Portovenere, Italy: Things to Do (& Why Visit this Gem Near Cinque Terre)
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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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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
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!
@Jurga,
This is awesome information and we really appreciate your help and love your site‼️
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.
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!
@Jurga, Thank you so much! Very helpful 🙂
@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!
Hi Anide, we visited La Spezia by car and left it at the parking for the entire duration of our stay. We didn’t experience any issues or have any safety concerns.
That being said, I’m not sure if the parking we used is indeed still free of charge, but I’m sure a quick search on Google will tell you more (I really have no time for this now). But if you decide to stay in Monterosso al Mare, I think you could drive there by car and maybe even find accommodation that offers parking (this is the best of 5terre villages where you could get to by car without too many issues). We have all this info in the accommodations guide I linked to in my previous answer.
Good luck!
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!
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!
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
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!
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
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!
Jurga! You have the most practical, complete and helpful information about visiting the Cinque Terre area of any site I have found. We will be visiting in September 2019 with a large family with different levels of mobility. Your information is exactly what I needed to plan our visit so it is accessible and enjoyable for all.
Thank you!
Glad to hear that, Jamie. Enjoy your time in Cinque Terre!
Hi Jurga; I really enjoyed reading your blog! First time I have seen it. Thank you! We are planning a 10 day trip from Lake Como to Cinque Terre to Venice by car, where we will board our cruise ship. We want to spend 2 days in CT and we will have a fair bit of luggage with us. We are not hikers so train or boat is how we will get to CT. Where is the best place to stay outside of CT, that will allow us to be most efficient in getting to CT and back, for the 2 days, and where we can leave our car parked.
La Spezia? Santa Margherita Ligure? Porto Venere? i hope you get this as I am of the age where I don’t do much computer communication
through blog sites etc. Sincerely, Jack L
Hi Jack, if you are travelling by car and have 2 days, I think it’s best to stay in La Spezia. You can leave your car there and take a train or a boat to Cinque Terre. You can also easily visit Portovenere from there and maybe make a day trip of it on combination with the islands you can visit from there.
You can find more information and practical tips in our Cinque Terre guide.
Enjoy your trip.
Beautiful blog. So glad I discovered it.
Thank you, Brenda. Hope you’ll keep on coming back for more inspiration for your future trips.
Happy travels!
Check in time for our b&b is 2:30 in vernazza…we only have the rest of the day to visit portovenere…is it feasible and how thank you
Hi Rita, depends on the season, but it should be possible. You could take a boat to Portovenere from Vernazza. If in the evening there would be no boats going back that way, you could potentially take a boat or a bus to La Spezia and a train from there to Vernazza. In summer, boats run quite late, so check the schedule once you get there, and make sure you catch the last one.
Hope this helps.
I have a couple enquiries and was hoping you could help me. Based on your suggestions we are staying 1 night in Portovenere. So the next day we will take a boat??(not sure where to find a schedule) to Vernazza. We will visit there and then walk to Corniglia and spend the night there?? Or should we keep going to the next town and stay there? The other question would be…should we stay in Portovenere instead and then take the boat back to where we left off the previous day.
Then we would continue our journey and stay another night in Montarosso. Does this sound ok or should we change something
Also..we are going in early May and just not sure what to pack for clothes
Hi Georgina, there is really no reason to stay in several different places. If you want to stay in Portovenere, you can take a boat from there to the Cinque Terre villages and then come back by boat. You can find the schedule at the harbor (it’s tiny – easy to find) or just ask at your hotel when you get there. The schedule depends on what time of the year you visit.
As for clothes, in general, it should be warm enough for shorts and t-shirts in May, but it might also be cold and rainy (my mom visited in May and needed a sweater and a rain jacket – you just never know), so you best check the forecast a few days in advance and pack accordingly. Hiking boots are a must if you plan to go hiking.
Can you tell me how the weather was at the end of October? I’m planning a girls trip and we would probably go the last part of October but I wasn’t sure what to expect of the weather. I was in Montipulciano mid October a few years back and it was cold and windy. I enjoyed reading your post.
Hi Betty, we had really good weather for that time of the year – sunshine and over 20°C (68F+) during the day. The evenings and mornings were cold, so we also needed a sweater. A few days later we were in the other places along the Italian Riviera and it was raining one day, but still not too cold.
Of course, you never know how it will be this year. In general, the end of October is colder and wetter in that part of Italy, so ideally you travel in September or first half of October. But even then, you just never know… My mom was in 5terre in May and she had really bad rainy weather all the time…
I’d say pack a t-shirt, a sweater, and a jacket so that you can layer and go for it. If it’s really wet, you may want to skip hiking, but for the rest, it can still be enjoyable…
Dear Jurga, thank you for sharing such a lovely article and tips on Portovenere! And for recommending Grand Hotel Portovenere as the ideal base for the village. Hope to see you soon in the Gulf of Poets!
Thanks a lot for your kind words, Raffaella. It’s a place we’d love to return to and explore more; maybe one day…
Hi. I am David. I have reached you from Instagram and you suggest me to ask here. 🙂
I have planned my trip to Cinque Terre next month and I will go there using train from Milan.
