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    Portofino

    Italy

    Portofino

    City

    Portofino is a small harbour town on the west side of the Gulf of Tigullio, at the foot of the eponymous promontory on the Riviera di Levante. Coloured houses frame the harbour basin and the Piazzetta.

    by Felix Gillen

    1. Home
    3. Destinations
    5. Italy
    7. Liguria
    9. Portofino
    Portofino is a small harbour town on the west side of the Gulf of Tigullio, at the foot of the eponymous promontory on the Riviera di Levante. Coloured houses frame the harbour basin and the Piazzetta. With approximately 360 inhabitants and 2.5 square kilometres, Portofino is the smallest municipality in the Metropolitan City of Genoa.

    Sights in Portofino

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Baia Cannone
    Attraction

    1Baia Cannone

    A small cove near Portofino, where two historic villas stand on its cliffs among coastal pines. Accessible only on foot from Portofino.
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    Meeresschutzgebiet Portofino
    Park

    2Meeresschutzgebiet Portofino

    Established in 1999, the Portofino Marine Protected Area covers the waters around the promontory. Its underwater rock walls are known for their red gorgonians. Scuba diving is allowed in Zone B only through dive centers or with a permit; it's forbidden in Zone A.
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    Portofino Lighthouse
    Attraction

    3Portofino Lighthouse

    Lighthouse at the very tip of the promontory. A path leads from the harbour, passing by the Church of San Giorgio and Castello Brown, up to it.
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    The Bay of Paraggi
    Attraction

    4The Bay of Paraggi

    Swimming cove on the road between Santa Margherita Ligure and Portofino, with free and serviced beach sections. The bus stops here on request.
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    Church of Saint Martin
    Church

    5Church of Saint Martin

    The Parish Church of Portofino, in the oldest part of the town. It likely dates back to a 12th-century Romanesque building and acquired its current appearance during 19th-century alterations.
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    City walks in Portofino

    Curated walking tours through the city's highlights, handpicked by experienced travel journalists.

    Discovering Portofino: From the Piazzetta to the Lighthouse

    Discover the incomparable beauty of Portofino on this pleasant 2-hour tour. Stroll through the iconic Piazzetta, admire the colourful houses by the harbour and enjoy breathtaking panoramic views from the historic Castello Brown and the charming lighthouse. An unforgettable walk through the heart of this Ligurian pearl.

    ~2 Std.
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    Stops (7)

    Dining & Drinks

    1

    La cantina di ALESSANDRO

    Italian restaurant on Piazza Martiri dell'Olivetta, the harborside square.
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    2

    Trattoria Concordia

    Trattoria with fish and Italian cuisine on Via del Fondaco, slightly above the harbor.
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    3

    Ristorante Lo Stella

    Ligurian fish restaurant by the harbor, with a terrace overlooking the dock.
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    4

    DaV Mare

    Restaurant on the Piazzetta at the harbor of Portofino.
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    5

    Eight Restaurant

    Restaurant with Mediterranean cuisine on the Bay of Paraggi, about a kilometer north of Portofino.
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    Food & Drink

    Portofino mainly has restaurants by the harbour; prices are significantly above the Ligurian average.

    Trofie al pesto

    Short pasta with Pesto alla genovese, traditionally served with potatoes and green beans.

    Focaccia di Recco

    Two very thin layers of dough with cheese filling, protected as PGI for Recco, Avegno, Sori and Camogli.

    Pansoti with walnut sauce

    Wild herb and cream cheese-filled pasta pockets in walnut sauce.

    History and Culture

    Pliny the Elder called the harbour Portus Delphini. In 986, Adelaide of Burgundy gifted the place to the Abbey of San Fruttuoso; in 1229, it came under the Republic of Genoa. Castello Brown, overlooking the town, is documented from 1425 and was expanded into a fortress against pirate attacks between 1554 and 1557. In 1867, the British Consul in Genoa, Montague Yeats Brown, after whom it is named today, purchased it and had it converted into a residence; since 1961, it has belonged to the municipality.The promontory has been protected since 1935, today as the Parco Naturale Regionale di Portofino. The marine protected area has existed since 1999.

    Exploring locally

    Getting around the village is on foot. The only road to Portofino is the narrow SP 227 from Santa Margherita Ligure; an AMT bus service operates on it. The car park is above the village.During peak season, the boat is often more convenient: ferry services run from Rapallo and Santa Margherita, as well as from Camogli, San Fruttuoso, and Genoa. San Fruttuoso is also reachable on foot via a coastal path from Portofino.

    Accommodations in Portofino

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    Campgrounds in Portofino

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    Plan your trip to Portofino

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    1. 1
      Sunrise over alpine peaks and a sea of clouds
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      Trip to Portofino

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      • 1Baia Cannone3 days
      • 2Meeresschutzgebiet Portofino4 days
      • 3Portofino Lighthouse5 days
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      Portofino
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    Nearby

    Liguria

    Liguria

    Liguria is a narrow, south-facing arc on the coast in northwest Italy. The region borders France, Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna, and Tuscany. The Ligurian Alps and Ligurian Apennines limit it to the interior. Its capital is Genoa, and famous destinations include Cinque Terre and Portofino.
    Genoa

    Genoa

    Genoa is the capital of Liguria and one of the largest ports in the Mediterranean. The city stretches for about 35 kilometers along the coast. Its Old Town with its narrow alleys, the Caruggi, is one of Europe's largest old towns; the Strade Nuove and part of the Palazzi dei Rolli have been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2006.
    Cinque Terre

    Cinque Terre

    The Cinque Terre are five villages on the steep coast of the Riviera di Levante: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. For centuries, the inhabitants have terraced the mountains towards the sea with dry stone walls to grow wine and olives. The villages and their cultural landscape have been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1997 and a National Park since 1999.
    Pavia

    Pavia

    Pavia was the capital of the Lombard Kingdom from 572 to 774 and is home to one of Europe's oldest universities. Romanesque churches, the Visconti Castle, and the covered Ticino Bridge shape the student city; eight kilometers north lies the Certosa.
    Langhe-Roero and Monferrato

    Langhe-Roero and Monferrato

    Langhe, Roero and Monferrato are the hilly landscapes in the south of Piedmont, nestled between the Po and the Ligurian Apennines. On their slopes, vines for Barolo, Barbaresco, Barbera and Asti Spumante grow; Alba is known for its white truffles. This wine-growing landscape, with its villages, castles, and cellars, has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2014.

    Sources & method

    • Photos: Unsplash, Google Maps. Each photo carries its credit.
    • Place data such as addresses and ratings comes from Google Maps.
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