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Things to do in Porto Venere

Our most recommended things to do in Porto Venere

Cinque Terre: Riomaggiore, Monterosso, Vernazza Boat Cruise

1. Cinque Terre: Riomaggiore, Monterosso, Vernazza Boat Cruise

Experience the Cinque Terre coast by boat and take in gorgeous views of vineyards terraces and charming buildings from the sea. Make time to stop at Riomaggiore, Monterosso, and Vernazza along the way. Start at La Spezia's harbor and sail through the Gulf of the Poets admiring the magnificent village of Portovenere and the island of Palmaria from the boat. Reach the first village of Cinque Terre, Riomaggiore, passing by the mesmerizing coastline with its famous terraced vineyard landscape and colorful houses. The city is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage site. Here, visit the imposing church of San Giovanni Battista with your guide and enjoy some free time to stroll through the narrow streets. In Monterosso al Mare, explore the medieval historic center and marvel at the parish church dedicated to St. John, the Baptist. Then continue the sailing to Vernazza, the pearl of the Cinque Terre. Vernazza presents itself to visitors as the prow of a ship: most of the village is in fact built on a small promontory that ends at the sea with an imposing fortification system. At the end of the tour, enjoy free time and take the chance to taste the local wine and food, or go for a swim in the crystal clear water of the Mediterranean.

La Spezia: Cruise to Porto Venere, Monterosso and Vernazza

2. La Spezia: Cruise to Porto Venere, Monterosso and Vernazza

Board the ferry at La Spezia and start your boat trip to Porto Venere. Cruise for approximately 30-minutes before reaching Porto Venere. Disembark the ferry for a walk through the town. Porto Venere is a fortified seaside village filled with colorful houses and medieval buildings. During your tour, you will pass the Church of San Pietro, one of the most religious buildings in all of Italy, before walking through narrow streets. Pass the Church of San Lorenzo and enjoy panoramic views at Doria's fortress. Before returning to the ferry, you’ll have some free time to explore Porto Venere on your own. Board the ferry and continue on your tour along the Cinque Terre coastline. Relax onboard for approximately 50 minutes as you pass by the seaside villages of Riomaggiore, Manarola, and Corniglia. Next stop is Monterosso. Here you will reach the medieval center in a few steps, where you can admire the parish church dedicated to San John the Baptist. Then, admire the landscapes from Torre Aurora and the large beach by Fegina. Arrive at Vernazza, where you will disembark to explore the unique village. Walk around Vernazza, a small village with an imposing fortification system. Here you will see the Church Santa Margherita d'Antiochia and walk down the main street filled with colorful houses. Walk to a viewing point in the village and see views of Doria's fortress.

Cinque Terre & Portovenere: Boat Tour

3. Cinque Terre & Portovenere: Boat Tour

Departure at 10 a.m. from Passeggiata Morin, La Spezia, near the cruise terminal and the ferry embarkation point. The boat (10 metres) and the captain will be there waiting for you. You will sail along the borgate marinare, i.e. the small villages on the coast between La Spezia and Portovenere. You will see Torre Scola, an old military fortress built on a rock in the middle of the sea. We will pass through the archipelago consisting of the three islands, Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto, which are still unspoilt places, until we reach the romantic Portovenere. Here you can choose whether to go ashore for a short visit to the town and the famous church of San Pietro, overlooking the sea, or stay on the boat and dive into the turquoise waters between Palmaria Island and the village of Portovenere. Continuing the tour, we will have time to approach the world-famous Grotta Byron, the red rocks and swim in beautiful hidden coves, in the crystal-clear waters of Monesteroli or under the natural waterfall of Canneto. From here we will enter the 5 terre marine protected area. We will sail past the 5 villages (Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, Monterosso), you will have plenty of time to take your photos, listen to interesting stories and explanations from your captain and take another dip. During this tour there is also the possibility to go ashore and visit the villages of Vernazza or Monterosso. If you are lucky, you will be able to see the dolphins that habitually swim near our shores. On the way back we will visit Lerici and Tellaro and swim at the Caletta, described by the New York Times as the 'Thailand of the Mediterranean Sea'. The tour will end at 6 p.m. at the place of departure.

