Day trip from La Spezia to Portofino: the full plan

Outbound 1 h 40 minAbout 6 h for your visit in Portofino
Costs for the dayabout €66.20 to €76.20 per person2 adults, recommended sights, with AI Tour Guide and foodWork out your costs ↓
Start the Portofino tourSee the day plan
Portofino

A day trip from La Spezia to Portofino is an easy one if you start early. Portofino has no station, so you ride the regional train up the coast to Santa Margherita Ligure and take the short 782 bus into the village. Leave on the early train and you get about six hours in Portofino, enough for the harbour, Castello Brown, the lighthouse and an unhurried lunch.

Is a day trip from La Spezia to Portofino worth it?

Yes, for the right traveller. Portofino is a small harbour village inside the Regional Natural Park of Portofino, on the Gulf of Tigullio, and it gives you something La Spezia does not: a pastel horseshoe of houses around a tiny bay, superyachts where fishing boats once sheltered, and a fort and a lighthouse on the headland above it. The village is smaller than most people expect, which is exactly why it works as a day trip: you see it properly in a few hours and still have time to sit down.

The cost of the day is the change of transport and the prices. You need a train and a bus each way with one change at Santa Margherita Ligure, and the harbour restaurants charge for the setting. Eat a couple of streets back from the piazzetta, or in Santa Margherita on the way home, and the day stays reasonable.

Santa Margherita Ligure is part of the deal anyway: you change there twice, and its waterfront and more ordinary restaurant prices make it a good place to spend spare time before the train home.

Who this day trip suits

  • Travellers who want the postcard harbour, the pastel facades and the superyacht scenery in one relaxed day
  • Visitors who have already walked the Cinque Terre and want a different side of the Ligurian coast
  • Anyone who prefers an easy, photogenic day over a long hike
  • Budget travellers who are happy to picnic or eat in Santa Margherita instead of on the harbour
  • Early risers, because the first part of the day is when the village is calmest

Go if you want a relaxed, beautiful harbour day with a fort and a lighthouse walk; if you have not seen the Cinque Terre yet, or you want more substance than scenery, spend this day elsewhere.

Other day trips from La Spezia

How to get from La Spezia to Portofino by train and bus

The way to go is a Trenitalia regional train from La Spezia Centrale to Santa Margherita Ligure, then the AMT Genova bus 782 to the Portofino terminus. There is no train to Portofino itself, and the bus covers the last stretch along the coast.

Combined journey: Trenitalia + AMT Genova

From La Spezia Centrale the regional train follows the coast to Santa Margherita Ligure station in about an hour, with trains spread through the day; regional trains need no seat reservation, so you can buy the ticket at the station before you go and validate it before boarding, because conductors do check. At Santa Margherita you walk from the platform to the AMT bus stop at the station, called S. Margherita FS, and take line 782 to Portofino, a ride of under twenty minutes with sea views on the way. Train and bus need separate tickets, so buy both; carry some cash for the bus, since not every driver takes cards. Plan at least fifteen minutes for the change at Santa Margherita in both directions.

Operator
Trenitalia + AMT Genova
Route
La Spezia Centrale → Portofino
Journey time
1 h 40 min
Travel fare
Outward €13.10; return €13.10 (€26.20 return total)

Tickets at Trenitalia ↗

The 782 ends at the AMT terminus in Portofino itself. From there you follow the pedestrian village streets down to the Piazzetta on the harbour, where the tour starts; allow about twenty minutes to arrive and get your bearings.

Example connections by weekday

Full journeys with each leg shown. Times and fares can vary by day and service.

DayOutboundReturn
Daily07:45–09:25 · 1 h 40 min
  1. La Spezia Centrale → Santa Margherita Ligure stazione (S.Margherita Ligure Portofino): 07:45–08:44
  2. Santa Margherita Ligure stazione (S. Margherita FS) → Portofino: 09:07–09:25
16:30–18:10 · 1 h 40 min
  1. Portofino → Santa Margherita Ligure stazione (S. Margherita FS): 16:30–16:47
  2. Santa Margherita Ligure stazione (S.Margherita Ligure Portofino) → La Spezia Centrale: 17:15–18:10

