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Table of Contents:
How to get to Portovenere from Genoa
How to get to Portovenere from Milan
When to travel to Portovenere
Portovenere is a small fishing town on the Ligurian Sea shore, located close to the port city of La Spezia and the Cinque Terre National Park. Along with the five villages of the Cinque Terre, Portovenere is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its unique historical monuments. It is considered to be a popular tourist destination for visiting and sightseeing.
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 Portovenere. 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 Portovenere.
For excursion purposes Portovenere can be visited all year round. The period from April until mid. October is especially vibrant, sunny and warm. In my opinion, it is the best time to stroll around and explore local attractions. The period from November until mid. March can be a bit rainy and suits more for indoor activities such as visiting museums and trying local gastronomy. If you come to Portovenere for a beach holiday, then it would be better to choose the summer season when the sea water is a maximum warm to swim in it.
How to get to Portovenere
Where do you fly into to get to Portovenere? You can get to Portovenere from Genoa or Milan. The current flight timetable can be checked via specialized online services such as Aviasales and others. There is no direct railway connection between these cities and Portovenere, which is most often used by tourists to travel around Liguria, so by train you can only get to the cities closest to Portovenere. It can be La Spezia or one of the villages of the Cinque Terre, then you will need to change to a local bus or take a taxi to get to Portovenere. The town is located just south of the Cinque Terre National Park, so it is often included in the park’s itinerary.
How to get to Portovenere from Genoa
According to my map research, the distance between Genoa and Portovenere is about 120 km. They are connected with the # A12/E80 highway. To get to Portovenere from Genoa, you first need to get to La Spezia or one of the villages of the Cinque Terre (the closest to Portovenere is Corniglia).
By train: Regional trains run from Genoa to La Spezia and the Cinque Terre towns from Genoa Brignole Station. The travel time to La Spezia is from 50 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes; to Cinque Terre is from 1 hour 50 minutes to 2 hours 20 minutes. Trains on this route run throughout the day. You can check the current train timetable and purchase tickets in advance at the Raileurope booking service. I can totally recommend this online service as I often use it when planning my own trips and, based on my experience, it has a very convenient search.
In summer, as an alternative, you can take boats and explore the Ligurian shore by water. Excursion boats depart from the port of Genoa.
Then from La Spezia or the towns of Cinque Terre you can directly reach Portovenere by town bus or by taxi. The bus tickets are purchased in advance at Tabakeria kiosks; the journey time is about 30 minutes from La Spezia and about 40 minutes from Cinque Terre towns. You need to focus on the buses #P.
By rented car: Some tourists prefer to travel along the Ligurian shore on their own, that is why car rental in Genoa is a quite popular option. To rent a car, you need to have a passport, a driver`s license and a bank card. You can also book a car in advance via specialized online services such as Discover Cars, Economybookings and some others. Genoa and Portovenere are connected with #A12/E80. The travel time is about 1 hour 50 minutes (see on the map). According to my experience, both online services mentioned above are good. I would recommend comparing them to find out the best available car rental options.
How to get to Portovenere from Milan
By train: To get to Portovenere from Milan, you need to use a similar route. Firstly, you need to take the train to La Spezia or Cinque Terre, then take a bus or taxi and go directly to Portovenere. The travel time from Milan to La Spezia by train is from 3 to 4 hours, to Cinque Terre is from 3 to 3.5 hours. 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 trips around Europe. It has a convenient search with plenty of railway connections.
Then from La Spezia or the towns of Cinque Terre you can directly reach Portovenere by town bus or by taxi. The bus tickets are purchased in advance at Tabakeria kiosks; the journey time is about 30 minutes from La Spezia and about 40 minutes from Cinque Terre towns. You need to focus on the buses #P.
By rented car: As an option, you can also hire a car in Milan to travel on your own. Car renting in Milan is very popular among tourists. You can find car rental offices either at the city area or at the airport. To rent a car, you need to have a passport, a driver`s license and a bank card. Travellers can also book a car in advance via specialized online services, for example, via Discover Cars, Economybookings, etc. Milan and Portovenere are connected with #A1 and A15/E33 motorways. The travel time is approximately 3 hours (see on the map).
