Portofino, Italy has always been an Italian hot-spot. However, I also recommend a trip to the nearby Santa Margherita Ligure. It is a bigger town with more shops, restaurants, and (importantly) beaches. If you find yourself wanting to visit Portofino, I recommend taking the walk from Santa Margherita to Portofino. Along the way you’ll find plenty of free beaches and epic views.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you book through them, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Table of Contents
Start in Santa Margherita
This gorgeous walk starts from Santa Margherita Ligure. While Italians (especially from the north of Italy) are very familiar with this town, many tourists don’t know it by name. It tends to get overshadowed by nearby Portofino or Rapallo.
Nonetheless, Santa Margherita has a lot to offer! It has amazing shopping with both commercial and local shops, a plethora of restaurants, and many activities. If you want to rent a boat or take a diving course then you will absolutely be able to find options in Santa Margherita.
Anyways, let’s move onto the official walk from Santa Margherita to Portofino! In total you should expect the walk to take about an hour. However, it is SO BEAUTIFUL I guarantee you’ll be stopping to take lots of pictures and maybe take a dip in the sea.
Stumble Upon the Beaches
The protected walking path starts along Strada Provinciale 227 di Portofino (that’s a mouthful) and I recommend leaving from the Port of Santa Margherita. The initial part of the walk is protected by a walkway, so no need to fear the mopeds are cars zooming past!
I highly recommend packing a swimsuit. Along the way you will find tons of free or paid beaches. The water is crystal clear and there are many stairs leading from the path directly to the beach.
Around the halfway point of the walk you’ll reach Paraggi. This is a gorgeous bay, but can be a bit bougie. So, if you MUST relax in the Dolce and Gabbana sun bed, be prepared to pay for it. You’ll find some high-end restaurants as well such as Langosteria and Vesta.
Looking for a unique pitstop here? Consider booking a 1-Hour Snorkeling Tour in Paraggi. You’ll be able to enjoy swimming in the bay and seeing tons of fish and wild life without spending a fortune on a beach bed…
Choose Hills or Road
Once at Paraggi, the main pathway along the road and sea comes to an end. You can opt to continue the hike through the woods (there is a marked path) or continue along the street. Note: The street no longer has a protected path at this point, so you are walking at your own risk!
I personally recommend taking the wooded path on the way into Portofino (you get some amazing “welcome views”) and then the street back.
Arrive in Portofino
Eventually, you will reach the start of Portofino! If you have the flexibility, I recommend trying to time your arrival in late afternoon (after 4pm). Usually this is the time the tourist boats stop pouring in and out and the city starts to have a completely different vibe.
Sit down in the main square, Piazza Martiri dell’Oliveta, and enjoy a coffee or find a couple of great viewpoints – both the Church of St. George or the Castello Brown have nice lookouts.
Staying longer in Portfofino? There is plenty to do and see from here as well – especially from the sea. I recommend any of the following tours to consider booking.
If you want to head back to Santa Margherita you can either take a local bus (but you WILL be packed like a sardine) or enjoy the same path back. Did you enjoy the walk from Santa Margherita to Portofino?
You may be interested in some of my other Liguria content. Check out some of my popular posts below: