If you’re planning your holiday to Portofino, you have to know that Portofino does not have its own airport. This means that if you want to go on holiday to Portofino, you need to fly to one of the nearby airports. The closest airport to Portofino is Genoa Cristoforo Colombo Airport.
Which is the nearest airport to Portofino, Italy
Genoa Cristoforo Colombo Airport (GOA / LIMJ) is the nearest airport to Portofino. Is located in Genoa, a wonderful city in the Italian riviera; the city where I live, and where I manage my Bed & Breakfast my family.
Cristoforo Colombo airport is in Genoa, and is 45km (29 miles) from Portofino.
The airport is served by British Airways, Alitalia, AirFrance, KLM, Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, Ryanair, Vueling, and other national flight companies.
How to get from Genoa to Portofino
Genoa to Portofino by Train
The easiest way to get from Genoa to Portofino is to take train to Santa Margherita Ligure – Portofino (the town located a few miles from the site). It’s a scenic 30 mins trip along tracks that run right along the coast, with the sea view on the right side.
A Train Tip:
– I suggest you taking the train to Genova Brignole station in the morning, and then coming back to Genoa in the evening. Portofino is a very small village, you can visit the whole place in an afternoon.
– Once you’ll be there, you can reach Portofino in three ways:
1) By Bus: from the Santa Margherita Ligure Station, there’s a regular bus service to the main square of Portofino (there’s a bus every 20 minutes)
2) By walk: there’s a beautiful seaside walk along the coast that goes from Santa Margherita to Portofino. The walk is easy and takes about 75minutes, since it’s only 5.4km (3 miles) from the center of Santa Margherita (more info, here)
3) By boat: from the Santa Margherita Ligure port (more info, here)
Genoa to Portofino by Car
The other way to get from Genoa to Portofino is to take the A12 Genova-Roma motorway and exit at Rapallo. Follow the signs to Santa Margherita – Portofino (20-minute drive) and you’ll be there.
A Car Tip:
– Since the parking place in Portofino is so expensive (5€ per hour), I suggest you leave your car parked in Santa Margherita.
Once you’ll be there, you can reach Portofino in two ways:
1) By Bus: from the Santa Margherita Ligure Station, there’s a regular bus service to the main square of Portofino (there’s a bus every 20 minutes)
2) By walk: there’s a beautiful seaside walk along the coast that goes from Santa Margherita to Portofino. The walk is easy and takes about 75minutes, since it’s only 5.4km (3 miles) from the center of Santa Margherita (more info, here)
3) By boat: from the Santa Margherita Ligure port (more info, here)
Genoa to Portofino by Boat
The third way to get from Genoa to Portofino is by taking a ferry.
There’s a ferry from Genoa Old Port to Portofino, but not very often (find timetables and prices: click here)
Where to stay in Portofino
Better finding an accommodation in Genoa or Portofino? Definitely, Genoa.
Genoa is a large city, while Portofino is a small resort.
If you like a historical city with narrows alleys and surprising beautiful places and churches, you should stick to Genoa for two or three days; then you can spend a day in Portofino, just taking the train from Genoa in the morning, and coming back in the evening.
In my opinion, there are 3 reasons why you should find an accommodation in Genoa and then go to Portofino just for one day
- Portofino is a very small village: you can visit the whole place in few hours, while Genoa is a big city (The Telegraph says it is the most underrated city in Italy, read the article here) and it’s becoming more and more touristic every year
- The accommodations and car parks in Portofino are really expensive, while in Genoa the prices are more reasonable
- You can use Genoa as a good base to visit not just Portofino, but also Camogli, Rapallo and Cinque Terre
If you’re looking for an accommodation in Genoa, I have a B&B located 500meters from the main square of Genoa (Piazza De Ferrari), which’d be perfect for your trip to Portofino.
If you want to have a look, just click here: Genoa Suite Art
If you’re looking for an accommodation in Portofino, read the article with the best hotels in Portofino.
Conclusion
Portofino is a wonderful village in the Italian Riviera, but don’t overestimate Genoa, because it’s a beautiful city and it deserves at least a 2 days-visit.
If you ever come to Genoa or Portofino and you need any insider’s travel tips, just let me know.
Do you need any help? Leave a comment in the box below.
Wish you a lovely holiday to Italy 🙂
Andrea
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