The Italian Riviera: Portofino, Cinque Terre & the Ligurian Coast by Boat

The Ligurian Riviera packs an enormous amount of beauty into a short stretch of coast — the see-and-be-seen harbour of Portofino, the vertiginous painted villages of the Cinque Terre, and a food culture (pesto, focaccia, trofie) that is worth the trip on its own. From the water you skip the notoriously difficult parking and arrive where the villages face.

Portofino and the Golfo del Tigullio

The tiny, impossibly pretty harbour of Portofino is the Riviera's icon. Anchoring space in the bay is limited and prized; most crews take a buoy or anchor off nearby Paraggi's turquoise cove and tender in. Don't miss the walk (or tender) to the San Fruttuoso abbey, tucked in its own roadless bay.

The Cinque Terre

Five villages — Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, Riomaggiore — stacked into the cliffs of a protected coast and national park. They are car-free and famously crowded by land; from the sea you anchor off (within the marine-park rules) and see them the way they were meant to be seen, glowing at sunset.

Camogli and the eastern bays

Camogli, with its tall painted houses and fishing tradition, and the quiet bays of the Portofino promontory make gentler, less crowded stops — and some of the best focaccia and fresh anchovies on the coast.

Practical notes

• Marine-park rules. The Cinque Terre and Portofino are protected areas with anchoring and speed restrictions; your captain knows the zones. See the best time to sail Italy.
• Pair it with Tuscany or the Côte d'Azur for a longer north-west-Med week. Compare on where to charter.
• Ready to plan? Browse Liguria charters.