Portofino in the Off-Season: October to March

Portofino does not close in winter. The village, the lanes and San Giorgio are there all year; what changes is the sea, the ferries and the opening hours. A Portofino Italy walking tour still works from October to March, and this guide shows what to plan round.

What changes in Portofino after the summer?

Four things change for you. The abbey and the castle shorten their hours, and the abbey starts closing on Mondays. The public ferries run in season only. The marine area's mooring fields at Punta Chiappa and San Fruttuoso closed on 27 September 2026. And the rain rises in the autumn.

None of that stops your visit. It changes which trips make sense for you, and when in the day you do them.

Is October still a good month?

For many people it is the best of the autumn. In October the abbey opens daily, 10:00 to 15:45, and the castle 10:00 to 18:00. You get ENEA's normals of about 19.7 °C by day, though October is also the wettest month, at about 136 mm.

So plan an October day with a fallback. If the sea is up, you still have the village, the castle and a guided walk.

What are the abbey's winter hours?

The Abbey of San Fruttuoso keeps 10:00 to 15:45 from October through the winter. From November to February it closes on Mondays that are not public holidays, and it closes on 25 December.

Last entry is 45 minutes before closing. It also closes whenever the Camogli boats cannot run, which is more likely in winter.

When does the castle close?

In October, Castello Brown opens 10:00 to 18:00. From 1 November to 31 March it opens 10:00 to 16:00, with last entry 30 minutes before closing. The ticket is €10, free under 12, at the gate only.

The castle is named after Montague Yeats Brown, the British consul who owned it from 1867, and the comune bought it in 1961. On a clear winter morning, you look down over the harbour from its terrace.

That short winter day makes the castle your morning or early afternoon visit. Go up after San Giorgio, which is free and open in daylight.

Do the ferries run in winter?

The boats to San Fruttuoso run from Camogli all year. From Portofino, Santa Margherita and Rapallo they run in season only, and any day can be cancelled for the sea.

The abbey closes when the Camogli boat cannot land, so on a rough day you lose both at once. Plan San Fruttuoso for the calmest day of your stay, and keep the village for the other.

Out of season, you reach Portofino by bus 82 from Santa Margherita's station. The getting there page covers the train and the bus.

Can you still take a boat tour?

No listing here states a winter season, so check the calendar on the one you want before you plan round it. Every boat depends on the sea on the day, so keep a spare day.

With the mooring fields closed after 27 September 2026, a skipper has fewer places to stop. The private boat tours page shows where each boat starts and what it stops for.

How wet is the off-season?

Here is what you can expect, from ENEA's normals for Chiavari, on the same gulf: mean highs and lows, rain, and the days with rain.

October and November are the wettest months. By February the rain drops to about 89 mm. The weather by month has all twelve months.

Which walks run in winter?

A guided walk depends least on the sea, and it suits a grey day. The two-town walk with a local guide says plainly that in winter or bad weather it swaps the ferry for a bus or a car.

The private walk meets you at the port or your hotel for about two hours, and the pesto walk crosses by ferry, so check both for winter dates. For the others, check the dates on the listing. The walking tours page sets them side by side, with what each includes.

Which trips still make sense for you?

Match the trip to what the season takes away. Here is how each kind holds up from October to March.

If you have one fixed day, put a walk on it and keep the boat as a bonus. If you have three, you can wait for the sea.

Can you hike the park in winter?

Yes, on dry days you can. The park keeps 80 km of trails, and its guided hike from Santa Margherita to Portofino was timed at two and a half hours and rated easy.

Paths close after storms and slides, which come with the autumn rain. In April 2026 Camogli extended an order closing the path at Punta Chiappa. Check the park's notices first; the activities page has the routes.

How do you plan a winter day?

1. Take the train to Santa Margherita Ligure-Portofino, then bus 82 to the village.
2. Walk the harbour and the Piazzetta, then climb to San Giorgio.
3. Go on to the castle before its last entry, 30 minutes before it closes at 16:00.
4. If the sea is calm and it is not a Monday, take the Camogli boat to San Fruttuoso.
5. Otherwise, book a guided walk for the afternoon.

You will want the castle early, because the winter light goes quickly and the gate closes at 16:00.

Where should you base yourself?

Where the train stops. Santa Margherita Ligure-Portofino station puts you on bus 82 and the ferry pier, so you can reach the village whatever the sea does. Our page on where to stay compares the towns round the gulf.

What stays open all year?

• The village: the harbour, the Piazzetta and the lanes, free at any hour.
• San Giorgio: free, open in daylight.
• The castle: 10:00 to 16:00 from 1 November.
• The abbey: 10:00 to 15:45, closed on Mondays that are not public holidays, from November to February.
• The Camogli boat to San Fruttuoso: all year, sea permitting.

Is a winter visit worth it?

Yes, if you come for the village rather than the sea. You can climb to San Giorgio, see the castle and walk the lanes on a short day. A guided walk fills the rest, and every walk here refunds in full up to 24 hours ahead, so a wet forecast costs you nothing.

If the sea is the point, come from April. The best time to visit page goes month by month, and our guide to the village on your own covers the ferries when they run.

What should you pack?

A rain jacket and shoes with grip. The lanes are stone and the climbs are stepped, and wet stone is slippery. Take a warm layer too: in January the mean low is about 5.7 °C.

Carry some cash, and check each site's hours the week you travel. Our one-day plans show how to fit the castle and the abbey into a short day.

Frequently asked questions

Walks for the off-season

Portofino and Santa Margherita Private Tour of Ligurian Gems

A private local guide for Portofino and Santa Margherita, about three hours in each, joined by the public ferry, with focaccia and a glass of wine. Cruise passengers are met at the tender pier.

From $405 per person, bookings of two

Check Availability

Portofino Private Guided Tour – Optional Santa-Margherita/Genoa

A private guide for about two hours in the Piazzetta and the lanes, met at the harbour or your hotel. Longer options add Santa Margherita, or a car from Genoa and back.

From $220 per person

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