The harbour of Portofino, its painted houses and the hillside villas from above
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Luxury in Italy

Portofino

The prettiest harbour in Italy: painted houses around a tiny piazzetta, the great yachts at anchor, the Splendido above the bay, and the Cinque Terre along the coast.

The harbour, PortofinoPhotograph: Rares Cioranu

Benvenuti

A fishing village in a park

Portofino was a fishing village on a green promontory of the Ligurian coast, its houses painted in ochre, rose and yellow around a tiny harbour. The headland around it is a nature park and the sea a protected marine reserve, which is why so little has changed.

From the nineteenth century the English and then the film stars of the 1950s discovered it, and Portofino became the summer harbour of the world's yachts. Castello Brown watches over the bay, and the path to the lighthouse looks down on the boats at anchor.

Beyond the headland, the abbey of San Fruttuoso can only be reached on foot or by boat, and in the water of its cove stands a bronze Christ of the Abyss. Along the coast lie Santa Margherita and Camogli, and further south the five villages of the Cinque Terre.

A few words of Italian
EnglishItalianSay it
HelloBuongiornobwohn-JOR-noh
PleasePer favorepehr fah-VOH-reh
Thank youGrazieGRAHT-see-eh
Good eveningBuonaserabwoh-nah-SEH-rah
The bill, pleaseIl conto, per favoreeel KOHN-toh, pehr fah-VOH-reh

Where to go

Portofino at a glance

When to go, the one best hotel and beach club, and how to arrive privately.

Portofino

Best time to visitJune and September are ideal: the sea is warm (23°C, 74°F), the harbour is lively but not packed, and the hills are pleasant for walking. July and August are hottest and busiest.

  • Stay
    Splendido, A Belmond Hotelthree MICHELIN Keys

    The former Benedictine monastery above the harbour has been the benchmark of Portofino glamour since the 1950s.

  • Dine
    None that meets our standard yet.
  • Beach
    Bagni Fiore, Paraggi

    Portofino's historic beach club on Paraggi Bay, an icon of the Ligurian dolce vita since 1927, revamped by the Parisian studio Festen, with Langosteria's restaurant on the sand.

Arrive privately
By private jet
Genoa Cristoforo Colombo Airport (GOA / LIMJ), about 50 minutes by car, longer at midday in summer when the A12 is busiest.
By helicopter
A regular option: BLADE offers flights to the Portofino–Rapallo heliport from Nice, Monaco and Saint-Tropez.
By sea
Marina di Portofino, 14 superyacht moorings on the village quay plus two in Cannone Bay, for yachts up to 55 metres, in the village itself.

Stay

Luxury hotels in Portofino

The finest hotels in and around Portofino: each rated Forbes Five-Star, holding two or three MICHELIN Keys, or among the 25 Finest Resorts of the Mediterranean.

The finest hotels

Each rated Forbes Five-Star or holding two or three MICHELIN Keys.

  • Splendido Mare, A Belmond HotelPortofino

    Belmond's small hotel on the piazzetta at Portofino's harbour, below its sister hotel Splendido, with two MICHELIN Keys.

Dine

Dining in Portofino

The beach clubs.

Beach clubs

  • Bagni FioreParaggi (Portofino)

    Portofino's historic beach club on Paraggi Bay, an icon of the Ligurian dolce vita since 1927, revamped by the Parisian studio Festen, with Langosteria's restaurant on the sand.

Sail

Yachting in Portofino

Yachting at our standard in and around Portofino.

Superyacht marinas

  • Marina di PortofinoPortofino

    14 superyacht moorings on the quay of the village plus two in Cannone Bay, for yachts up to 55 metres, in one of the most sought-after small harbours in the world.

Refit and maintenance

Cruises

Portofino by sea

How the ships arrive in Portofino, and the luxury lines that call.

Ships anchor off Portofino or Santa Margherita Ligure, at the edge of the marine reserve, and bring guests ashore by tender.

The luxury lines that call here

From the lines' own 2026 and 2027 voyages. Ports change from season to season, so check the voyage before you reserve.

Luxury Cruise LinesSuites at Sea

Travel

First-class travel in Portofino

The great hotel trains at our standard. Private jet arrivals are covered in the questions below.

The hotel trains

Overnight journeys in restored carriages.

  • Venice Simplon-Orient-Express: Villeggiatura journeys to the Italian coast

    Multi-night itineraries that pair a night on the train with stays at Belmond hotels: Paris to Portofino with Belmond Hotel Splendido, and Paris to the Amalfi Coast via the French and Italian Rivieras, with a Pompeii visit and two nights at Belmond Hotel Caruso in Ravello. Visit website ↗

  • La Dolce Vita Orient Express: Rome-based journeys across Italy

    Italy's own luxury train, in service since 2025, with 1960s-inspired cabins and suites by Dimorestudio and dining overseen by chef Heinz Beck. Visit website ↗

Shop

Luxury shopping in Portofino

The shopping streets of Portofino.

The great shopping streets

  • The Piazzetta and the harbourPortofino

    The harbour village of the Ligurian Riviera, where the great houses keep boutiques around the Piazzetta and along Calata Marconi, Molo Umberto I and Via Roma: Dior on Piazza Martiri dell'Olivetta, with Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana and Brunello Cucinelli.

