Portofino: Exciting trip near Turin / Good vibes
QUICK MENU
- Where is Portofino?
- Is Portofino worth visiting?
- How to get to Portofino?
- Can you only get to Portofino by boat?
- How much time do you need in Portofino?
- Paraggi the beach not to miss
- Santa Margherita: the perfect spot to stay at
In this post you’ll learn about our exciting weekend in Portofino. It is only 3 hours away from Turin, making it the perfect weekend trip. I will talk you through the best way to visit Portofino: how to get there, best places to stay at, our tips on where to eat and the best bays nearby no to miss.
1. Where is Portofino?
First thing first, let’s start by understanding where Portofino is located.
Portofino is situated on the North West side of Italy, it is part of the Genoa province and the Liguria region. The Sea in front of Portofino is called Mar Ligure.
If you are leaving from Turin, it is worth noting that Portofino is south east of Turin.
2. Is Portofino worth visiting?
Yes, I strongly believe that Portofino is worth visiting! It is so beautiful that it looks like a postcard, to me it reminds me the famous impressionits paintings. It is simply to die for!
No questions about that 🙂
3. How to get to Portofino?
If you are flying in, the best way to get to Portofino is to fly to the closest airport which is located in Genoa.
If you are leaving from Turin, you can get there by car, by train or by bus.
My recommendation would be to go by car as it is the easiest and it spares you from the risk of train or bus delays.
Whichever means of transportation you choose, the best way is to get to Santa Margherita Ligure first and then get to Portofino from there either by bus, by foot or by ferry.
Turin to Portofino: by car
The easiest is to get to Santa Margherita by car and park it there. Do not go by car to Portofino as it is almost impossible to find a parking spot and the cost of it is prohibitive!
The fastest way to get from Turin to Santa Margherita by car is to pass through the city of Alessandria, then Genova and Rapallo. It will take you 2 hours and you will pay approximately 20 euros for tolls.
Turin to Portofino: by train
If you don’t have a car, the second best option is to get to Santa Margherita Ligure by train.
If you are leaving from Turin, you should take the train in Torino Porta Nuova, do a stop-over in Genoa and then get out in Santa Margherita.
Unfortunately there are no direct trains from Turin to Santa Margherita. It will take you roughly 3 hours and it will cost you 15 euros.
Turin to Portofino: by Bus
If you don’t want to travel by train, the third option is to get to Santa Margherita by bus.
Again, there are no direct buses from Turin so the best way is to reach Genova first. It will take you roughly 4 hours and it will cost you between 10-15 euros.
4. Can you only get to Portofino by boat?
Can you only get to Portofino by boat? Absolutely not. From Santa Margherita Ligure you can easily get to Portofino also by foot or by bus.
FROM SANTA MARGHERITA TO PORTOFINO: BY FOOT
If weather permits, I strongly recommend you to get there by foot.
From Santa Margherita it is an easy 5 kms gentle hike that will take you one hour. The path is very well kept, it goes along the seaside first and then it goes a little uphill in the woods. The views from the walk are simply stunning.
If you are really sporty, you can hike from Portofino all the way to Rapallo. The whole trip is 8 kms and it will take you a bit less than 2 hours. You can see the map in the picture below.
FROM SANTA MARGHERITA TO PORTOFINO: BY BUS
For the way back, I suggest to take the bus.
There are regular buses with air conditioning every half hour or so. It will take you 15 mins and cost you 5 euros. They are packed so it is better to get to the bus stop in advance.
You can easily by the bus ticket via the app. I don’t remember the exact name of the app but you ‘ll see very clear instructions at the bus stop. If you struggle with technology, you can also buy tickets at any so called “tabaccaio” (small local shop where they sell newspapers and cigarettes).
FROM SANTA MARGHERITA TO PORTOFINO: BY FERRY
Having said that, you of course also have the ferry option.
There are ferry going to Portofino leaving regularly from Santa Margherita, but also from Rapallo, Camogli and Genoa. From Santa Margherita the ferry will take you 15 mins e costs you 8 euros.
5. How much time do you need in Portofino?
Portofino is a really really small town. Hence, it won’t take you much to visit it.
I suggest to go there just for dinner or for an ice-cream and a cocktail after dinner. There is not that much to see unless you have a boat or are planning to rent a small boat.
As you can see from the picture above, we went there for a cocktail after dinner.
If you are planning to rent a boat then I suggest you to spend a couple of nights. The area is great for snorkelling and scuba diving so it is worth to stick around for a bit longer
6. Paraggi: the bay not to miss
Paraggi is a marvelous bay between Santa Margherita and Portofino. It is absolutely worth a visit!
One of the reasons why I recommended to get to Portofino by foot is that it will give you the chance to pass by Paraggi and witness its incredible water and stunning views.
Paraggi is a super posh bay with private beach resorts, expensive restaurants and luxurious boutiques.
If you want to experience Paraggi without spending too much , I suggest to bring your bathing suit and towel with you when hiking to Portofino.
Just before Paraggi there are plenty of places to stop by and go for a swim. I didn’t about this if not I would have swimmed along! Here are some pictures of the lucky guys enjoying a refreshing swim!
7. Santa Margherita: the perfect spot to stay at
Last but not least, lets spend a few words on Santa Margherita Ligure.
This is where we stayed at during our Portofino weekend. I recommend this town as the perfect place to stay due to its nice historical pedestrian only city-centre, its great views on the beach and of course due to its proximity to Portofino.
Food wise, here you have plenty of choice. You can have some exquisite fine-dining but also some really down to earth places to have a quick and more affordable dinner.
If you are a foodie and want a nice dinner, I suggest to go to Ristorante Antonio. Food was excellent quality, the staff was top notch and it had an outdoor terrace. We spent 93 euros for our seafood dinner: we had 2x antipasti, 2 primi, water and wine.
If you are looking for something quick and affordable I suggest to try the Pescetariano which is located right by the beach. It is fried and fresh seafood, as fresh as it gest!
Hope you found this post helpful and enjoyed reading about our tips!