Where to stay in Portovenere
As I discovered, most of the hotels in Portovenere are presented as apart-hotels or bed and breakfast hotels, which is why the vast majority of hotels in Portovenere do not have stars. There are no chain hotels in the town; most of the accommodation is presented as family-type hotels, designed for a small number of guests.
Grand Hotel Portovenere 4* is a four-star Portovenere hotel which is located in the historical center and has a terrace with sea views. The hotel provides its guests with access to a private beach. Paid private parking is available nearby. Wi-Fi is provided free of charge throughout the hotel. There is a bar and a restaurant on the ground floor of the hotel;
Affittacamere L’Oblò 4* is a guest house which offers cozy rooms, free Wi-Fi, luggage storage and ticket sales services. In single and double rooms, you can find everything you need, including TV, a safe, a hairdryer, a minibar, wireless Internet, etc. The rooms also offer views of the local landmarks;
Residence I Gabbiani 3* are apartments which are located within walking distance from the beach. The town center is 1.5 km from Residence I Gabbiani. There are shops and restaurants nearby. Free Wi-Fi and free parking are provided. The rooms are divided into studios and apartments. The rooms have sea views from their balconies;
Hotel Della Baia 3* is located in De La Grazia Gulf. The hotel has a restaurant and a bar. Guests can stay in one, two, three or four-bed rooms. Breakfast or half board are included in the price. Some rooms have sea views. Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel and is free of charge. As online booking services provide tourists reviews, I found out that public parking nearby is provided for an additional fee. Luggage storage services are available at the check-in desk;
Residence Le Terrazze 3* is an apart-hotel which is located on the seashore and overlooks the Gulf of Poets. It features a bar, an outdoor swimming pool and a private beach. You can stay in double, triple rooms or apartments. Breakfast upon request is paid additionally. Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel and is free of charge. Private parking on site is provided for an additional fee. The beach has umbrellas, sun loungers, and towels.
What to see in Portovenere
Portovenere has a number of notable historical monuments, including the town gates, several churches and an old medieval castle. In addition to strolling along the historical sights and the sea promenade, Portovenere can offer its guests non-trivial entertainment, for example, visiting its islands. It can be a boat trip along the islands with observing water grottoes.
Once in Portovenere, you should definitely visit its central historical street called Capellini. The street starts from the town gates and tower, built in the 12th century, and then stretches past medieval houses with paved paths. The place is considered to be colorful and filled with the spirit of history. In the center of the town, the early medieval church of St. Lorenzo, also built in the 12th century, has been preserved. The church managed to maintain its medieval authenticity, and its facades have been preserved almost unchanged.
The central attraction of Portovenere is the Doria Castle, which belonged to the Doria family and was built in the 13th century. The castle is located on a hill and is open to the public. One of the best views of the sea and the town can be observed from here, so all guidebooks strictly recommend not to miss this attraction when strolling around Portovenere. After some research, I discovered the following practical information:
- Doria castle is open from 10 am to 6 pm;
- The entrance fee is 5 euros.
The Church of San Pietro is located some distance from the center of Portovenere, romantically rising on a cape above the sea. The construction of the church dates back to the end of the 12th century, but despite its age, the structure is perfectly preserved and is currently open for visiting.
Boat trips to the islands
The islands belonging to Portovenere are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and can be explored both from the water and via walking routes. Boat excursions take place regularly in the summer from Portovenere port. Such excursions include a boat trip to all three islands, as well as a tour to the grottoes of the largest island called Palmaria.
To explore Palmaria on foot, you can take a ferry that will take you to the island in a few minutes. The most popular trail, lasting 2.5 hours, includes a visit to the villages of Pozzale and Terrizzo, where you can see the fortresses of the island. As I found out, the Palmeria hiking trail is famous for its landscapes and stunning views of both the sea and the town of Portovenere. Do not miss Portovenere islands!
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: Frédérique Voisin Demery
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Julia is an experienced traveller, BA in International Relations and Languages and true lover of planning trips in advance. Learn more about the author…