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Table of Contents:
How to get to Camogli from Genoa
How to get to Camogli from Milan
When to travel to Camogli
Camogli is a picturesque town of the Riviera Levante, located next to Rapallo, Santa Margherita Ligure, Sestri Levante and some other resorts. Here you can find typical colorful houses of Liguria, narrow labyrinths of town streets, long promenades along the sea and, of course, historical attractions preserved on the shore.
After some research, I decided to put together information I have previously found out and create a complete guide on how to organize a holiday in Camogli. I figured out how to get to the town, where to stay & what to see there. I really hope this detailed information will help you plan your trip to Camogli.
In my opinion, Camogli can be visited all year round, but if you prefer a beach holiday, then the best period to come to Camogli is from June until October, when the sea is warm enough to swim. The other time of the year you can visit Camogli to enjoy its architecture, historical attractions, natural landscapes, gastronomy, etc. Camogli is a lovely Ligurian town with its unique vibes and is definitely worth visiting.
How to get to Camogli
Where do you fly into to get to Camogli? To get to Camogli, you firstly need to fly to one of the nearest major cities. This could be, for example, Genoa or Milan. You can check the current flight timetable via specialized online services such as Aviasales and other similar ones. I often use this service as it helps me a lot to compare different flight options and to choose the optimal one. Then you can go to Camogli from Genoa or Milan by train or by taxi. One more option is to hire a car.
How to get to Camogli from Genoa
According to my map research, the distance between Genoa and Camogli is 25 km. You can get from Genoa to the resort by train, by taxi or by rented car.
By train: From 5 am, regional trains depart from the Genoa-Brignoli railway station to the Camogli S. Fruttuoso station. Trains run throughout the day once every half an hour. The travel time is 30 minutes. You can check the current train timetable and purchase tickets in advance at the Raileurope booking service. I often use Raileurope when planning my own trips and, in my point of view, it has a really convenient search with a lot of helpful filters to sort the results.
By taxi: You can also get to Camogli by taxi; this is a more convenient way if you have a lot of luggage or arrive at night when public transport does not operate. At night, when trains do not run, a taxi is, in fact, the only way to get directly to the resort without staying overnight in Genoa. You can get from Genoa airport to Camogli in about an hour. A taxi car can be ordered at the airport at the information desk, or in advance via the different online services such as Kiwitaxi and others. As I discovered, Kiwitaxi has a lot of positive reviews, so I can recommend it.
By rented car: Renting a car in Genoa is a great opportunity not only to get directly to Camogli, but also to travel along Southern Liguria and to see the beauty of Cinque Terre and Portofino, Santa Margherita Ligure and Portovenere. You can find rental offices in Genoa both in the city and at the airport. You can also book a car in advance via different online services such as Discover Cars, Economybookings and some others. I would recommend comparing both online services to find out the best available options. Genoa and Camogli are connected with highways No. A12/E80; you can get there by car in 30-40 minutes (see on the map).
How to get to Camogli from Milan
You can get from Milan to Camogli by direct trains or trains with a change in Genoa, as well as by taxi or by rented car.
By train: There are both direct (less frequent) and indirect (more often) trains from Milan to Camogli. The travel time is approximately 2.5 to 3 hours, depending on the duration of the change. As a rule, changes are made at one of the railway stations in Genoa. Direct trains run only a few times a day, while trains with a change run once an hour. You can check the current train timetable and purchase tickets in advance at the Raileurope booking service. It is one of my favourite online services for planning upcoming trips as it has a decent search with a lot of additional options.
By taxi: You can also get to Camogli from Milan by taxi. The travel time is about 2 hours 20 minutes. You can order a taxi at the airport at the information desk, or in advance via the various international services like the Kiwitaxi transfer service and others.
By rented car: Car rental in Milan is an extremely common service and allows tourists to get to any Italian resort, including Camogli on their own. Milan and Camogli are connected with highway No. A7. The distance is about 170 km; the travel time by car is about 2 hours 20 minutes. The highway runs via Genoa (see on the map). You can find a suitable car for renting both in Milan and at the Malpensa airport. A car can be booked in advance via various online services such as Discover Cars, Economybookings, etc. Based on my experience, both online services have a convenient search. I would recommend using them both to compare the results.
