Portofino & Italian Riviera Tour

Your ship docks.
The Riviera begins.

Livorno or La Spezia. Your driver is already waiting. Portofino is two hours away.

Your private Mercedes driver meets you directly at the cruise terminal — at Livorno or La Spezia, confirmed in advance based on your berth and ship schedule. No shared bus, no group, no waiting. The departure time is agreed together before the day, and your driver will be there when you arrive.

From Livorno the road heads north along the Ligurian coast, passing through the Gulf of La Spezia and the Cinque Terre before opening onto the Gulf of Tigullio. From La Spezia the drive is shorter — the Riviera di Levante begins almost immediately, and the landscape shifts quickly to the blue and ochre of the Ligurian coast. The first stop is Rapallo — its 16th-century castle rising directly from the sea, the long palm-lined promenade, the Belle Époque villas and the covered market in the old town. A coffee on the harbour, a first look at the Italian Riviera.

From Rapallo, the road follows the bay to Santa Margherita Ligure — one of the most elegant towns on the Ligurian Riviera. Art Nouveau villas, a small fishing harbour, the baroque Basilica di Santa Margherita d'Antiochia at the centre of town. A brief stop before the final stretch along the promontory to Portofino.

Your driver takes you to the meeting point above Portofino — the village is pedestrian-only — from where you descend on foot to the harbour. The piazzetta, the coloured houses reflected in the still water, the boats at their moorings, the scent of the sea. Free time to explore: the Caruggi behind the harbour, the church of San Giorgio, the castle at the tip of the promontory with its panoramic view over the open sea. The boutiques along the waterfront. A drink in the piazzetta. Or simply stand at the edge of the harbour and watch the light on the water.

If a lunch reservation has been arranged at the Hotel Splendido — the most iconic hotel on the Italian Riviera, perched above the village with its terrace overlooking the bay — the timing is coordinated around your visit. Reservation is essential and must be arranged in advance.

At the agreed time, your driver meets you at the Portofino meeting point and brings you directly back to your cruise terminal — Livorno or La Spezia. Guaranteed return before your ship departs.