Portofino Travel Guide: Italy’s most luxurious pastel-coloured town.
Portofino is one of Italy’s most iconic small towns situated in the north western region of Liguria. It’s super famous for its pastel coloured houses, luxury boutique shopping and scenic harbour.
In this travel guide, you’ll find the top 10 things to do in Portofino as well as how to get there, where to eat and where to stay.
Best time to visit:
If you prefer fewer crowds and temperatures under the 30’s then the best time to visit would be June and September. Those months are shoulder seasons so you can also expect to pay less to stay while still being warm enough to enjoy the sea (25 degrees). Portofino can still be pleasant in the summer from July-Aug but expect higher crowds, especially with cruise ship day visitors during this time, higher hotel costs per night and and it can get warm (28-30 degrees.)
How to get there:
The nearest airport to Portofino is Genoa. From Genoa, you can catch a 30 min train to the nearest station of Santa Margherita Ligure. You can then transfer to bus line 782 which takes you to Portofino in around 15-20 mins. If you’re heading to Portofino from Cinque Terre, you can catch the train from La Spezia to Santa Margherita (around 1hr) and then take the same bus (line 782) to Portofino.
Things you should know:
Portofino is very small, and you can feel that you’ve visited most of the sights within a day, so it is possible to day trip here from another place in Italy like Cinque Terre, which is just one hour away. Therefore my recommendation would be to combine visiting Portofino with Cinque Terre, you can find my Cinque Terre guide here. If you prefer staying in Portofino then 1-2 nights is probably sufficient.
Best places to stay in Portofino (according to your budget):
Belmond Hotel Spendido ($$$$) – the most luxurious 5* option with panoramic views and a pool.
Hotel Piccolo ($$$) – A great mid-range 4* hotel with a private beach, pool and sea views.
Hotel Nazionale ($$) – a cost-friendly option, 3* family-run hotel in the middle of Portofino.
10 Top things to do:
- Castello Brown – the best view point over Portofino, you’ll hike up some steeps and steep walking paths, and pay around 8 euros to enter at the door (as of Summer 25’) inside there is a cute cafe, and lots of history displayed surrounding the castle. From the upper floor windows and in the surrounding of the castle, you can capture the best views across all of Portofino.
- La Piazzeta (Main Square) the heart of the village, where you can find cute boutique luxury shops such as Dior, but also many restaurants and cafes where you can watch the world go by while taking in all of the pastel coloured buildings.
- Gelateria Gepi – Get the best gelato in Portofino.
- Baia Connone – take a dip in some beautiful turquoise water right in the heart of Portofino. It’s a small swimming cove surrounded by steep cliffs and pastel coloured buildings on a pebble beach.
- Da i Gemelli al Molo – Portofino’s best seafood restaurant with a stunning view right on the harbour. Grab lunch with a fresh raw seafood platter of oysters, langoustines with a fresh crisp glass of white wine made in Portofino is one of the best experiences.
- Pasta & Tiramisu making – learn to make fresh pasta shapes from scratch with a local italian host and finish preparing with a traditional tiramisu for dessert. The class is the perfect lunch or dinner plan, as you’ll also get Italian aperitivo and nibbles like prosecco and other beverages during the class. You can book here.
- Portofino Lighthouse & Al Faro Bar – grab an aperitivo at golden hour, located on a cliff edge as part of Portofino’s lighthouse. You can walk here in around 20 mins from La Piazzetta.
- Church of San Giorgio – in just a short walk from the harbour you can find the stunning 12th century church.
- Boat tour of Portofino & San Fruttuso – explore the magic of the luigaria riviera from the coastline. You’ll get the opportunity to swim and snorkel around the charming bay of Paraggi and explore hidden coves. You can book the tour here.
- Grab breakfast at the historic Dolce & Gabbana Caffe Excelsior.
Thank you for taking the time to read my honest recommendations of Portofino! This guide contains some bookable affiliate links, which means I’ll earn a small commission if you book through them at no-extra cost to you. I really appreciate your support and hope that this guide has helped you plan your trip.
