Portovenere (aka Porto Venere) is a little medieval town in Liguria Italy just a stone’s throw away from the famous Cinque Terre. Despite its status as UNESCO World Heritage site and the most beautiful location on the Gulf of The Poets, this picturesque town is still under the radar of millions of international visitors flocking to Cinque Terre.
Yes, Cinque Terre is beautiful and it’s definitely worth a visit. But there are so many places nearby that are just as beautiful (if not more), yet many tourists never even consider them.
In my previous post I highlighted some of the most beautiful towns along the Ligurian Coast. In this guide, we share more information about one of our favorite small towns in Italy – Portovenere (Porto Venere). If you want to escape the huge crowds of Cinque Terre and are looking to explore the area a bit deeper, then don’t miss this lesser-known gem in the Bay of Poets.
We visited Portovenere at the end of October. Since it was a low season, we were a bit uncertain if we would find enough to see and do in Porto Venere to fill a day. Certainly with three kids who always need to be entertained… It turned out that this little town had so much more to offer than it looked at first sight.
Yes, Portovenere is well worth a visit – take a look!
We visited all the main landmarks, climbed countless staircases, explored the narrow streets of this medieval town, walked along the cliffs, enjoyed the most spectacular sceneries and local food…
One day in Porto Venere flew by. It was a truly enjoyable visit and the town was pleasantly quiet compared to the crazy busy Cinque Terre we visited the previous day.
We spent the whole day in this historic town and below you can find some suggestions for the best things to do in Portovenere. At the bottom of the post you can also find some practical information for your visit. Find out!
READ ALSO: One Day in Cinque Terre
Best things to do in Porto Venere, Italy:
Visit the picturesque harbor of Portovenere
Chances are big that you will arrive in Porto Venere by boat. The moment you catch your first glimpse on the picturesque harbor surrounded by a wall of colorful buildings you will fall in love with this old fishermen’s village.
The little harbor has a beautiful location overlooking the nearby Palmaria Island. This is a great place to have lunch or just grab a drink at one of the many cafes.
Sit back and relax enjoying the ever-changing view of the boats passing the narrow Le Bocche channel on their way to Cinque Terre.
Porta del Borgo and the narrow medieval streets
The old town of Portovenere is hidden behind the facade of the buildings that you see from the harbor. You can enter the medieval town through Porta del Borgo – the old city gate.
Adjacent to the city gate is the Capitolare Tower. Just like most of the other buildings in town, it dates from the 12th century.
Once inside, you will find a labyrinth of narrow streets, stairways, and tiny passageways that is well worth getting lost in. The main street, Via Capellini is full of artisanal and souvenir shops and can get quite busy. But the moment you leave it, you often have the whole place to yourselves.
Take your time to explore the old town and slowly make your way up towards the castle.
Doria Castle
Situated high on the hill and overlooking the Bay of Poets on one side and the Ligurian Sea on the other side, Castello Doria is a must in Portovenere.
This military fortress dates from the 12th-14th centuries and was of big significance due to its strategic location.
It’s quite a steep climb to get there, but it’s well worth the effort. The views from the gardens are phenomenal and justify the small entrance fee. Don’t miss it!
Church of San Lorenzo
Right next to the castle you can find the Santuario della Madonna Bianca, also called the Church of San Lorenzo. Every year in August the White Madonna, patron saint of Porto Venere, is celebrated here.
The interior of this church is well worth a quick look, but if you are short on time, the view from outside is beautiful too.
Church of Saint Peter
San Pietro Church (Chiesa di San Pietro) has the best location in town. Standing on top of the rock and surrounded by the azure blue water from three sides it almost looks like a fortified castle.
Its ‘striped’ exterior is quite remarkable. But make sure to take a look inside as well. We loved its simple interior and a very special medieval atmosphere.
Lord Byron’s Grotto
Just next to St. Peter Church you can see an observation deck next to Lord Byron’s Grotto (previously Grotta Arpaia).
The Bay of Poets gets its name because the area was so beloved by the English poets. Lord Byron often stayed here and he used to swim across the bay to visit his fellow poet Shelley. Hence the name of the grotto.
Nowadays it’s a nice place to swim, dive, or sail. Just be careful with the currents.
Porto Venere Regional Natural Park
Porto Venere Regional Natural Park has several hiking trails. We didn’t go hiking here, but if you have more time it might be well worth it to explore the area on foot.
It’s even possible to hike from Portovenere to Riomaggiore. It’s said to be a very scenic coastal walk. I am not sure which direction would be less challenging, so you may want to inquire at the tourist office first. You can hike one way and take a boat back (or vice versa).
Visit the nearby islands: Palmaria, Tino, and Tinetto
In summer you can take a scenic boat tour or a taxi boat to the nearby islands Palmaria, Tino, and Tinetto.
Tino is a military island and Tinetto is just a tiny rock with some ancient ruins, so both islands can usually be only seen from a boat.
Isola Palmaria is the biggest island of the three. It’s dotted with caves, beaches, and walking paths and is a popular day trip from Portovenere. It’s a great place to go swimming, snorkeling or diving.