Experience

Events and things to do in Portofino

The finest things to do in and around Portofino.

Sport and motoring

  • Yacht Club ItalianoGenoa and Portofino, Italy

    Founded in 1879 and known as the oldest yacht club in the Mediterranean, with more than 1,000 members and a summer base in Portofino. Visit website ↗

  • Vele d'Epoca di ImperiaLiguria, Italy

    The classic-yacht regatta of the Italian Riviera, first sailed in 1986 and held every year since 2019, at the turn of August and September. Visit website ↗

Live

Luxury real estate in Portofino

A home in Portofino: the agencies and advisers at our standard, for the purchase and for life after it.

Prime real estate

  • Lionard Luxury Real EstateFlorence

    Italian luxury specialist with offices in Florence, Milan, Rome, Naples, Venice, Porto Cervo and Forte dei Marmi, handling villas, castles and estates in Tuscany, Liguria, Sardinia and Capri. Visit website ↗

  • Italy Sotheby's International RealtyMilan

    The Sotheby's affiliate for Italy, with 15 offices including Porto Cervo, Genoa, Palermo and Noto, covering Portofino, the Amalfi Coast and Sardinia. Visit website ↗

All the leading agencies in Italy ›

Looking for a home in Portofino? Write to [email protected] and we will introduce you, in confidence, to the right agency.

Plan your trip

Luxury travel in Portofino and the Mediterranean: your questions answered

Plan your journey to Portofino

Where is Portofino?

On the Italian Riviera in Liguria, about 35 kilometres east of Genoa. Genoa airport, which takes private jets, is about 50 minutes by road; helicopters fly in from Nice, Monaco and Saint-Tropez.

What is Portofino famous for?

Its painted harbour and piazzetta full of yachts, the Belmond Hotel Splendido, the abbey of San Fruttuoso, and its place on the coast with Santa Margherita and the Cinque Terre.

When is the best time to visit Portofino?

June and September are ideal: the sea is warm (23°C, 74°F), the harbour is lively but not packed, and the hills are pleasant for walking. July and August are hottest and busiest.

Where are the best luxury hotels in Portofino?

Splendido, A Belmond Hotel (three MICHELIN Keys).

How do you arrive in Portofino by private jet?

Genoa Cristoforo Colombo Airport (GOA / LIMJ), about 50 minutes by car, longer at midday in summer when the A12 is busiest.

Do you tip in Portofino?

Not obligatory; a service charge (servizio) may already be on the bill. Leaving a few euros, or up to about 10% for excellent service, is appreciated. Taxis: rounding up is enough. Luxury hotels: porters €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day, €10–20 for a helpful concierge.

What should you wear in Portofino?

Shoulders and knees covered in churches; carry a light scarf or layer. Some resort towns fine people for wearing swimwear or going bare-chested in town centres; check locally. On yachts, soft-soled or bare feet on deck. Elegant, well-cut dress for fine dining.

Beyond Portofino

More in Italy

The rest of Italy, and the Mediterranean beyond.

ItalyLuxury Italy Holidays: Amalfi Coast & CapriExplore ItalyThe MediterraneanTwenty-two countries and Gibraltar, first class onlyExplore the MediterraneanPlan your journeyFrom your home to Portofino, with the costsOpen the trip planner

Customs and etiquette

Customs and etiquette in Portofino

How Italy does things.

Language
Italian. English is widely spoken in luxury hotels and leading restaurants in Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan and the main coastal resorts; less so in the countryside.
Greetings
A handshake on first meeting; cheek kisses among friends and family. Titles matter: dottore / dottoressa for anyone with a university degree, signore / signora otherwise.
Dress
Shoulders and knees covered in churches; carry a light scarf or layer. Some resort towns fine people for wearing swimwear or going bare-chested in town centres; check locally. On yachts, soft-soled or bare feet on deck. Elegant, well-cut dress for fine dining.
Dining
Lunch about 1–3 pm; dinner from about 8 pm, often 9.30 pm or later in the big cities and in summer. Book ahead for good restaurants. A per-person cover charge (coperto) for bread and table setting is normal and is not a tip. Ask for the bill; it will not arrive until you do.
Tipping
Not obligatory; a service charge (servizio) may already be on the bill. Leaving a few euros, or up to about 10% for excellent service, is appreciated. Taxis: rounding up is enough. Luxury hotels: porters €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day, €10–20 for a helpful concierge.
Good to know
Smaller shops often close for a midday break and on Sunday. Many towns fine people for sitting on monument steps or eating and drinking beside major churches and monuments; entering or bathing in public fountains is an offence in many cities, including Rome and Florence, and swimming in Venice's canals is banned. Taking sand, shells or pebbles from the coast is illegal.
Tourist tax
Venice charges day visitors an access fee on set days from April to July, from €5 booked in advance; guests staying overnight in the city are exempt but must register online.

Every list on this page is checked by hand and dated: last checked October 2026. Hotels, restaurants and events link only to their own official websites, where confirmed.

The Mediterranean Season Letter

Where to be, every season

Four letters a year, one for each season: the Mediterranean from spring to autumn, and Beyond the Mediterranean, into the Alps, in winter. The one best hotel to book, and the events worth crossing a sea for.