Timetable

Train: Trenitalia

Monday to Friday

DepartureArrivalDuration
05:0806:311 h 23 min
05:4006:591 h 19 min
06:3807:3759 min
07:0408:211 h 17 min
07:4508:4459 min
09:1010:511 h 41 min
09:5710:571 h
11:4012:451 h 5 min
12:3813:441 h 6 min

Saturday

DepartureArrivalDuration
05:0806:311 h 23 min
06:3807:3759 min
07:0408:191 h 15 min
07:4508:4459 min
09:1010:511 h 41 min
09:5710:571 h
11:4012:451 h 5 min
12:3813:441 h 6 min

Sunday

DepartureArrivalDuration
05:0806:311 h 23 min
06:0007:191 h 19 min
06:3807:3759 min
07:0408:191 h 15 min
07:4508:4459 min
09:1010:511 h 41 min
09:5710:571 h
11:4012:451 h 5 min
12:3813:441 h 6 min

Timetable: Trenitalia, as of 22 October 2026

Check current times at Trenitalia ↗

Bus: AMT Genova

Monday to Sunday

DepartureArrivalDuration
05:5806:1517 min
06:3006:4818 min
07:1707:3518 min
08:0708:2518 min
08:3708:5518 min
09:0709:2518 min
09:3709:5518 min
10:0710:2518 min
10:3710:5518 min
11:0711:2518 min
11:3711:5518 min
12:0712:2518 min
12:3712:5518 min
13:0713:2518 min

Timetable: AMT Genova, as of 22 October 2026

Check current times at AMT Genova ↗

Train: Trenitalia

Monday to Friday

DepartureArrivalDuration
13:1514:151 h
14:0315:481 h 45 min
14:1815:211 h 3 min
15:1516:1055 min
16:4717:531 h 6 min
17:0218:481 h 46 min
17:1518:1055 min
18:0919:421 h 33 min
18:1619:211 h 5 min
19:0320:451 h 42 min
19:1520:151 h
20:0921:121 h 3 min
20:1621:211 h 5 min
21:1022:151 h 5 min

Saturday to Sunday

DepartureArrivalDuration
13:1514:151 h
14:1815:211 h 3 min
15:1516:1055 min
16:4717:531 h 6 min
17:1518:1055 min
18:1619:211 h 5 min
19:1520:151 h
20:0921:121 h 3 min
20:1621:211 h 5 min
21:1022:151 h 5 min

Check current times at Trenitalia ↗

Bus: AMT Genova

Monday to Sunday

DepartureArrivalDuration
16:3016:4717 min
Show all departures (19)

Other suitable bus services may have different fares.

DepartureArrivalDuration
12:0012:1717 min
12:3012:4717 min
13:0013:1717 min
13:3013:4717 min
14:0014:1717 min
14:3014:4717 min
15:0015:1717 min
15:3015:4717 min
16:0016:1717 min
16:3016:4717 min
17:0017:1717 min
17:3017:4717 min
18:0018:1717 min
18:3018:4717 min
19:0019:1717 min
19:3019:4717 min
20:0020:1717 min
21:0021:1717 min
22:0022:1717 min

Check current times at AMT Genova ↗

La Spezia to Portofino day trip itinerary

Day plan for: Mon–Tue, Thu–Sun

Take the early train so you reach Portofino before the village gets busy, walk the whole tour in the morning, have lunch, and keep the afternoon loose until the bus and train home.

  1. Morning07:45 – 09:25

    Take the regional train around a quarter to eight from La Spezia Centrale, arriving in Santa Margherita Ligure shortly before nine. Walk to the S. Margherita FS stop and catch the 782 bus just after nine, which reaches Portofino around half past nine. Walk down through the village to the Piazzetta.

    This connection puts you in Portofino before mid-morning, when the harbour is still quiet, and leaves room for a comfortable change at Santa Margherita.

  2. Tour09:45 – 12:30

    Open the tour in your browser at the Piazzetta, around a quarter to ten. The AI Tour Guide greets you, tells the story of the harbour and asks what interests you, then leads you past the Museo del Parco and up to the church of San Giorgio, both seen from outside, to Castello Brown around a quarter to eleven for a visit inside the fort and its park. From there it walks you out along the headland to Portofino Lighthouse, which you reach shortly before noon.

    Castello Brown is open by the time you get there, the walk up is easier before the day warms up, and you finish the whole tour before the midday crowds settle on the harbour.