So these are the main highlights that you shouldn’t miss in Portovenere. You can see the town in just a few hours and continue your journey to Cinque Terre. But if you have more time, consider spending at least a day in Portovenere – you’ll love it here!
Porto Venere is also a great place to stay a few days longer and it makes a good base location for exploring the villages of Cinque Terre and some other nearby towns (La Spezia, Lerici, Tellaro) as well.
Practical information for visiting Portovenere
How to get to Portovenere? One of the reasons why Portovenere is less visited than the nearby towns is its more remote location. There is no train station here, but you can reach Portovenere by car, bus, taxi, or ferry boat from La Spezia. There are also Cinque Terre tours that briefly stop in Portovenere. Here’s the best tour I was able to find.
La Spezia is a nearby town that is easily accessible by car or train and is a good base to explore Cinque Terre and the Bay of Poets. Driving here is not easy and parking spots are limited. So I would only advise coming to Portovenere by car if you are staying for a night and can book a hotel with car parking.
Where to stay? There aren’t that many hotels in Portovenere, so it’s advisable to book well in advance. The best hotel in town is the beautiful Grand Hotel Portovenere overlooking the small port and Palmaria Island. The alternative is to stay in Cinque Terre or in La Spezia and visit Porto Venere for a day.
LEARN MORE: Where to Stay in Cinque Terre
Can you see Portovenere and Cinque Terre in one day?
It is possible to visit Portovenere and the villages of Cinque Terre in just one day. Take the first boat from La Spezia to Cinque Terre. The full-day ticket allows you to hop off and on in 4 Cinque Terre villages (excluding Corniglia which has no harbor) and also in Porto Venere.
If you don’t need much time in the villages and are happy with just a short glimpse of each place, then yes, it is possible to see Cinque Terre and Porto Venere on the same day.
However, I would advise to do this in two separate days. Here you can find our suggested itinerary for one day in Cinque Terre.
If you are planning a trip to this area, make sure to read this post for more practical information for visiting Cinque Terre.
More tips for your trip to Italy:
- What to see:
- Rome:
- Venice:
- Tuscany:
- Amalfi Coast:
- Milan & the lakes:
- Off the beaten path: Emilia Romagna and Trentino Region
- Hiking: Best Hikes in the Dolomites
- Bucket-list: San Marino
- For many more guides for these and other destinations, see our Italy travel page.
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Karen Ritch
Tuesday 4th of June 2024
This article is amazing and chocked with wonderful information. Our family of 10 (6 adults and 4 children ages 3-10) will be cruising on Celebrity, Equinox in July. We will arrive at the port of La Spezia and be docked there for two days. From there we dock in Santa Margherita for one day. Then on to Villefranche (Nice) for one day and then to Provence ( Marseille) and last we dock in Salerno. Would you reccomend us trying to do excursions on our own or reserve the ship's or Viator's excursions. We found on our Viking cruise that we spent more time traveling to and from destinations than getting to spend time in the towns. Thank you in advance for your help. In the meantime I will continue perusing your wonderful blog. Karen
Karen Ritch
Wednesday 5th of June 2024
@Jurga, This is awesome information and we really appreciate your help and love your site‼️
Jurga
Wednesday 5th of June 2024
Hi Karen, this sounds like an amazing itinerary, but indeed, depending on when your ship arrives/ leaves and where exactly it docks, you may find it rushed at some places. As for excursions, we ourselves are not cruise ship travelers so I have no personal experience with that. But from what I always heard, it's usually cheaper to book your own excursions rather than go with a big group from the ship. At least, you can go with small groups or even look for private tours. You will also see much more and waste less time waiting for others. We personally book all guided tours via GetYourGuide. Sometimes we use Viator, but only if we can't find good options on GetYourGuide. They are one of the best websites for tickets and guided tours worldwide at the moment. You can find tons of tours, read full tour descriptions on what's included, check reviews, etc. Some destinations even have special tours for cruise ship passengers, making it really easy to arrange everything yourself and avoid wasting time. I did some research for the destinations you are visiting and here are a couple of recommendations: * Tours from La Spezia Cruise Terminal. Depends on what you want to see, taking a tour might be simpler, but if e.g. you just want to visit Portovenere or Cinque Terre, you can easily go on your own. You can get to Portovenere by ferry and Cinque Terre potentially a combination of train + boat or just by train. See the guides on our website for more information. * Santa Margherita - why not just take a ferry or a taxi to Portofino (without a tour) and explore on your own. * Villefranche - this e-bike tour looks great if you like to bike. Or you can just take a taxi to Nice if you prefer and explore the city yourselves. You could also join a small-group city tour for a couple of hours. * Unless you want to stay in Marseille city itself, take a look into some of the guided tours from Marseille Cruise Port. Hope this helps. Have a great trip!
