★★★★★
The small-group boat from Portofino
Two swim stops with fish all around, and wine, beer and soft drinks on board. The €10 a person fuel charge at boarding was news to them.
Anthony J. · June 2026
Portofino Small-Group Boat Tour to San Fruttuoso & Camogli
Starts in Portofino harbourShared boat, max 12Swim stop
You board on the quay in Portofino itself and spend two and a half hours on the water with a skipper, an assistant and no more than twelve guests. The boat rounds the lighthouse, crosses the bay where a bronze figure stands on the seabed, and runs on to San Fruttuoso and Camogli. Drinks and snacks come round, and a limoncello on the way home. The fuel is paid in cash as you board.
The headland from the sea, in one afternoon
You start in the village
Many boats leave from Rapallo or Santa Margherita; this one leaves Portofino's quay.
Round the lighthouse
Ten minutes off the point, where the promontory ends.
San Fruttuoso from the water
Half an hour in the bay that no road reaches.
A swim stop
Half an hour in clear water, when the sea and the crew allow.
5.0 from 119 reviews
The most-reviewed boat that leaves from the harbour.
$103 a person, plus €10 fuel
The fuel is a cash charge at boarding, on top of the fare.
Why start in the harbour
Portofino has no gate and no ticket, so most people arrive by ferry and wonder what to do next. Many boat trips on this coast start somewhere else: Rapallo, Santa Margherita or even Genoa. This one leaves from Molo Umberto I, a quay in the harbour itself.
That saves you a ferry ride before you begin. It also means you can spend the morning in the village and still be on the water by the afternoon. The boat brings you back to the same quay at the end.
West round the point
You leave the harbour and head for the lighthouse at the tip of the promontory. The boat slows there for about ten minutes, close under the rock. From the sea you see how steeply the headland drops into the water.
Beyond the point the coast turns wild. The boat crosses the bay where the Christ of the Abyss has stood about 17 metres down since August 1954. The boat crosses the bay above it; this trip is a crossing, not a dive.
San Fruttuoso, the swim and Camogli
San Fruttuoso comes next: a tiny bay with a beach, a tower and the Abbey of San Fruttuoso, reached only on foot or by sea. The boat spends about 30 minutes there. The trip is not sold as landing you, and the abbey's €10 ticket is not in the fare.
Then the swim. The crew picks a spot for about half an hour of swimming and snorkelling, if the sea allows. After that the boat passes Punta Chiappa, a long spur of rock, and spends about half an hour off Camogli, the fishing town on the far side.
The fare, and the €10 in cash
The fare is $103 a person plus €10 fuel in cash. The fuel surcharge sits on top: €10 each, in cash, at boarding. The operator added it for the rise in fuel costs, and it is easy to miss, so carry euros.
Drinks are in the fare: water, soft drinks and alcoholic drinks, with snacks. Snorkel gear is not. Bring your own, or buy a mask for €15 and a snorkel for €9 on board. The boat needs four guests to sail; if too few book, you are offered another date or a refund.
Your two and a half hours, stop by stop
- Molo Umberto I, Portofino. Wait outside the restaurant 10 minutes before; the crew collects you.
- The lighthouse. About 10 minutes off the point.
- The statue's bay. The boat crosses the inlet where the bronze figure stands.
- San Fruttuoso bay. About 30 minutes by the abbey and its beach.
- The swim stop. About 30 minutes, when the sea and the crew allow.
- Punta Chiappa and Camogli. Past the spur of rock, then about 30 minutes off the town.
- Back to Portofino. Limoncello on the way; the trip ends where it began.
Who this suits: you are in Portofino and want the coast from the sea
Book this if
You are already in the village and want the headland, San Fruttuoso and Camogli in one outing. You like a small group, a drink on deck and a swim. It suits couples, friends and families: a pushchair can come aboard, and children under 4 ride on a lap.
Book something else if
You want time ashore in Portofino itself: the shared boat from Rapallo gives you an hour in the village, with snorkel gear and fuel in its $98 a person fare. If you would rather have the whole boat, see Portofino private boat tours. If you use a wheelchair, this boat is not accessible. Every shared boat is compared on Portofino boat tour.
What the fare pays for, and what it leaves out
In the fare
- Professional skipper
- On-board assistant
- Snacks
- Bottled water
- Soft drinks
- Alcoholic drinks
- Limoncello on the way back
Not in the fare
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Fuel surcharge of EUR 10 per person, paid in cash at boarding
- Snorkelling equipment (bring your own, or buy on board: mask EUR 15, snorkel EUR 9)
- Time ashore: the trip is not sold as landing you
- The abbey's ticket, if you go in
Finding the crew on Molo Umberto I
You meet outside Ristorante Cracco at Molo Umberto I 9, on the quay in Portofino harbour. Be there 10 minutes before your start and wait outside: do not go into the restaurant. The crew comes to find you and walks you to the boat.
There is no hotel pickup. Most people reach the village by the public ferry from Santa Margherita, €20 return in 2026, or by bus. Every way in is on getting to Portofino, and the quay is marked on the Portofino map.
Know before you go
- Carry €10 a person in cash. The fuel surcharge is paid at boarding, on top of the fare.
- Wear your swimsuit. You swim straight off the boat at the stop.
- Bring snorkel gear, or buy it. A mask is €15 and a snorkel €9 on board.
- Arrive 10 minutes early. Wait outside the restaurant on the quay.
- Check the access. Pushchairs are fine; the boat is not wheelchair accessible.
- Budget for the abbey separately. It costs €10 and shuts its doors 45 minutes before closing.
- Expect the sea to decide. The swim stop runs only when the water is calm enough.
What travellers say about the boat from the harbour
★★★★☆
The small-group boat from Portofino
Dolphins on the way out, but a choppy sea at boarding and sore feet made getting on and off hard, with only two crew to help.
Kelly Maree G. · June 2026
★★★★★
The small-group boat from Portofino
Good fun, and the towns look their best from the sea.
Wendy D. · September 2026
Frequently asked questions
Does the boat land at San Fruttuoso or Camogli?
It spends about 30 minutes in each place, but the trip is not sold as landing you. If you want an hour ashore in Portofino, the shared boat from Rapallo does that.
What is the €10 fuel surcharge?
A fee of €10 a person on top of the fare, paid in cash when you board. The operator added it for higher fuel costs, so carry euros.
Can we see the underwater statue?
The boat crosses the bay where it stands, about 17 metres down. The trip includes no dive, so plan one separately if the statue is what you came for.
Can children come?
Yes. Children from 4 pay the full fare, and infants up to 3 ride on a lap. A pushchair can come aboard.
We'd rather see the village on foot. What else is there?
Try the ferry, walk and pesto class. It starts in Santa Margherita, climbs to the church above the harbour and ends with lunch by the water.
Can I cancel?
Yes. You get the full fare back if you cancel at least 24 hours ahead. If too few guests book, you are offered a new date or a refund.
Other ways to spend a day in Portofino
Ready to see the headland from the sea?
Check the start times still open for your date, with a full refund up to 24 hours ahead if the sea turns.
Check availability