    1. Piazzetta (Piazza Martiri dell'Olivetta) in Portofino, stop 1 on the self-guided walking tour1Piazzetta (Piazza Martiri dell'Olivetta)
    2. Museo del Parco in Portofino, stop 2 on the self-guided walking tour2Museo del Parco
    3. Chiesa di San Giorgio in Portofino, stop 3 on the self-guided walking tour3Chiesa di San Giorgio
    4. Castello Brown in Portofino, stop 4 on the self-guided walking tour4Castello Brown
    5. Portofino Lighthouse, stop 5 on the self-guided walking tour5Portofino Lighthouse

    Start the Portofino tour

  3. Lunch12:30 – 13:30

    After Portofino Lighthouse, the last stop, walk back into the village for lunch. Choose a place a couple of streets back from the Piazzetta, or bring a picnic and eat with a view.

    Lunch comes after the core walk so nothing is rushed; the waterfront tables are the most expensive in town, and stepping back from them keeps the bill sane.

  4. Afternoon13:30 – 15:45

    The tour is done, so this is free time: sit on the harbour, return to a spot that caught your eye, or ask the guide more about a place you passed. As an optional detour, take an earlier 782 bus down to Santa Margherita Ligure and stroll its waterfront promenade before your train; it costs no extra time, it simply moves your spare hours to Santa Margherita.

    You have a good two hours of slack, and Santa Margherita is a real town with a lovely seafront and a calmer feel than Portofino in the afternoon.

  5. Return15:45 – 18:10

    Be at the AMT terminus around a quarter past four for the 782 bus at about half past four, which reaches S. Margherita FS shortly before five. Walk to the platform for the regional train around a quarter past five, which arrives at La Spezia Centrale just after six.

    The walk to the bus and a short buffer cover you, and the change at Santa Margherita has almost half an hour of margin.

Arrival to return departure: 7 h 5 min. Time for your visit: about 6 h.

You get about six hours in Portofino; if you arrive later than planned, cut the walk out to the lighthouse at the end of the tour and keep everything before it.

Best day to visit Portofino from La Spezia

  1. Monday: recommended
  2. Tuesday: recommended
  3. Wednesday: better not
  4. Thursday: recommended
  5. Friday: recommended
  6. Saturday: recommended
  7. Sunday: recommended
  • Wednesday: The planned interior visits (Portofino Lighthouse) do not fit the opening hours on this day.

Portofino walking tour in one day: harbour, castle and lighthouse

The walking tour is how you see Portofino on this day instead of circling the harbour twice: it starts on the Piazzetta, climbs past the church of San Giorgio to Castello Brown and ends at the lighthouse on the tip of the headland, about two kilometres and half an hour of pure walking, around two and a half hours with the stops. The AI Tour Guide leads it as a conversation, telling the stories as you go and answering when you want to know more.

The Portofino tour: your guide leads you from stop to stop.
  1. Piazzetta (Piazza Martiri dell'Olivetta)
  2. Museo del Parco
  3. Chiesa di San Giorgio
  4. Castello Brown
  5. Portofino Lighthouse

Start the Portofino tour

Opening hours as of 30 August 2026.

  1. Piazzetta (Piazza Martiri dell'Olivetta) in Portofino, stop 1 on the self-guided walking tour
    1Stop 1

    Piazzetta (Piazza Martiri dell'Olivetta)

    The little square on the harbour is the heart of the village, framed by pastel houses and the yachts that replaced the old fishing boats.

    Price
    Free
  2. Museo del Parco in Portofino, stop 2 on the self-guided walking tour
    2Stop 2

    Museo del Parco

    A short walk along the harbour, the Museo del Parco is a stop seen from outside on this day and a cue for the park that surrounds the village.

    Hours (optional interior visit)
    Tue: closed
    Price
    Seen from outside on the tour; going inside is optional and not included in this total.
  3. Chiesa di San Giorgio in Portofino, stop 3 on the self-guided walking tour
    3Stop 3

    Chiesa di San Giorgio

    The Catholic church of San Giorgio stands on the salita San Giorgio above the harbour, on the way up to the fort that once carried the same saint's name.

    Price
    Seen from outside on the tour; going inside is optional and not included in this total.
  4. Castello Brown in Portofino, stop 4 on the self-guided walking tour
    4Stop 4

    Castello Brown

    Castello Brown, the Genoese coastal fort once called Castello di San Giorgio, guards the harbour on a site used for defence since Roman times and is now a house museum.

