Free walking tours in Portofino and what to see

Must-sees

Portofino is a small fishing village on the Riviera di Levante, at the tip of a headland protected as a regional nature park. Its signature image is the little square by the harbour, lined with tall houses painted in warm colours. From there, a short path climbs to the church of San Giorgio, with views over the bay, and continues to Castello Brown, an old fortress that now hosts exhibitions and has a garden overlooking the gulf.

Beyond it, a walk among the pines leads to the Punta Portofino lighthouse, looking out over the open sea. The waters around the headland form a marine protected area. On the other side of the mountain, in a cove you can only reach by boat or on foot, is the abbey of San Fruttuoso, a medieval complex by the water run by the FAI. Very close to the village, the bay of Paraggi has a small beach.

Free tours and guided visits

Portofino has no regular free walking tours. The village is small and easy to explore on your own in a couple of hours. The best idea is to combine it with the sea: scheduled boats link it with Santa Margherita Ligure, Rapallo, Camogli and San Fruttuoso. If you are staying in Genoa, there are day trips that include the transfer here, sometimes with stops in other coastal villages.

How long to spend

Half a day is enough for the village, the church, the castle and the lighthouse. If you want to get to San Fruttuoso, by boat or along the park's trails, allow the whole day. Ideally, arrive early or stay late, when the day visitors have left. In summer the access road gets jammed and parking is limited, so the boat or the bus from Santa Margherita is a better idea.

Where to stay

There are few places to stay in Portofino and almost all are upmarket, in villas and buildings overlooking the harbour. That is why many people stay in Santa Margherita Ligure, a few kilometres away, which has more choice, trains and frequent boats. Rapallo and Camogli are other good bases on the same coast, with beaches, seafront promenades and boat links with Portofino during the season.