Hiking Trail from San Fruttuoso to Portofino

In the natural park of Portofino there is a small isolated abbey in a turquoise cove that can only be reached on foot or by boat.

Do you know San Fruttuoso?

Technical characteristics of the route

Difficulty: medium.
Length: 6.3 km (one way).
Elevation gain: 330 m (with slopes).
Travel time: 3 hours.
Start: San Fruttuoso.
End: Portofino.
Date of completion (photographs): August, 2017.

Trekking from San Fruttuoso to Portofino

From Camogli to San Fruttuoso by boat

Although you can do the tour both ways, I'm going to assume you start from beautiful Camogli, okay?

You can walk the entire route from Camogli to Portofino passing through San Rocco and San Fruttuoso, but to do so you must get up early in the morning with the desire to work your legs 😉.

The most suitable option if you do not want to test your fitness (and equally beautiful) is to take one of the boats that takes you from Camogli to San Fruttuoso (stopping at Punta Chiappa, 9€/trip).

In the useful links section at the bottom of this page I leave you a link to the navigation company and the place where they post their updated schedules (they change a lot depending on the season).

As soon as you leave the port, open your eyes wide.

The views of Camogli are as beautiful from its streets as from the sea.

San Fruttuoso

I don't need to tell you much more because, as soon as you catch a glimpse of the Abbey of San Fruttuoso over a small cove with turquoise blue water, advice will be superfluous.

It's impossible to resist a bath if the outside temperature is good, don't you think?

Before you continue on your way, you might want to:

Take a dip (for sure).
Sunbathing on its small beach.
Grab a bite to eat at one of the three chiringuitos/restaurants.
Visit the inside of the abbey.

A beach with turquoise waters in San Fruttuoso, Italy

Oh, and if you like scuba diving, this might interest you:

There is a statue of a Christ with his arms open towards the sky submerged a few meters from the beach of San Fruttuoso, the famous Christ of the Abyss.

Several companies in the surrounding area organize dives; although, if you have good lungs and experience with freediving, you can take a look with just snorkeling equipment.

Ascent to the panoramic point

Have you enjoyed San Fruttuoso enough?

It's time to get moving.

At the top of the abbey you will find a sign to Portofino that passes behind the tower and the second smaller cove, then climb and climb as if there were no tomorrow in the shade of a pine forest that ends up seeming infinite.

Although the zig zag of the dirt road softens the slope a bit, this is the most demanding part of the route, so take it easy and rest when you need to.

The plateau

After 2-3 km (approximately) you will reach one of the highest points.

You will recognize it because there are wooden tables and benches.

Here the road forks into three:

A very short trail that takes you to a rock viewpoint.
A path that goes into the mountain in the opposite direction.
And the path that continues in an (almost) straight line in the direction you followed to Portofino - this is yours!

From this point on, a much more bearable, almost flat route of about 3 km awaits you, with intermittent shade and views of the coast from time to time.

Descent to Portofino

After crossing several fields of vines and other crops, you will have a bird's eye view of Portofino.

Zoom in on the town and port of Portofino

This is, without a doubt, my favorite perspective.

From this point on, everything is a gentle descent along wider roads and, sometimes, even paved or with some stairs depending on the section.

And so you reach the top of Portofino.

Once you have walked around the town square, you will have to come back here if you want to take the city bus to Santa Margherita to connect there with the train back to Camogli or the city where you have your accommodation.

Another option is to continue on foot along the Passeggiata on foot along the Passeggiata dei Baci..

Highly recommended if you want to have another swim in the sea before the end of the day 🙂

Portofino

You'll know you're in Portofino when you find yourself in the middle of its main square, surrounded by charming colorful little houses arranged like Tetris blocks around a harbor that looks like a toy when compared to the luxury yachts that usually anchor there.

If you want, once there, you can continue to the castle or even go as far as the lighthouse.

It depends on your legs 😉.

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 manage without taking a dip (or if you prefer cold water), any other time of year will be much quieter and more pleasant for hiking in the Portofino Natural Park.

Buildings in the main square of Portofino

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 in San Fruttuoso or Portofino, I recommend you to bring at least 1.5 liters 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, comfortable sneakers or hiking boots, and a swimsuit. If you're a woman, I should warn you that going topless isn't really accepted in Italy (you might find this unacceptable—it really shocked me at first—but it's more civilized to respect the culture of the country you're visiting, especially if you're just passing through, rather than "challenging" 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 Camogli, I never had to look for accommodation in this area.

However, what I can tell you is that hotel prices in Camogli are much cheaper than accommodations in Portofino (by far).

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

Where to eat

Detail of the buildings of Camogli from the sea

Especially in Portofino NO.

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

In Camogli 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...