Where to stay in Camogli
I did some research and I can say that tourists can find a lot of different accommodation options to stay here. In Camogli you can find hotels of different star categories, but there are no large chain hotels here, and the town is quite small. Some hotels have their own small private beaches, so if relaxing by the sea is important to you, then it is better to choose a hotel with its own access to the beach. In general, the level of service at the Camogli resort meets rather high standards.
Hotel Cenobio Dei Dogi 4* has its own private free beach, swimming pool and restaurant with views of the sea. Camogli Train Station is a 10-minute walk from the hotel. Wi-Fi is available free of charge throughout the hotel. Free private parking is provided on charge (reservation is not required). The hotel has rooms of different categories, from standard to suites. You can order a room with a sea view;
La Camogliese Hotel B&B 2* is a family-type hotel and it is located in the center of Camogli. The beach can be reached on foot in a few minutes. The hotel has free Wi-Fi. Private paid parking is available nearby (reservation is required). The hotel owns 20 cozy rooms, equipped with everything tourists need;
Villa Rosmarino is located away from the tourist promenade, at the foot of the local mountain. The hotel offers panoramic sea views and is situated in a 10 minutes’ walk to the center. The hotel has a swimming pool. Wi-Fi is available free of charge in the hotel lobby. Free public parking is provided nearby. Set in a historic villa, the rooms of this cozy small hotel are equipped with everything you need;
La Gioia is located a short walk from the beach. The train station is 1 km from the hotel. Free Wi-Fi is provided throughout the hotel. Free private parking is also available (reservation is not required). As online booking services provide tourists reviews, I found out that it is a hotel with basic services and good for one or two nights staying.
What to see in Camogli
The sights of Camogli are mainly historical monuments. They are scattered throughout the town. Camogli is a relatively small town, so I would recommend exploring it on foot.
Located on a cliff near the port, the Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta dates back to the 12th century and is one of the most magnificent landmarks of Camogli. A basilica is a whole complex of buildings attached to each other. The interior decoration is made in the Baroque style with lush bas-reliefs and stucco moldings, so it makes sense to definitely enter the church and observe it from the inside. The basilica is located in a picturesque place, right on the Gulf, so, as a rule, this part of the town is often visited by tourists.
The Castello della Dragonara is also located next door to the Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta, but does not make such a festive impression. On the contrary, the castle was originally built as a defensive structure, so its facade is quite simple. The castle was built at the beginning of the 13th century. For some time, the castle served as a prison, but today the building has been completely restored and is open to visitors. By the way, I found out that there is an aquarium with underwater inhabitants typical for the Ligurian Riviera inside the castle.
Gio Bono Ferrari Maritime Museum is also a must-see of Camogli. The museum contains exhibits from different eras, one way or another related to navigation. The shores of Liguria are where the most famous sea expeditions departed, which is why maritime museums are quite popular in this part of Italy. In the historical center you can also see several more monuments, such as the Church of St. Nicholas or the Millenara Church, both of which date back to the 12th century.
In addition to visiting the historical sights of the town, typical entertainment for tourists vacationing in Camogli are boat trips to the nearest resort towns. This could be Portofino with its picturesque Gulf, or Santa Margherita Ligure, or Rapallo, or Sestri Levante, etc. To my mind, each of these towns is definitely worth visiting. Many people travel from Camogli to the famous Cinque Terre National Park, which deserves special attention.
Beaches of Camogli
The beaches of Camogli are pebbly and not particularly spacious, but they are quite suitable for swimming, since the shore has a gentle entrance here. If you need more space, then excellent beaches can be found in Paraggi, 20 km from Camogli, near Portofino. As I know, tourists can get there by public transport or by rented car. In Paraggi, the beaches are sandy and spacious enough, which is very rare for the steep and rocky Ligurian shore.
As I see it, Camogli is a colorful and picturesque town with a lot of attractions either historical or natural ones. Camogli is also a good starting point to travel along the Ligurian shore due to its location which is relatively close to most of Ligurian towns and resorts.
Take a note! When going on a trip to Italy, do not forget to take out travel insurance, which is useful for receiving a tourist visa and for solving emerging medical problems when travelling in another country. You can purchase insurance via online services, for example, via EKTA and others. You can choose from different modes, including quiet, active or extreme rest.
Photo above the article: londonexpat
Julia is an experienced traveller, BA in International Relations and Languages and true lover of planning trips in advance. Learn more about the author…