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Table of Contents:
When to travel to San Fruttuoso
How to get to San Fruttuoso from Genoa
How to get to San Fruttuoso from Milan
Where to stay in San Fruttuoso
When to travel to San Fruttuoso
San Fruttuoso is a secluded abbey, hidden in a small sea gulf. The place is famous not only for the monastery, but also for the statue of Christ from the Abyss, which is located on the seabed and which is most conveniently reached by water from San Fruttuoso. In addition, there is a secluded beach in the Gulf, which is considered to be one of the most romantic places on the entire Ligurian 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 San Fruttuoso. I figured out how to get to the town, where to stay & what to do there. I really hope this detailed information will help you plan your trip to San Fruttuoso.
The peculiarity of San Fruttuoso is that it cannot be reached by public transport. The nearest railway stations are in Camogli and Santa Margherita Ligure, then you need to go on foot along one of the walking routes. Alternatively, you can sail to San Fruttuoso on a tourist boat. Such boats operate in the summer from all neighboring towns be it Santa Margherita Ligure, Portofino, Camogli, Rapallo, Portovenere or Cinque Terre. As I found out, they operate from the main piers of the towns according to their own schedule, which can be checked at the pier.
San Fruttuoso can be visited all year round, but the best time for travelling is a summer when the sea is warm enough to swim, snorkel and dive. By the way, divers from all over the World come to San Fruttuoso to observe the statue of Christ from the Abyss, which is located under the water right against the Abbey. The swimming period lasts from June until October here.
How to get to San Fruttuoso
Where do you fly into to get to San Fruttuoso? To relax in Lerici, you first need to get to the nearest major city in Italy. This could be Genoa, the administrative center of Liguria, or neighboring Milan. The current flight timetable can be checked via specialized online services such as Aviasales and others. I usually use Aviasales when planning my trips, because it can compare a great variety of available flight options. Further, Lerici can only be reached via La Spezia, because there is no railway station in the town.
How to get to San Fruttuoso from Genoa
As I discovered, the closest towns to San Fruttuoso with a railway station are Camogli and Santa Margherita Ligure; the other towns are located further and getting from them on foot to San Fruttuoso will be problematic.
By train: You can get to Camogli from Genoa by trains that start running from 5 am from the Genoa-Brignole Station and depart every half an hour. This is the fastest and most convenient way to get first to Camogli, and then follow the tourist route to the Abbey of San Fruttuoso. 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 so I can recommend it. It has a convenient search and a lot of additional filters to sort the results as you may need.
Santa Margherita Ligure is located at some distance from San Fruttuoso; the walking route takes about 2.5 hours one way. You can get to Santa Margherita Ligure from Genoa by trains that run throughout the day, once every half an hour. Trains depart from Genoa-Brignole Station; the travel time is half an hour. You can check the current train timetable and purchase tickets in advance at the Raileurope booking service, which I have already mentioned above.
From Portofino to San Fruttuoso the walking route takes about the same time as from Camogli. You can get to Portofino from Genoa by water on a special tourist ferry that departs from the port of Antico. There is no train station in Portofino; the nearest one is in Santa Margherita Ligure.
By rented car: As there is no public transport running to San Fruttuoso, some tourists take a car in Genoa to reach their travel destination. There are a lot of car rental points in Genoa, be it airport or city area. To rent a car you need to have a passport, a driver`s license and a bank card. You can also book a car for renting in advance via specialized booking services such as Discover Cars, Economybookings and some others. Based on my experience, both online services have a convenient search. Genoa and San Fruttuoso are connected with #A12/E80. The distance is 40 km. The travel time by car is about 1 hour (see on the map).
How to get to San Fruttuoso from Milan
Approximately the same route is required to get from Milan to the Abbey of San Fruttuoso. Firstly, you need to get to one of the nearest towns to San Fruttuoso, and then go on foot to the Abbey.
By train: There are direct and indirect trains from Milan to Camogli throughout the day; the journey time is about 2.5 hours. The duration is similar to Santa Margherita Ligure; trains run there throughout the day, starting at 6 am. The travel time varies from 2.5 to 3 hours. There is no train station in Portofino, so you can only get here by bus from Santa Margherita Ligure (route no. 82), then to San Fruttuoso – along one of the walking routes. You can check the current train timetable and purchase tickets in advance at the Raileurope booking service.
By rented car: Some travellers hire a car to travel along the Ligurian shore. There are a lot of car rental points in Milan either at the airport or in the city area. To hire a car, you need to have a passport, a driver`s license and a bank card. As an option you can also book a car in advance via specialized online services such as Discover Cars, Economybookings, etc. As I see it, it may really save your time on the spot. Milan and San Fruttuoso are connected with #A7 motorway. The distance is 177 km. The travel time is 2 hours 40 minutes (see on the map).
Where to stay in San Fruttuoso
San Fruttuoso is a quite remote area. There is only an abbey and a beach, so you can only stay in the surroundings of San Fruttuoso. Most often, tourists stay in Camogli, since the distance between them is only 4 km. As I discovered, nearby are also Santa Margherita Ligure, Portofino, and a little further away Rapallo. Recco is 6 km away and Pevie Ligure is 9 km away. In each of these towns there is the opportunity to stay in a hotel. The most expensive option remains Portofino; in other places the cost of hotel accommodation is much cheaper.
- Bed and Breakfast Casa Balin, Recco. This bed and breakfast hotel is located in the surroundings of Recco. The hotel has rooms with sea views, free Wi-Fi, a garden, and a sun terrace. Free private parking is available on site;
- Soffio Di Mare, Camogli. This guest house is located very close to the sea and has its own patio for relaxing. Wi-Fi is provided free of charge. Luggage storage is available. There is a car park and a train station nearby;
- Il Timone, Santa Margherita Ligure. Guesthouse Il Timone is located in the resort town of Santa Margherita Ligure. There are cafes, bars, restaurants nearby; the train station is within 1 km from the guest house. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel. Paid public parking is provided nearby, but reservation is required;
- Hotel Sant’Andrea, Santa Margherita Ligure. The hotel is located in a villa, surrounded by the gardens and close to the beach. Wi-Fi is free. Private parking on site is available for a fee. The hotel has single and double rooms in standard and deluxe categories.
What to see in San Fruttuoso
The Abbey of San Fruttuoso is located on the shore of the Ligurian Riviera in the town of Capodimonte. The construction of the monastery complex dates back to the 11th-12th centuries, where Benedictine monks lived for a long time. The architectural style of the complex is Romanesque. Recent restoration work has allowed tourists to explore the abbey not only from the outside, but also from the inside. Next to the abbey is the Doria Tower, which is noticeable even at a considerable distance from it. In my opinion, it is definitely worth observing the Tower.
The beach of San Fruttuoso is located right there, in front of the abbey. The beach is small and secluded, has a sandy surface and a gentle entrance to the water. It is considered to be one of the best places for swimming on the shore. However, in the summer it can be quite crowded here; most tourists stay on boats and excursion boats, explore the abbey, and then relax on the beach. The water is considered to be crystal clean. Not far from the shore, at the bottom of the sea, the sculpture “Christ from the Abyss” is installed, which in calm, windless weather is clearly visible from the surface of the water.
The Christ from the Abyss sculpture is a favorite spot for divers and one of the most photographed underwater attractions in the world. As I found out, the statue has a height of 2.5 meters and is located at the bottom at a depth of 17 meters. The statue is installed on a pedestal and represents an image of Christ stretching out his arms to the sky.
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: Paul Barker Hemings
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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…