferry, San Giorgio, bakery, class and lunch | $261 per person, bookings of two |
| Early afternoon | Ferry on to San Fruttuoso; the abbey and a swim | €20 return, plus €10 at the abbey |
| Late afternoon | Ferry back to Portofino, then on to Santa Margherita | Your ferry ticket |
Mind the abbey's hours. In October it closes at 15:45, and you must be in 45 minutes earlier. The ferry to the bay runs in season and only when the sea allows. If it does not sail, Castello Brown is the afternoon instead: €10 at the gate.
What if you are staying in Portofino?
Then the day is yours to shape. Start on the water in the morning, so a rough sea leaves you the afternoon to rearrange. The kayak leaves the Niasca base at Paraggi, about a kilometre back along the road, and paddles past the harbour to the lighthouse for a swim.
Spend the middle of the day in the village. Climb to San Giorgio, which is free, and on to the castle. In the afternoon, take the harbour boat from Molo Umberto I round the headland to San Fruttuoso bay and Camogli.
What does a day from a Portofino bed look like?
| Part of the day | What you do | How long |
|---|---|---|
| Morning | Kayak from Paraggi to the lighthouse, with a swim | 1.5 hours |
| Midday | The Piazzetta, San Giorgio and the castle | 2 to 3 hours |
| Afternoon | The harbour boat to San Fruttuoso bay and Camogli | 2.5 hours |
Check the times each listing offers on your date; they are set by option. The harbour boat adds €10 a person for fuel, paid in cash at boarding.
Can you add Camogli or Santa Margherita?
Camogli is on the far side of the headland, and several boats end there. The harbour boat runs past Punta Chiappa to Camogli before it turns back. The charter docking in two harbours gives you about an hour ashore there, and the Genoa boat stops for lunch in Camogli.
Santa Margherita is easier still. The ferry and bus 82 join it to Portofino, and the two-town walk gives you about three hours in each with a local guide. One private walk adds an hour there on its four-hour option.
What if it is a cruise day?
Work back from your all-aboard time. If your ship tenders you to Molo Isolotto, you are already in the harbour: a private walk can meet you there, and the harbour boat leaves from the next quay. From Genoa, the bus-and-boat day is the fixed plan, at five and a half hours.
Whatever you choose, leave a margin for the sea and the queue at the tender.
Where do you eat?
Only the pesto walk puts lunch in the fare: trofie al pesto with a glass of wine, water and coffee. The Genoa day, the kayak and the boats leave food out, so plan to eat in the village or at San Fruttuoso.
The harbour boat serves snacks and drinks, with limoncello on the way back. The Genoa day gives you a focaccia tasting in Santa Margherita.
If you want to sit down to lunch in the village, do it before or after the boat, not between two fixed times. On the Genoa day, your two free hours are the only window, so eat quickly or bring something from Santa Margherita.
How much time does the abbey need?
About an hour for the abbey and the beach; the park hike gives it that. The landing stage sits below it, with steps up and down and a stretch of beach, and the abbey is on three levels joined by stairs. Allow more if you want to swim.
Most boats give you less. The harbour boat spends half an hour in the bay, and the Rapallo boat an hour snorkelling. Our post on San Fruttuoso by boat or on foot weighs the ways in.
What should you carry for the day?
- Cash in euros: the harbour boat's €10 fuel charge, and the castle's ticket, sold only at the gate.
- Swimwear and a towel: most boats stop to swim, and the Rapallo boat does not supply towels.
- Shoes with grip: the lanes are stone and the climb to San Giorgio is stepped.
- Water: refill a bottle where you can before you set off.
What if the sea is rough?
The skipper decides on the day, and the public ferries stop too. The abbey closes whenever the Camogli boats cannot land. Keep your boat for the morning, when you have the afternoon to rearrange, and check the weather by month.
A rough day still leaves you the village, San Giorgio, the castle and a guided walk. The two-town walk swaps the ferry for a bus or car in bad weather.
Which plan suits you?
| From Genoa | From Santa Margherita | From a Portofino bed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Getting there | Coach and boat | Ferry or bus 82 | You are there |
| Time in the village | About 2 hours | Most of the morning | All day |
| San Fruttuoso | Only on the private boat | By ferry in season | The harbour boat's bay stop |
| Lunch | Your own | In the pesto walk | Your own |
| Best for | A cruise stop | A first visit | A slow day |
Still choosing a kind of trip? Our guide to choosing a trip sets each one beside the others, and the guide to the village on your own covers the ferries and trains.
Frequently asked questions
Is lunch included on a day trip?
Can I see the village and San Fruttuoso on the same day?
How early should I start?
How much time do you need in Portofino?
Can I take a boat tour from Genoa?
What happens if the sea is rough?
Trips that fit one day
Daily and Sunset Nightly tour boat from Genoa to Portofino
A full day on your own boat from Genoa's old harbour: about an hour and a half ashore each at San Fruttuoso, Portofino and Camogli, with two swim stops.
From $1,276 per group (up to 7)
Check Availability
Portofino Boat and Walking Tour with Pesto Cooking & Lunch
Three hours from the Santa Margherita ferry pier: the return ferry, a guided walk up to San Giorgio, focaccia at a bakery, then a pesto class and lunch on the harbour, up to 6.
From $261 per person, bookings of two
Check Availability
Easy Kayak Tour to Portofino with Optional Snorkeling
An hour and a half in a sea kayak from Paraggi bay, past Portofino harbour to the lighthouse, with a swim below it. Instructor, wetsuit and life vest provided.
From $52 per person
Check AvailabilityNext: Pick your base, then fit the day round the sea. Every fare sits side by side on Portofino Tours.