From La Spezia: Cinque Terre Speedboat Tour

4. From La Spezia: Cinque Terre Speedboat Tour

Explore the beautiful cliffs, beaches, and colorful towns of the Cinque Terre on a sailing tour from La Spezia. You will see all five picturesque villages characterized by pastel-colored houses on a 4-hour speedboat tour. Start your tour from Passeggiata Morin in La Spezia and sail along the western coast of the Gulf of Poets. Admire the beautiful landscape of the four villages that make up the Borgata Marinara. Continue sailing towards Portovenere, where you will cross the Le Bocche, a strait between the town of Portovenere and the wild Palmaria Island. See the magnificent Romanesque church of San Pietro, set among the rocks and overlooking the sea. Discover the unspoiled coves of Le Rosse, Monesteroli, and Punta Pineda along the coastline. Grab a chance to dip in the pristine waters of the Cinque Terre Natural Park. Marvel at the beauty of Monterosso al Mare, the last and most vibrant of the five villages. Here you can enjoy local specialties such as focaccia with anchovies or delicious gelato. Pass through the famous muscle farms while returning to La Spezia. 

La Spezia: Boat Tour to Cinque Terre

5. La Spezia: Boat Tour to Cinque Terre

Discover the beautiful Cinque Terre National Park on a guided boat tour in La Spezia. Enjoy picturesque views of the coast as you explore the village of Riomaggiore and find a cozy tavern for lunch. Swim in the waters of Palmaria island before admiring the colorful houses of Porto Venere. Make your way to Porto Mirabello in La Spezia to meet your friendly guide and group for the day. Get on board your boat and wave goodbye to the coast as you set sail on the Ligurian Sea. Feel the excitement as you approach the first village in the Cinque Terre National Park, making port at Riomaggiore. Be blown away by this idyllic harbor and stroll along the paths under charming colorful houses. Have 2 hours of free time to explore and find somewhere to eat. Depart from Riomaggiore and make your way along the coast to Porto Venere and the island of Palmaria. Jump off the boat to swim in the serene waters and bring a snorkel along to meet the tropical fish. Disembark at Porto Venere with more free time to go sightseeing before returning to La Spezia.

La Spezia: Sunset Boat Tour with Aperitivo and Snacks

6. La Spezia: Sunset Boat Tour with Aperitivo and Snacks

Programme: We will be waiting for you at the embarkation point (Banchina Revel, La Spezia), 10 minutes before the departure time. With a 2-hour tour during the Golden Hour, starting from La Spezia (Banchina Revel), we will guide you through the secrets of the Gulf and the 3 Islands: - Torre Scola, an ancient military fort built in the 16th century and damaged during the Napoleonic wars - Portovenere, the true pearl of the Gulf, unrivalled in beauty and magic - The Roman Church of San Pietro, perched on the promontory of Portovenere is considered the most beautiful in the world - The Blue Cave in Palmaria, which turns golden at sunset - The historic Tino lighthouse, one of the few remaining lighthouses in Europe still in operation - The Madonna Stella Maris, which emerges from the waters in front of Tinetto and protects sailors and the Gulf - The ancient funicular railway used until the Second World War to load the precious marble from the local quarries onto ships - The many military installations and bunkers from the First and Second World War

Milan: Cinque Terre Full-Day Guided Trip With Cruise

7. Milan: Cinque Terre Full-Day Guided Trip With Cruise

Explore the Cinque Terre, one of Italy's most scenic landscapes, on a guided day trip from Milan by van. See Cinque Terre from different perspectives from a boat and a train. After leaving Milan by coach, arrive in Monterosso al Mare, the largest of the Cinque Terre's 5 villages. With no car traffic, it remains one of the truest fishing villages on the Italian Riviera. Restaurants, bars, and accommodation all have an endearingly homespun air about them. From Monterosso, start the final leg of your journey: a boat cruise, where you can admire the stunning views of the Cinque Terre and the delightful village of Portovenere from the sea. Arrive at La Spezia where your coach will be waiting to take you back to Milan. These 5 enchanting medieval villages cling to the coast, offering a breathtaking sight of the sea, and are now part of a national park listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