    Hours
    Daily: 10:00–16:00 (last admission 15:30)
    Price
    €10
  5. Portofino Lighthouse, stop 5 on the self-guided walking tour
    5Stop 5

    Portofino Lighthouse

    The active Faro di Portofino marks the western tip of the peninsula, looking out over the Gulf of Tigullio, and makes a natural end to the walk.

    Hours
    Mon, Tue: 10:30–16:30
    Wed: closed
    Thu–Sun: 10:30–16:30
    Price
    Free
AI Tour Guide in Portofino

Your guide for the Portofino tour

At the Piazzetta the AI Tour Guide takes over: it walks you up past San Giorgio to Castello Brown and out to the lighthouse, telling how a fort that guarded this bay since Roman times ended up a house museum. It asks what you want to hear more about, remembers it for the rest of the walk, and you can interrupt it any time. You start it in the browser when you reach the harbour.

stops
5
route
2.1 km
walking only
29 min
with visits
2 h 28 min
  • 100 free credits to start
  • €19.99 once for the whole group
  • Travel and admission tickets are not included
Start the Portofino tourSee the whole tour →

La Spezia to Portofino day trip cost

The day costs you two sets of tickets each way, a regional train and the 782 bus, plus Castello Brown, the one paid sight on the walk, which is why it is the only entrance in the default selection. Food is the biggest variable: lunch on the harbour costs far more than a meal a few streets back or in Santa Margherita.

Adults
Children

One device is enough for the whole group: two people listen on two connected headphones, larger groups use the phone speaker.

Cost breakdown

Costs for 2 adults · planned visits

Travel there and backTrenitalia + AMT Genova2 adults × €26.20€52.40
SightsCastello Brown2 adults × €10€20
AI Tour Guide touronce for the whole group€19.99
Food (estimate)€20 to €30 per person€40 to €60
Total€132.39 to €152.39
Split between peopleabout €66.20 to €76.20 per person
Sights
  • €10
Buffer and private guide

Pack a picnic or plan your meal in Santa Margherita Ligure, and remember that children up to 12 enter Castello Brown free.

Prices as of October 2026.

Getting back from Portofino to La Spezia

The way back mirrors the morning: the 782 bus from the Portofino terminus to S. Margherita FS, then the regional train to La Spezia Centrale, with separate tickets for each. In the example plan you take the bus around half past four and the train around a quarter past five and are back in La Spezia just after six.

Leave the harbour about half an hour before your bus to walk back through the village to the terminus and stand at the stop in time, and keep at least fifteen minutes for the change at Santa Margherita station.

If you run late, drop the lighthouse at the end of the walk and shorten lunch before anything else. If you miss the planned train at Santa Margherita, later combinations of bus and regional train still run back to La Spezia Centrale in the evening, so check the next one and use the waiting time on the Santa Margherita waterfront.

Recommended returnAMT Genova + Trenitalia: departs 16:30, arrives 18:10Leave the last stop of the tour by 15:45

Latest return that fits the day: 20:00

  • AMT Genova + Trenitalia from Portofino, Monday to Sunday: departs 20:00, arrives 22:15

Questions about the day trip from La Spezia to Portofino

Can I get to Portofino by boat instead?

Ferries along this coast are seasonal, limited and depend on the weather, so treat them as a bonus and keep the train and bus as your plan.

Can I drive to Portofino?

Portofino is pedestrian, and vehicle access and parking in the village are restricted to authorised users. There is a covered paid car park at Piazza Martiri della Libertà that is open around the clock, but train and bus are simpler for a day trip.

Do I need to book the train in advance?

Regional trains need no seat reservation. Buying the ticket ahead saves queuing at the station; validate it before you board, and buy the bus ticket separately.

Is half a day enough for Portofino?

The village is small, and many visitors see the harbour in a couple of hours. With Castello Brown and the lighthouse walk added, the morning plan fills the time well and still leaves a relaxed afternoon.

Is the trip suitable for children?

The walk is short and varied, with a castle and a lighthouse to aim for, and children up to 12 enter Castello Brown free; good walking shoes help on the cobbles and hillside paths.

More day trips from La Spezia

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Sources

Timetables, fares and opening hours come from these operators:

Image credits
AI Tour Guide
Researched and curated by the AI Tour Guide team
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