From beach to beach, from Santa Margherita to Portofino

The coast between Santa Margherita Ligure and Portofino is lined with yachts, sailboats and small dreamy coves hidden among rocks and pine forests.

Would you like to discover them one by one?

It's a very pleasant walk, you'll see 😉.

Technical specifications

• Difficulty: easy.
• Length: 5.2 km (one way). 
• Elevation gain: 0 m (coastal route).
• Travel time: 1 hour.
• Start: Santa Margarita (train station).
• End: Portofino.
• Date of completion (photographs): August, 2017.

A promenade from Santa Margherita to Portofino

Although you can do the route in both directions, I'm going to assume that you got off at the Santa Margherita-Portofino train station (in the town of Santa Margherita) and set out to walk to Portofino.

Shall we get started?

Beach and harbor of Santa Margherita Ligure

The first dip you can take is at Santa Margarita beach itself, although due to its proximity to the seaport, it is quite far behind in the ranking of the most beautiful beaches in the area.

My recommendation? Keep walking.

You're in for more suggestive dips 😉.

Minaglia Beach

Just when you leave the port of Santa Margherita you will see several beaches where you can choose between renting a sun lounger and umbrella in a "lido" or look for the free area (always with less space available than the paid ones).

On the map at the bottom of the page I have marked Minaglia beach, which I am sure has free access. However, I seem to remember that there were other public areas before reaching it.

To approach them you only have to walk along the pedestrian lane that separates the road from the coast.

So you can forget about traffic for a while and devote all your attention to trying to distinguish how many shades of blue you can see on the horizon, starting from turquoise by the shore to the deepest blue at the bottom.

Shall we continue?

Giò e Rino, Bau Bau Beach and Pedale Beach

A few meters further you will find a couple of small free beaches, Giò e Rino and Bau Bau Beach.

There is a parking lot (always paid and full to the brim) nearby.

Just beyond, you will see a longer beach-lido, Pedale beach.

I don't know if their name is due to this, but here they rent "pedales", "pedalós", "velomares" or "hidropedales" (if you have another synonym, let me know in the comments, I'd love to discover a new way to call them).

Why should this be important?

Because when the beaches are overflowing with bathers, renting a pedal boat and getting away from the waterfront to take a dip at your own pace and breathe in a little solitude may be just what you need.

I'm telling you from experience 😉.

Paraggi Bay

Do you want to be left with your mouth open?

Then continue to Paraggi Bay.

You may have forgotten the true shade of turquoise, but here you'll remember it at a glance (especially if the sun is shining).

Just when you reach to see the bay in all its splendor, coming from Santa Margherita, you will notice that there is a kind of concrete platform by the sea from which you can access the rocks.

This is one of the two free accesses to the bay. It is uncomfortable to lie down, but the orientation to the sun is good.

Of course, if you want to enjoy Paraggi beach in all its splendor, you will have to pay for one of the "lido" (beach bars with hammocks) that occupy the main beach.

Another way to enjoy it for free?

If you continue walking a little further (now without a pedestrian walkway, so be careful) you will reach the next bus stop. Next to it there is a sign that reads 'Outdoor Portofino' with an arrow that encourages you to go down the escarpments.

There you have a very small triangle of free beach and kayaks ready for rent in Niasca Bay 🙂 🙂

Cannone Bay

This small cove is located halfway between Paraggi and Portofino.

The problem is that, to access it, you need to continue walking along the road without any sidewalk or shoulder, so you will have to pay close attention to traffic.

Just below the Hotel Piccolo Portofino you will see a small cove of postcard-worthy rocks.

Continue a little further and, past the bend, you will see the descent next to a sign "Spiaggia Libera" (free use beach).

Portofino

Now you only have a few more steps along the road without shoulder to reach Portofino.

As soon as you see the church, take the street to the left and you will find yourself in the middle of its main square overlooking the luxury yachts.

If you want, once here you can continue to the castle, the beach dell'Olivetta (with little light, very shallow and quite uncomfortable because of the stones) or even reach the lighthouse.

Passeggiata dei Baci: alternative from Paraggi to Portofino

Do you prefer to always walk on a pedestrian walkway?

Then, when you find yourself in front of Le Carillon restaurant in Paraggi and reach the end of the sidewalk, take the crosswalk and go up the stairs that start the Passeggiata dei Baci (the Kissing Promenade).

This is a green trail, with a slightly higher elevation than the previous road and views of the coast.

It ends right in front of the Church of San Martino, next to Portofino square.

When to go

If you want to swim in the sea and sunbathe, the best time is from mid-June to mid-September—in other words, during the summer.

However, in addition to being quite hot, you will also encounter many (many, many) tourists.

So, if you can go without a bath (or are into cold baths) any other time of the year will be much more peaceful and pleasant for a stroll.

What to bring

• Food: Pack whatever you’d like to eat during the outing, especially if you’re planning a day at the beach. Need some ideas? Sandwiches, focaccia, seasonal fruit, plenty of water, nuts…
• Water: unless you prefer to buy drinks at the beach bars that you will find along the route, I recommend you to bring at least 1 liter per person (in summer better if there are 2).
• Sun protection: Is the sun out? Then don't forget to put on sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat…
• Clothing: light clothing, sneakers and swimsuit, of course. If you are a girl, I warn you that in Italy topless is not very well seen (it may seem unacceptable to you, it shocked me a lot, but it is more civilized to respect the culture of the country you are visiting, especially if you are passing through, than to "challenge" it just because your customs are different).
• Travel Insurance: If you don't have a European Health Insurance Card and want to travel worry-free, book your IATI travel insurance through this link and get a 5% discount. They offer customizable coverage tailored to your needs and will cover all medical expenses upfront if you notify them in advance.

Where to stay

As I lived for 5 years in Genoa, a mere 30 minutes by train from Santa Margherita Ligure, I never had to look for accommodation in this area.

However, what I can tell you is that the prices of hotels in Santa Margarita are much cheaper than the accommodations in Portofino (by far).

Take a look for yourself, you'll see 😉.

Where to eat

Especially in Portofino NO.

Unless, of course, you feel like dropping some dough 😉.

In Santa Margherite you will find many osterias, pizzerias or, if you prefer to take away, "focaccerias" (bakeries selling focaccia in portions, a bread with cheese, vegetables or meat typical of the area) as cheap as tasty.

My favorite varieties were the focaccia di Recco (a typical cheese of the area) and the one with cipolla (onion). Mmmm...

Useful Links

• Official website of the Portofino Nature Reserve (in Italian).
• Accommodation offers in Santa Margarita.
• Hotels in Portofino.
• Flights to Italy: Trabber, eDreams,Momondo, andVueling.
• Get 5% off when you purchase travel insurance with IATI.

Are you traveling through Liguria? If so, you might also be interested in these destinations:

• Hiking trail from San Fruttuoso to Portofino.
• Hiking trail from Camogli to Punta Chiappa.
• Exploring the five villages of the Cinque Terre.
• Where to eat in Genoa.
• Hiking between Monterosso and Vernazza.
• Hiking between Vernazza and Corniglia.

And not far away…

• A photographic tour of Tuscany.
• Florence in a weekend.
• Things to do in Rome.
• Venice in the off-season.
• Route through Umbria, do you know it?
• The hot springs of Lake Garda.
• A romantic getaway to Lake Como.
• A Tour of the Amalfi Coast.

Map

Do you have any questions about this beach to beach tour from Santa Margherita Ligure to Portofino?

I read you in the comments 😉.