Italian Riviera Guide: Portofino & the Coast

While the Amalfi Coast gets most of the attention, the Italian Riviera — the Ligurian coastline running from the French border to Tuscany — offers a similarly glamorous stretch of water with a distinctly different feel: yacht-club elegance rather than cliffside drama. This guide is part of our Luxury Italian Vacation Planner.

Portofino: Small, Expensive, and Worth It

Portofino itself is tiny — a harbor, a handful of boutiques, and some of the most expensive real estate in Italy. Most luxury travelers base themselves in nearby Santa Margherita Ligure or Rapallo, both a short boat ride from Portofino's harbor, and visit for lunch, an afternoon, or a sunset dinner rather than staying directly in town.

Cinque Terre, Done Right

The five villages of Cinque Terre are genuinely stunning but can be overwhelmed by day-trippers in peak season. A private boat tour along the coastline, stopping at each village from the water rather than hiking the crowded trails, is both more comfortable and more scenic.

What to Actually Do

• →A private boat day from Santa Margherita to Portofino and back, with a stop for lunch at a harbor-front restaurant
• →A boat tour of the Cinque Terre villages, avoiding the crowded hiking trails
• →An evening in Portofino's harbor after the day-trip crowds head back to Genoa or the cruise ports
• →A visit to the Cinque Terre village of Vernazza, widely considered the most beautiful of the five

Pairing With the Rest of Italy

The Italian Riviera sits naturally between Tuscany and the French Riviera, making it a strong bridge stop on a longer Mediterranean itinerary, or a standalone long weekend from Milan.

Interested in a Riviera itinerary built around the water rather than the crowds? Let's talk, or return to the full Italy planning guide.