Portofino Kayak Tours
Hours, prices and access verified by the Portofino Tours team — last checked 2026-09-28.
Portofino kayak tours leave the bay of Paraggi, about a kilometre before the village, for an hour and a half on the water. One is a sea kayak out to the lighthouse; the other is a paddleboard tour that stays inside the bay.
Paddling from Paraggi
Best seller
★★★★★ 4.9 (151 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes)
Starts at Paraggi baySea kayak with a guide
A sea kayak from the Niasca base in Paraggi, along the coast past Portofino harbour to the lighthouse, where you swim. An instructor leads, and the wetsuit, boots, spray jacket and life vest are provided.
From $52 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
★★★★★ 5.0 (11 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes)
Starts at Paraggi bayPaddleboard, max 15
A paddleboard inside the bay of Paraggi after a safety briefing on the beach, with a guide, board, wetsuit and life jacket. From age 14, up to 15 people; you must be able to swim. Bring a towel.
From $62 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
The most-reviewed trip on the coast
An hour and a half from Paraggi past the harbour to the lighthouse, with a swim below it.
See this trip
What a Portofino kayak tour is
A kayak tour puts you on the water under your own power, with a guide. Here both leave
the Niasca base, Via Duca degli Abruzzi 62, in the bay of Paraggi. That is about a kilometre before
Portofino on the road from Santa Margherita.
They are two different things. The kayak is a sea kayak that paddles along the coast, past
Portofino harbour and the Olivetta, out to the lighthouse, where you stop to swim. The paddleboard
tour is a stand-up board that stays inside the bay of Paraggi.
Both last an hour and a half, and both need you to swim. The paddleboard takes nobody under 14,
and groups go up to 15.
The kayak is sold as an easy tour, open to any level of fitness and any age, as long as you
can swim. An instructor leads the whole way, and the route bends to the sea and to your
group's level, so a first-timer is not out of place.
Why choose a kayak tour
You see the harbour from water level
The kayak passes the painted houses from the sea, then rounds the point to the lighthouse.
You set the pace with your own paddle.
You swim below the lighthouse
The kayak stops under the lighthouse for a swim. You wear a wetsuit and a life vest, and you can
bring a mask to snorkel.
The bay is calm for the paddleboard
The paddleboard tour picks Paraggi because motorboats stay out of the bay, so the water is
flatter. A safety briefing on the beach comes first.
It is the cheapest way onto the water
The kayak costs $52 a person and the paddleboard $62 a person. A seat on a boat starts at
$98.
Kayak tours vs a boat tour
Both show you the coast from the sea. Here is what changes.
| A kayak or paddleboard | A shared boat |
|---|
| Where it leaves | The bay of Paraggi | Portofino harbour or Rapallo |
| How far | To the lighthouse, or inside the bay | Round the headland to San Fruttuoso and Camogli |
| Length | 1 hour 30 minutes | 2.5 to 4 hours |
| Effort | You paddle | You sit |
| Swimming | Required to take part | Optional at the swim stop |
| Ages | Paddleboard from 14 | Set by each boat |
| Price | $52 to $62 a person | $98 to $103 a person, plus €10 fuel on the harbour boat |
See the paddleboard from $62
A boat covers far more coast, and suits anyone who cannot swim. A kayak is closer, cheaper and
more active. Our guide to choosing a trip sets both beside the walks.
What you get, and what you don't
- The kayak: a sea kayak, a paddle, an instructor who is also a marine guide, a
life vest, a spray jacket, a wetsuit and neoprene boots.
- The paddleboard: a board, a paddle, a guide, a life jacket and a wetsuit.
- Not included: beach towels on the paddleboard, and hotel pickup.
- At the base: you can refill a water bottle, but the paddleboard base has no
toilets.
A calm bay and a board
An hour and a half inside Paraggi bay with a guide, a wetsuit and a life jacket, from age 14.
Check availability
Planning a kayak tour
- Getting there: bus 82 runs along the coast road from Santa Margherita; the
getting there page has the details.
- Arrive early: the kayak asks you to be at the base 15 minutes before the
start.
- Bring: swimwear, a towel and water. A mask is handy for the lighthouse swim.
- The sea: the guide can change the route with the sea and your group's level.
Check the weather by month.
- Refunds: both refund in full if you cancel 24 hours ahead.
Other ways to be on the water are on the activities page.
Who should choose something else
- If anyone in your party cannot swim. Each requires it. Take a boat,
where you can stay aboard at the swim stop: see the Portofino boat tours.
- If you want San Fruttuoso. Neither paddles that far. A boat or the park hike
gets you to the bay.
- If you want to stay dry. The walking tours keep you on land, with a lunch at the
end of one.
Frequently asked questions
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.
Kayak or paddleboard: which should I pick?
Pick the kayak to go somewhere: it paddles past the harbour to the lighthouse and stops to swim. Pick the paddleboard to stay in the calm bay of Paraggi. The paddleboard takes nobody under 14.
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.
Where do the kayak tours start?
At the Niasca base, Via Duca degli Abruzzi 62, in the bay of Paraggi. It is about a kilometre before Portofino on the road from Santa Margherita. Arrive 15 minutes early for the kayak.
What should I bring?
Swimwear, a towel, which the paddleboard does not supply, and water. The paddleboard base lets you refill a bottle but has no toilets. Wetsuits and life jackets are provided.
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.
Rather sit back on a boat? Every way to see the headland is compared on Portofino Tours.