When is the cruising season in Portofino?

May to September. The harbour is small and demand peaks in July and August, especially around Ferragosto on 15 August, so the yachts and berths for those weeks are best committed early. June and September are quieter, with warm water and more space in the harbours.

Can a Portofino charter extend to the Cinque Terre or Sardinia?

Yes. The Cinque Terre are about two hours south-east, an easy addition to a week. Corsica and Sardinia suit longer cruises, with the owner's agreement and usually a delivery fee if the yacht has to reposition.

How long is a typical charter from Portofino?

Three to five nights covers the Ligurian coast between Genoa and La Spezia. A week can add Monaco and the French Riviera to the west, or continue south to the Tuscan islands.

What does a Portofino yacht charter cost?

As a guide, a 20 to 30 metre motor yacht runs from around EUR 30,000 to EUR 80,000 per week in the Mediterranean, and a 30 to 45 metre yacht from around EUR 80,000 to EUR 250,000, before running costs. The Advance Provisioning Allowance, VAT for the cruising area and the crew gratuity are added, and the whole week usually lands at 130 to 150 percent of the base rate.

Where do Portofino charters depart from?

Portofino's own harbour is small, with limited quay space. Charters also embark in Genoa, where Marina Genova takes yachts up to 130 metres, and in the harbours of the Gulf of Tigullio, Santa Margherita Ligure and Rapallo, a short run from Portofino. The choice depends on the size of the yacht, the route and where guests arrive.

How do guests reach a yacht in Portofino?

Genoa airport, on the western edge of the city, is the closest, about an hour from Portofino by road. Nice and the Milan airports are a few hours away. A single coastal road leads into Portofino from Santa Margherita Ligure, so joining the yacht in Genoa or in the Gulf of Tigullio and arriving by sea is often simpler.

Can a yacht be chartered for a day in Portofino?

Yes. A day from the Gulf of Tigullio usually takes in Portofino and the cliffs of the promontory, with San Fruttuoso by tender and lunch aboard; a longer day runs south to the Cinque Terre and back. Yachts under 24 metres can use the reserve's mooring buoys at San Fruttuoso and Punta Chiappa, which must be reserved through the reserve's app during the day.

Are jet skis and water toys allowed around Portofino?

Not within the marine protected area, where jet skis and water skiing are banned and motor craft are limited to 5 knots. Swimming and snorkelling are welcome, and scuba diving in the reserve's protected zone is limited to authorised dive centres and divers. Outside the reserve, the yacht's toys can be used subject to the usual Italian coastal rules.

What is there to see ashore around Portofino?

The harbour and its piazzetta, the medieval abbey of San Fruttuoso, reached by sea, and Villa Durazzo in Santa Margherita Ligure, with its villas, castle and seventeenth-century park. Further along the coast, the Cinque Terre villages and Portovenere share a UNESCO listing, and the old city of Genoa is about an hour away by sea.

Italy · yacht charter

Portofino.

Cruising the Italian Riviera around the Portofino promontory, from Genoa and the Gulf of Tigullio to the Cinque Terre and Portovenere.

Speak to a yacht advisor

Overview

What to expect.

Portofino is a small Ligurian harbour with an outsized profile: a horseshoe of pastel facades, a working quay, and a fleet of yachts at anchor in the bay outside. The harbour itself accommodates only a handful of berths; the cruising is short-range, with day passages along the Cinque Terre and onward to the Cinque Terre villages and Lerici.

Private yacht charter in Portofino

Portofino is a harbour of tall, coloured houses at the tip of a wooded promontory on the Italian Riviera. Around it lie the cliffs of the promontory, the Gulf of Tigullio and, further south, the Cinque Terre. A Portofino yacht charter takes this coast from the water, which is where most of it is best seen.

The harbour is small and the promontory's waters form a marine protected area, so the shape of each day depends on the size of the yacht: where it can lie, and where the tender takes over. Planned well, the week moves between the promontory, the gulf and the Cinque Terre without long passages.