Anide
Sunday 31st of July 2022
Hi Jurga, We are goin to Italy in August. We will be staying in the Parma region and going to drive to Portovenere/La Spezia/Cinque Terre area. I am going with my 4.5 years old son. I have few question please. Since I am driving from Parma, I will have a car. I am trying to decide where my base should be? Should I stay in La Spezia and take the day trips from there to CT & Portovenere. Or should I stay one night in La Spezia and visit CT for a day trip and go for another night to Portovenere and spend the day there maybe take a boat ride to Isola Parmaria and drive back to Parma the next day. Also since I am going with a younger child, what would be your recommendation to make the trip successful with a little one, which willage I should visit and which one can I pass on? I loved your idea of the beach day at one of the villages since we are going in the middle of August, it will be probably very hot.
Anide
Wednesday 3rd of August 2022
@Jurga, Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. Just one more question please. Do I need to reserve boat tickets between Cinque Terre villages and Portovenere and/or Cinque Terre villages and La Spezia, or just pick up a schedule at the port and hope on and off and pay as we go. How does this work? Also wanted to ask, you mentioned that your base was in La Spezia, how did you arrive to La Spezia? By train? You had one recommendation for a free parking place in La Spezia, do you think it is safe to leave it at that place for few days? Thank you very much once again!
Anide
Monday 1st of August 2022
@Jurga, Thank you so much! Very helpful :)
Jurga
Monday 1st of August 2022
Hi Anide, you really can't do much with a car in Cinque Terre or in Portovenere. So first, you may want to look at where you can park it. I'm not sure what to suggest since everyone has different interests. You could stay in Portovenere and visit Cinque Terre (and other places) by boat from there. I think it's a nicer place than La Spezia if you are looking for a longer stay and more of a vacation feel. On the other hand, if you are looking for a nice beach, then take a look at Monterosso al Mare (one of the Cinque Terre towns) - it has the best beach of them all and is the most kid-friendly town in the area. And, as you say, it's going to be hot in August. We have some hotel suggestions and more info about this and other towns in this guide: where to stay in Cinque Terre. You could visit Portovenere from Monterosso by boat too. As for which Cinque Terre villages to visit, you can easily visit them all, except maybe Corniglia, which is high on the hill and involves quite some stairs (unless you take a bus from the train station). Depending on the weather and how much time you have, you may want to visit just 2 towns/ places per day, and spend the rest of the day by the pool/beach. There's just that much sightseeing and crowds one can deal with when it's hot, especially with a young child. Hope this helps. Good luck with the planning and enjoy your trip!
Roma
Saturday 12th of February 2022
Hi again Jurga, Are there companies that offers transfers from airports to your hotels? or Train stations to hotels? What would they be called if so? Any suggestions Is it worth using Groupon to find tours? Is it worth doing a lot of comparative shopping for tours? I know you recommend Get Your Guide Can you really travel for 3 weeks with just a carryon as a female? Thanks!
Jurga
Monday 14th of February 2022
Hi Roma, I don't think you'll find many transfers directly to Riomaggiore. It's really not a place to drive to by car. You can find airport transfers from major cities to other bigger towns nearby, but I really don't think that many drivers will want to bring you to any of the hilly towns of Cinque Terre. It's so easy to get there by train - really nothing to worry about. Please see our guide to visiting Cinque Terre for more info about the trains. For tours - most organized tours visit Cinque Terre for a day from the bigger cities nearby. If you are staying there for a few days, you don't need such a tour. What you can do is join a nice local tour in Cinque Terre - something like a sunset boat cruise, kayaking, etc. I never use groupon, so I can't help you with that. As for the luggage - it really depends on the person. Some people travel around the world with a small backpack and some others pack a suitcase for two days... If you travel with a carry-on, be sure to book some accommodations that have a washing machine at least once a week - every 10 days or so. Good luck with the planning!
Roma Reecelo
Thursday 10th of February 2022
HI JURGA, Thank you for this site, pact with lots of great info. I think you suggested Basing yourself in Portovenere? But the boat tote illages can take 35 minutes or more and costs about $15. So my question is if I plan on seeing all the 5 main towns it would be too much time and Cost to commute everyday back and forth. NO? I planned on staying 3 nights in CT, found a hotel in Riamoreggiore Though I'm flexible. Thanks
Jurga
Friday 11th of February 2022
Hi Roma, I'd ONLY consider basing yourself in Portovenere if you are visiting in the high season and want to explore the nearby islands as well, AND if you only go to Cinque Terre for a day. If you are planning to spend 2-3 days in Cinque Terre itself, then, by all means, stay there. You can still take the boat to Portovenere and visit for a few hours, but taking that boat once should be more than sufficient. It's not the most efficient way to commute daily - rather a nice sightseeing option. Please take a look at this guide for more information about different towns in Cinque Terre: Where to stay in Cinque Terre. And yes, Riomaggiore is a good option. Have a great trip!
Naomi
Tuesday 18th of February 2020
Hi Jurga I'm heading to Porto Venere in April with my family. We're staying 5 nights. Can you recommend some great places to eat? Thanks, Naomi
Jurga
Friday 21st of February 2020
Hi Naomi, sorry, but I really can't remember any specific restaurants there. Just check Trip Advisor or reviews on Google Maps and you'll find something nice. Or ask at your hotel - locals always know the best spots. Enjoy your trip!