Portofino, the iconic bay around the headland, best visited early or late
Paraggi, a small turquoise cove between Santa Margherita and Portofino
San Fruttuoso, a sheltered bay below a medieval abbey, reachable only by sea
Gulf of Tigullio, calm open water off the town for swimming and overnighting
Rapallo, a neighbouring harbour with easy shelter and shore access
Tender into Portofino for an aperitivo on the piazzetta
Dive or snorkel the bronze Christ of the Abyss off San Fruttuoso
Walk the coastal path across the Portofino headland
Take a long seafood lunch on the Santa Margherita waterfront
Day-cruise south to the Cinque Terre
Portofino village and its harbourside piazzetta
San Fruttuoso abbey, set in its own hidden bay
The Cinque Terre, five cliffside villages along the coast
Villa Durazzo and its terraced gardens above the town
Rapallo and its seafront castle
The Riviera season runs from April to October. May, June and September bring warm, settled weather and quieter water, while July and August are at their busiest and most glamorous. Spring and early autumn are ideal for combining time on board with exploring ashore.
Genoa Airport (GOA) is about 40 minutes away by road and the usual gateway, with Milan’s airports around two hours further. Santa Margherita has its own harbour, and Portofino lies just a few minutes beyond it by sea.
Portofino is the celebrated stop, best early or late in the day. Paraggi’s turquoise cove and the abbey bay of San Fruttuoso lie close by, both reachable only from the water, while the wider Gulf of Tigullio offers calm anchoring off Santa Margherita and Rapallo.
Two to three days covers Santa Margherita, Portofino and San Fruttuoso at an unhurried pace. With a week, cruise south to the Cinque Terre or west towards Genoa, or combine the Riviera with the islands of the Tyrrhenian coast.
The waterfront trattorias serve Liguria’s specialities, pesto, focaccia and just-landed seafood, without ceremony. For something more storied, tender across to Portofino’s piazzetta, where the harbourside restaurants have fed the Riviera’s glamour set for decades.
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