The Ligurian coast from the water

The promontory. From Punta Chiappa near Camogli round to the bay of Paraggi, the coast has been a marine protected area since 1999. Yachts over 24 metres may not navigate within it, anchoring is prohibited in its two most protected zones and in Paraggi, jet skis and water skiing are banned, and the speed limit is 5 knots, so the coves are visited by tender or from the reserve's mooring buoys.

San Fruttuoso. In a cove on the south side of the promontory stands the medieval abbey of San Fruttuoso, linked by boat to Portofino and Camogli. Offshore, within the reserve, the bronze Christ of the Abyss stands on the seabed.

Paraggi, Santa Margherita and Rapallo. East of Portofino, the small bay of Paraggi, closed to anchoring, then the towns of the Gulf of Tigullio, Santa Margherita Ligure and Rapallo, with their harbours and waterfronts for the evening.

The Cinque Terre. About two hours south-east, five villages, Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore, on terraced cliffs, listed by UNESCO in 1997 and protected by a marine reserve. Only Corniglia, set above the sea, has no landing.

Portovenere and the Gulf of La Spezia. At the southern end, Portovenere and the islands of Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto share the UNESCO listing, with the Gulf of La Spezia and Lerici beyond.

Genoa. About an hour west by sea, the old city and its marinas, where Marina Genova takes yachts up to 130 metres.

A week on the Ligurian coast

A week from Genoa or the Gulf of Tigullio might begin with an evening in Portofino and San Fruttuoso the next morning, then run south to the Cinque Terre for two days, with a night off Portovenere or Lerici, before turning back north for a last day in the gulf. The longest leg, Portovenere back to the Gulf of Tigullio, is around two and a half hours for a motor yacht at a typical cruising speed. With more time, the route continues to the Tuscan islands, or west to Monaco and the French Riviera.

When to go

The season runs from May to September. June and September are the quieter months, with warm water and more space in the harbours; July and August are the busiest, the weeks around Ferragosto, the national holiday of 15 August, most of all. The route is set each morning against the forecast, with the harbours of the gulf close at hand.

Marinas and arrival

Portofino's harbour is small, with limited quay space, and a single coastal road links it to Santa Margherita Ligure. Charters also embark in the harbours of the Gulf of Tigullio and in Genoa, whose airport, on the western edge of the city, is about an hour from Portofino by road. Nice and the Milan airports are a few hours away by road.

Yachts and what a week costs

A yacht already based in Liguria or on the French Riviera avoids a long delivery, which keeps the cost down. A yacht under 24 metres may enter the reserve and use its mooring buoys, subject to its environmental conditions; above that, the tender does more of the work. As a guide, 20 to 30 metre motor yachts run from around EUR 30,000 to EUR 80,000 per week in the Mediterranean and 30 to 45 metre yachts from around EUR 80,000 to EUR 250,000, before running costs; above 50 metres, rates start from around EUR 250,000 and are quoted individually. The Advance Provisioning Allowance of 25 to 35 percent, VAT for the cruising area and a customary gratuity of 5 to 15 percent bring the week to roughly 130 to 150 percent of the base rate. What a yacht charter costs sets out each line.

How a Portofino charter is arranged

We shortlist the yachts that suit your group and the route, plan the days around the reserve's rules and the harbours that can take the yacht, and set out the full cost before anything is signed. Portofino pairs naturally with Monaco to the west, or with Corsica across the Ligurian Sea; the Mediterranean yacht charter guide shows how these coasts fit together.

Tell us your dates, the size of your group and what you have in mind, and we will come back with a shortlist. Start the conversation.

Fleet

Yachts available in Portofino.

Available on request

The current selection for Portofino is shared privately on request. Speak to a yacht advisor for a curated shortlist.

Request the selection

Season

When to cruise.