I have several questions
1. I will arrive there at 9 approximately, I plan to use your entire one day journey in Cinque Terre and i will stay one night at Corniglia. So basically how many times do you think i need to use train? We love to do trekking but we want to be able to catch all the important places. I need your consideration
2. I will go to Portovenere and i will go back to Milan at 18.30 from La Spezia. Do you think our time is enough to explore Portovenere?
Hi David,
Yes, it’s better to post your questions here, as other readers can also benefit from the answers.
1. One day is ok to explore Cinque Terre, especially because you’re planning to sleep there. How many times you’ll need to take a train will depend on how you plan your day: where you start, if you hike, and how far you hike, etc. In any case, just buy the Cinque Terre card for a day, and all your train rides and hiking pass will be included in it. Please read this post for more practical information on visiting Cinque Terre. Here you can find our suggestions on how to spend 1 day in Cinque Terre.
Just a remark. Corniglia is, in my view, not the best place to stay in Cinque Terre. The village is located high on the mountain and the train station is by the sea. So you’ll need to carry all your luggage up hill. Maybe there is a bus, not sure how often it runs in November.
2. You don’t need the whole day for Portovenere, especially in November, as the boats to the nearby islands don’t go anymore and Portovenere itself is rather small. It’s quite easy to see the town in just a few hours (easy-going), so yes, plenty of time.
The only difficulty in November will be actually getting there and back to La Spezia. There are no trains going to Portovenere. In high season the easiest way to get there from Cinque Terre or from La Spezia is by boat, but most boats stop running at the end of October. I think the best way to get there in November is by taking a bus or a taxi from La Spezia, so you have to keep the bus schedule in mind when you plan your day.
Hope this helps.
Hi! Great article about Porto Venere! We are going to Cinque Terre area for the last 2 days of our trip – Nov. 9-11.. I love the idea of avoiding the crowds in CT by staying outside of the towns. Hoped for Grand Hotel Portovenere but it is either fully booked or maybe closes for winter? Do you have any other recommendations for accommodations in the area? We are hoping for a larger hotel with amenities, and of course on the water if possible.
Thank you!
Hi Phyllis, there are not that many accommodation options in Portovenere, unfortunately. I see that there is still some availability in some smaller hotels (you can find all the options here). Alternatively, check this website, it might have some other options.
It seems like Portovenere is quite popular, even in November. If you don’t find anything, try La Spezia and make a day trip to Portovenre from there. Another nice choice might be Lerici – beautiful little town with more accommodation options. Only a bit more difficult to get to than La Spezia, but accessibility is comparable to Porto Venere.
Hope this helps. Enjoy your trip!
Thankyou Jurga, you have been very helpful , myself and 4 sisters are looking forward to our time in the Cinque Terra and Portovenere in September. Heather Australia
Great read and helpful information. I will be staying for 4 days in the Cinque Terre and would like to visit Portovenere for a day trip . If we train from Monteresso to Le spenzia then go by boat to Portovenere , is there a boat that can take us back to the Cinque Terre instead of going back to Le spenzia . Thankyou
Hi Heather, yes there are regular boat connections between La Spezia, Portovenere, and four villages of Cinque Terre in high season. I say 4 because boats don’t stop in Corniglia as there is no harbour there. There are more boats boats in summer (April through September) than in March and October, and no boats in winter. You can find the Cinque Terre boat schedule here. It’s possible they even have more boats on the really busy days in summer, so just ask what’s the schedule like for that day when they drop you off in Porto Venere.
Also, check this post for more practical information for visiting Cinque Terre.
Thank you for this wonderful description of Portovenera, Jurga. Can you tell me is there is a place there where we can securely stow our luggage while we visit the town?
Hi Patti, unfortunately I really don’t know if you can easily store your luggage anywhere in town. If you are staying there, then I’m sure the hotels will hold it for you. And otherwise – really no idea. It’s a small town, I don’t think they have facilities like that.
Dear Jurga,
Great to read your 2018 Portovenere blog and reminisce our week stay there in early May 2012. Our room at Albergo Paradiso, a 4 minute (270m) walk to Porto del Bergo, with its balcony overlooking the Gulf of Poets provided us with many moments of just soaking in the atmosphere after exploring the city, its churches, the neighbouring Palmira island and savouring the many sumptuous meals finely accompanied by Ligurian Rosseses and Vermentinos, which the streets and laneways behind unveiled.
A mid morning espresso on a balcony in a cafe on via Cappellini overlooking the port provided a great spot to people watch.
Some return year after year for 12 years as we discovered, when we met an American couple at dinner in the wonderful Ristorante Il Timone.
We have not returned, only because there is so much of the world to experience but Portovenere was one of the stops with our fondest memories.
Best wishes to you and your bloods,
Chris (Melbourne, Australia)
Thank you for sharing your beautiful memories, Chris. It’s like being back there again :). I can definitely see why people would go back to Portovenere again and again. But we are more like yourself – rarely going back to the same place. The world is so big and there are so many new places to be discovered… Happy travels! Jurga