Portofino Tours from Genoa
Hours, prices and access verified by the Portofino Tours team — last checked 2026-09-28.
Portofino tours from Genoa carry you from the city or its cruise terminal to the village and back in a day. The coach day and the private boat start in the city; the private walks sell the Genoa pickup as an option.
Tours that start in Genoa
★★★★★ 4.6 (51 reviews · 5 hours 30 minutes)
Starts in GenoaBus and boat dayTime ashore in Portofino
Meet by the bus stop three minutes from the cruise terminal. A coach takes you 75 minutes to Santa Margherita, then focaccia, a boat along the coast and two hours free in Portofino, with a tour leader.
From $101 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
★★★★★ 5.0 (10 reviews · 2 to 5 hours 30 minutes, by option)
Starts in Portofino or GenoaPrivate guided walk
The Genoa option sends a private car to the cruise terminal or your hotel, then a licensed guide walks you through Portofino for about two hours. Snacks and water are included; tips are not.
From $220 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
★★★★★ 4.9 (28 reviews · 4 to 6 hours)
Starts in Portofino or Santa MargheritaPrivate guided walk
Choose the start from Genoa at booking and a private transfer brings you to the guide. Then about three hours in Portofino and three in Santa Margherita, joined by the ferry, with focaccia and a glass of wine.
From $405 per person, bookings of two
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
★★★★★ 5.0 (19 reviews · 7 hours 30 minutes)
Starts in GenoaThe whole boat is yoursSwim stopStops ashore on the way
Meet at Porto Antico, by Molo Ponte Morosini, and the boat is yours for seven and a half hours. You go ashore at San Fruttuoso, Portofino and Camogli, with swim stops on the way. Lunch is extra.
From $1,276 per group (up to 7)
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
Coach, focaccia, boat and two hours in the village
Five and a half hours from beside the cruise terminal, with a tour leader and headsets.
Check availability
What a tour from Genoa to Portofino is
Genoa is the big city west of the promontory, and its port is where many cruise ships dock. A
tour from Genoa takes you to Portofino and back in a day, so you do not have to work out the
trains, the bus and the ferry yourself.
The coach day and the private boat start in Genoa itself. The bus-and-boat day meets by the bus stop on Via Fanti
d'Italia, three minutes from the cruise terminal. The private boat leaves Porto Antico, by Molo
Ponte Morosini, at 9am.
The private guided walks sell Genoa only as an option. One sends a private car to the cruise
terminal or your hotel. The other adds a private transfer from Genoa when you book. On their
other options, you meet the guide in Portofino or Santa Margherita.
Why choose a tour from Genoa
The transport is solved
A coach, a car or a boat carries you both ways. You do not change trains or queue for the
ferry, and you are brought back to where you started.
It suits a cruise day
The bus-and-boat day meets beside the terminal and runs five and a half hours. On its Genoa
option, one private walk collects you at the cruise terminal and sets the pace to your time.
You arrive by sea
The bus-and-boat day takes the last stretch by boat from Santa Margherita. The private boat
does the whole trip by sea, with San Fruttuoso and Camogli on the way.
You can add Genoa itself
The bus-and-boat day sells an optional guided hour in Genoa, and one private walk can add
Santa Margherita on its longer option.
Tours from Genoa vs the train on your own
You can do the trip yourself. The kayak operator's own directions put Santa Margherita
Ligure-Portofino station about 45 minutes from Genoa by train. From there, bus 82 or the ferry
takes you on to the village.
| A tour from Genoa | Train, then bus or ferry |
|---|
| Getting there | Coach and boat, a private car, or a private boat | Train to Santa Margherita, then bus 82 or the ferry |
| Meeting point | By the cruise terminal, Porto Antico, or your hotel | The station |
| Time in Portofino | About 2 hours on the coach day; your pace on a private tour | As long as you like |
| A guide | A tour leader or a private guide | None |
| San Fruttuoso | On the private boat day | By ferry in season, or on foot |
| Price | $101 a person on the coach day | Your train, plus €20 return on the ferry |
See the bus-and-boat day from $101
On your own is cheaper, and you choose your hours. The tour is worth it on a cruise day, or
when you would rather not count trains. Our guide to the village on your own goes through doing it yourself.
What you get, and what you don't
- The bus-and-boat day: the coach, the boat both ways, a tour leader in English
and Spanish, headsets and a focaccia tasting. Lunch and drinks are extra.
- The private boat: the boat for up to seven, snorkel gear and a tow board.
Lunch is extra; you eat ashore in Camogli.
- The private walks: a licensed guide, snacks or an aperitivo. The Genoa car or
transfer comes only with that option.
- Never: the abbey ticket, which is €10 at the door.
A full day by sea from Porto Antico
Your own boat for up to seven, with time ashore at San Fruttuoso, Portofino and Camogli, and two swim stops.
Check availability
Planning a tour from Genoa
- Budget: $101 a person on the coach day. The private boat is $1,276 per group (up to 7).
- Length: five and a half hours on the coach day, seven and a half on the
private boat. A private walk runs two to six hours, plus the drive.
- Cruise passengers: check your all-aboard time against the tour's length.
Tell a private guide when you must be back.
- If you are tendered: ships anchored off Portofino tender to Molo Isolotto.
The private walks meet you there, and you need no Genoa option.
- The sea: a rough day can change the boat legs. Check the weather by month.
Planning the rest of the day? Our one-day plans time a Genoa day hour by hour.
Who should choose something else
- If you are staying in Santa Margherita or Rapallo. A Genoa tour sends you
backwards. The Portofino boat tours and walks start in your own town.
- If you want a full day in the village. Two hours on the coach day is short.
Take the train and stay as long as you like; the getting there page shows how.
- If you want the water. The coach day only rides the boat between two towns.
The private boat tours give you the headland, the swim and the bays.
Frequently asked questions
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.
How long does it take to get from Genoa to Portofino?
The coach on the bus-and-boat day takes 75 minutes to Santa Margherita, then a 30-minute boat. One private walk puts the car ride at about an hour. By sea from Porto Antico, the private boat makes a full day of the trip.
Will I be back at the ship in time?
The bus-and-boat day meets three minutes from the cruise terminal and runs five and a half hours. Check your all-aboard time against the tour's length before you book. Private guides set the pace, so tell yours when you must be back.
Which tours start in Genoa only as an option?
The private guided walks. One sends a private car to the cruise terminal or your hotel on its Genoa option, and the other sells a private transfer from Genoa at booking. On their other options, you meet the guide in Portofino or Santa Margherita.
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.
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.
Staying on the coast instead? Every way to see the headland is compared on Portofino Tours.