Best months: May to September
Prevailing winds: Maestrale · light afternoon breeze
Typical base ports: Portofino · Santa Margherita Ligure · Rapallo · Genoa (Marina Genova)

Luxury yacht anchored in Portofino harbour on the Italian Riviera

May to October across Italy, with Sardinia at its best from June to September. The Amalfi Coast and Capri are most rewarding in June and September, the Costa Smeralda peaks in August, and Portofino's season runs from May to September.

Ports

Marinas and anchorages.

Portofino
Santa Margherita Ligure
Rapallo
Genoa (Marina Genova)

Frequently asked

Practical questions.

When is the cruising season in Portofino?: May to September. The harbour is small and demand peaks in July and August, especially around Ferragosto on 15 August, so the yachts and berths for those weeks are best committed early. June and September are quieter, with warm water and more space in the harbours.
Can a Portofino charter extend to the Cinque Terre or Sardinia?: Yes. The Cinque Terre are about two hours south-east, an easy addition to a week. Corsica and Sardinia suit longer cruises, with the owner's agreement and usually a delivery fee if the yacht has to reposition.
How long is a typical charter from Portofino?: Three to five nights covers the Ligurian coast between Genoa and La Spezia. A week can add Monaco and the French Riviera to the west, or continue south to the Tuscan islands.
What does a Portofino yacht charter cost?: As a guide, a 20 to 30 metre motor yacht runs from around EUR 30,000 to EUR 80,000 per week in the Mediterranean, and a 30 to 45 metre yacht from around EUR 80,000 to EUR 250,000, before running costs. The Advance Provisioning Allowance, VAT for the cruising area and the crew gratuity are added, and the whole week usually lands at 130 to 150 percent of the base rate.
Where do Portofino charters depart from?: Portofino's own harbour is small, with limited quay space. Charters also embark in Genoa, where Marina Genova takes yachts up to 130 metres, and in the harbours of the Gulf of Tigullio, Santa Margherita Ligure and Rapallo, a short run from Portofino. The choice depends on the size of the yacht, the route and where guests arrive.
How do guests reach a yacht in Portofino?: Genoa airport, on the western edge of the city, is the closest, about an hour from Portofino by road. Nice and the Milan airports are a few hours away. A single coastal road leads into Portofino from Santa Margherita Ligure, so joining the yacht in Genoa or in the Gulf of Tigullio and arriving by sea is often simpler.
Are there restrictions for yachts around Portofino?: Yes. The promontory, from Punta Chiappa near Camogli round to the bay of Paraggi, is a marine protected area. Yachts over 24 metres may not navigate within it, anchoring is prohibited in its two most protected zones and in Paraggi, and speed is limited to 5 knots. Larger yachts therefore stay outside the reserve, and guests reach San Fruttuoso and the coves by tender.
Can a yacht be chartered for a day in Portofino?: Yes. A day from the Gulf of Tigullio usually takes in Portofino and the cliffs of the promontory, with San Fruttuoso by tender and lunch aboard; a longer day runs south to the Cinque Terre and back. Yachts under 24 metres can use the reserve's mooring buoys at San Fruttuoso and Punta Chiappa, which must be reserved through the reserve's app during the day.
Are jet skis and water toys allowed around Portofino?: Not within the marine protected area, where jet skis and water skiing are banned and motor craft are limited to 5 knots. Swimming and snorkelling are welcome, and scuba diving in the reserve's protected zone is limited to authorised dive centres and divers. Outside the reserve, the yacht's toys can be used subject to the usual Italian coastal rules.
What is there to see ashore around Portofino?: The harbour and its piazzetta, the medieval abbey of San Fruttuoso, reached by sea, and Villa Durazzo in Santa Margherita Ligure, with its villas, castle and seventeenth-century park. Further along the coast, the Cinque Terre villages and Portovenere share a UNESCO listing, and the old city of Genoa is about an hour away by sea.