All you need to know about visiting Portovenere, a colorful village close to Cinque Terre with colorful houses, a fascinating castle and stunning sea views.
I LOVE Cinque Terre and their quaint aesthetic.
I love the colorful houses, the meandering roads, the sudden sea views that reveal the sparkling blue of the Mediterranean framed by the luscious green of the local garden.
However, I have been here many times and so I started to wonder: is there any other place close to here that has a similar vibe but also something different, that can make me feel I have experience something new?
Indeed, there is! This place is Portovenere!
Portovenere is only a short ride away from Cinque Terre, a small coastal town between Riomaggiore and La Spezia.
It has the same sun‑washed colorful houses and narrow, stone‑paved lanes as it more famous neighbors but also its own distinct soul: the coastline here is a little wider, the views more expansive, the beaches bigger and you even get a medieval castle, which is rather unique in the area!
Now, make no mistake: Portovenere is not a hidden gem and not a place unknown to tourism. You will not be alone here so don’t believe those who tell you Portovenere is Cinque terre without the crowds – Portovenere gets very crowded!
However, it is indeed a tiny less known and doesn’t have the train, so it gets a little less overrun.
I love coming here.
The town is pretty and compact and offers a lovely place to spend a day.
Here you can stroll, have focaccia from the bakeries, pesto from one of the many restaurants, you can go swimming, take boat trips and of course you can just rest under the shade of its many cafes or on the beach.
This is my essential travel guide to Portovenere. Safe travels!
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The best things to do in Portovenere
Portovenere is a small town and the best things to do here are really just taking in its pretty atmosphere.
Things we like to include in our days here are:
- Climb to Doria Castle: follow the road uphill (or the crowds…) and in a matter of minutes, the narrow lanes of Portovenere will open up to reveal the remains of a stunning castle and wide views of the sea in front of you!
The visual effect, especially coming from the shaded alleys of the old town, is jaw droppingly beautiful: lots of opportunities for photos here and also for kids to run around as there is lots of space!
- Walk to St. Peter’s Church, at the very edge of the town, perfect to catch incredible views of the sea below
- Shop for souvenirs: The town’s main street has a lot of pretty local shops selling embroidered linens, bracelets, scarves, and food products that feel and smell of Liguria. We found several cute inexpensive souvenirs from here for ourselves and our friends.
- Get lost in the caruggi: Porto Venere’s narrow alleys, sometimes steep, are called caruggi (this is the regional name of them) and they are lovely to explore: Portovenere is a small streets, glimpses of the sea around unexpected corners and cats lazying in the sun type of place and absolute perfection for an unstructured stroll in quintessentially Italian surroundings!
- Take a pesto class Of course, the town also offers structured experiences such as cooking classes, focusing on the star ingredient and dish of this area: pesto!
In this case, we haven’t take one but I noticed many shops and the people seemed lovely, so I share my photo of what we found hoping it can be of use to you!
- Take a boat tour: Portovenere lies on a beautiful and varied stretch of coast. On one side, you find the high coastline towards Cinque Terre. In front, you have the stunning island of Palmaria and on the other side of the promontory you have the Gulf of La Spezia, with the cute localities such as Lerici, San Terenzo and Tellaro, just to name some of the most famous
You can enjoy the sea of this area by taking ferries (cheap and easy) or a boat tour such as this one, which also allows to have swimming stops, snorkel, and relax on board with a drink.
The beaches of Portovenere
Portovenere has sea access and while you won’t find golden soft sand here, there are several spots you can enjoy for sunbathing and a refreshing dip.
Some you may like are:
- Spiaggia Arenella, just after the ferry dock
- Sporting Beach: part of a hotel but also open to day guests, it has loungers, umbrellas, changing facilities, showers etc, plus a cafe with Italian and international dishes
Both are easy to walk to from the town center; just bring water shoes for the pebbly shore.
Portovenere with kids
We visited Portovenere with our kids and found the atmosphere to be family friendly and mellow.
In practical term, saw small playground on the seafront with a climbing frame and a slide, and a tiny stretch of sand in front of the main square (where the marina is) that was cute for sandcastle making.
Stroller accessibility need to know: The seafront promenade is stroller‑friendly. The uphill climb to the castle and church involves steps and narrow stone paths so it is doable in most bits but best done with a baby carrier.
How to get to Portovenere
The easiest way to get to Portovenere is by boat.
- From La Spezia, there are frequent ferries (about 30 minutes).
- From the Cinque Terre villages and Lerici there are seasonal ferries (about 40–50 minutes). In our case, we took the ferry from Levanto to Portovenere, spent the day here and then got the ferry to La Spezia (from where we caugh the train back to Genova)
Tickets are sold at harbor booths or online: we found even at in the highest possible season we had no problems getting ticket day of, but online booking is easy and can be convenient as the area is all but unknown. The site to buy tickets direct from the ferry line is this one
Where to eat in Portovenere
We suggest you try:
Ristorante Portivene – which came recommended to us by a friend who found them good also for gluten free dishes Map https://share.google/B1BtWRbGtSwWpEgzs
Anciua’ – for nice food on the go (farinata!!!) and focaccia. Map: https://share.google/yp8jzFMJtBSgI3kTc
Safe travels!
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