From La Spezia: Cinque Terre Full-Day Boat Tour

8. From La Spezia: Cinque Terre Full-Day Boat Tour

Spend a full day navigating the beautiful landscape of Cinque Terre at a close range, with a peaceful boat trip along the coast. Meet your guide and depart from the Mirabello port of La Spezia. During the tour, visit Golfo Della Spezia, Portovenere, Palmaria island, Le Rosse, Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso. Take the opportunity to plunge into the refreshing waters for a swim or a snorkel. Feel free to stop as many times as you like wherever you like.  Arrive in Monterosso at lunchtime and enjoy a 1.5-hour stop to explore the town and find somewhere to eat lunch. After the break, meet your crew back at the boat and set sail back towards La Spezia. 

La Spezia: Full-Day Cinque Terre Sailing Tour

9. La Spezia: Full-Day Cinque Terre Sailing Tour

Admire the dynamic cliffs, beaches, and towns of the Cinque Terre on this sailing tour from La Spezia. Cruise past the picturesque villages of Portovenere and Lerici and the islands Palmaria and Tino. Relax as you sip on water and wine as you sail. Meet your skipper at the dock in La Spezia. Hop aboard and feel the wind in your hair as you sail away in a modern sailboat. Cross the Gulf of Poets and see the vibrantly colored houses that hug the hills and shores of the villages of Portovenere and Lerici. Admire the rocky landscapes of the small islands of Palmaria and Tino. Make your way along the villages of the Cinque Terre with a stop in front of Vernazza where you can see the Santa Margherita di Antiochia Church from the water. Take a refreshing dip in the sea in the waters of a pristine marine protected area. If you want to learn how to captain a sailboat, your skipper can give you a sailing lesson. Return to dock in La Spezia at the end of your tour.

Portovenere: Isola Palmaria Into the Wild Day Tour

10. Portovenere: Isola Palmaria Into the Wild Day Tour

Live an experience in the still unspoiled nature of this beautiful island. Through this excursion we will visit all the highlights of this beautiful island: Località il Terrizzo, Le Carceri, panoramic view of Torre Scola and the Island of Tino, Località il Pozzale, The marble Caves, La Vetta, Località Carlo Alberto. Everything accompanied by the welcome company of animals of all kinds: wild goats, rabbits, pheasants, birds and for the lucky ones even peacocks. If you are a nature lover, this is the excursion for you!

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What people are saying about Porto Venere

Overall rating

4.5 / 5

based on 944 reviews

Good boat with nice seats, both inside and outside and friendly crew! First stop portevenere, not yet cinque terre, but nice village and plenty to see with a view of Palmyra and the whole coast of cinque terre. Then sailed past all villages with explanation from the guide and got off at the northernmost village of Monterosso, then 1 more stop at Vernazza. At the stops enough time to explore the highlights on foot and to draw your own plan. Highly recommended in the late season! Boat is not packed with people and the villages are not too busy. And the villages are also at their best from the sea. In short, a nice active day and an absolute must!

Everything went fine! My whole family found the time for sightseeing and bathing in the villages to be optimal! We only took part in the tour. In English we could not understand every detail. For us, however, bathing on the beaches was in the foreground. I was torn between train and ship travel. Visiting the Cinque Terre by boat impressed us all. We can recommend the trip! A tip Finding a parking space in La Spezia is not easy! It was really tight for us!

An excellent experience…seen from the sea, the 5 lands offer a beautiful show. You avoid the crowds you find in the stations and you enjoy the whole journey. The guide gave us some information about the places visited after which we were free to wander around. When you disembark in Monterosso you have more time available so you can have lunch and if the weather is nice, even take a bath.

Excellent experience, the proposed activities conform to the description during the sale, the staff is very kind, the extremely competent guide speaks very good French very attentive and answers all questions, frankly this activity is recommended for people who want to avoid walking and taking the train to visit the Cinque Terre.

Great little cruise for the 3 villages of the 5 Terre.