ILUVPARIS

In about a month and a half DH and I will be staying in Rapallo and we plan to visit Portofino. This is only for one night on our way to France because I've always wanted to see Portofino. We couldn't afford to stay at the Splendido so Rapallo appears to be close and it seems like a nice place. We'll have a car and will park it at the hotel (Excelsior Palace). My question is really about how to get from Rapallo to Portofino. We don't plan to drive. I figure there has to be ferries or boats that travel from Rapallo to Portofino but I can't find info on them even though I've Googled by heart out! I'm sure someone one this board must have done this. We're not in a position to rent a private boat but I'd love to take pictures of Portofino from the harbor. Any suggestions?

tuscanlifeedit

Are you totally committed to Rapallo? It is ok, but I think that Santa Margherita Ligure, the town between Rapallo and Portofino, is much nicer.

If you can't find a boat from Rapallo, you can easily get to Santa Margherita by train, and take the boat from there to Portofino. They are frequent.

But there probably is a boat from Rapallo. Why not ask the hotel?

Carmen

There are regular ferries from Rapallo to Portofino, stopping in Santa Margherita Ligure. The same ferry also goes to a cool little spot that is accessible only on foot or by ferry called Abbazia di San Fruttuoso, an 11th century abbey. There's a boat there that takes people out to observe an underwater statue of Jesus. It seemed like the ferry "layover" was plenty long enough to get out and have a look around. We didn't know that, so we just stayed on the ferry and enjoyed the cooling breeze. It was oppressively hot the day we were there.

Have fun!

nessundorma

ILUVPARIS,

I believe that the boat that Carmen is thinking of does not depart from Rapallo but from Camogli. If you look at a map, you will see that San Fruttuoso is between Camogli and Portofino.

Have you looked into the possibility of staying in Cennobio al Doge in Camogli? It's probably comparable in price to the Excelsior (perhaps even cheaper), but Camogli has a much sweeter air than Rappallo. I've never stayed in Rappallo (and there may be ferries that depoart from there, but I don't think so) but while it is upscale and shares many of the beautiful features of all the Italian Riviera towns, most people prefer Camogli, Santa Margherita Ligure or even Lerici (which has no true luxury acommodations). Portovenere is some place you should also check out.

Important note: If you are a shopping maven, you will certainly want to stay in Rappallo above all.

nessundorma

Sorry -- let me correct my spelling of the hotel in Camogli. It is Cenobbio al Doge.

And I didn't mean to sound like I was contradicting Carmen so strongly. Her information may be correct. But I am more familiar with the ferry that goes from Camogli-San Fruttuoso-Portofino.

ILUVPARIS

Thanks for the info---I did write the hotel but I'm impatient and wanted the answer tonight. I just couldn't believe that I couldn't find info online.

Tuscanlifeedit, why do you like Santa Margherita Ligure so much better? What makes it nicer--is it more charming, upscale, quaint?? Having never been, I'm just curious.

2Italy

We've always stayed in SML while in this area. We find it a truly enchanting town. Very beautiful, lots of good restaurants, accessible by train, and has a GREAT promenade and beautiful harbor by day and night. Boats leave for Portofino often and provide a great photo op of Portofino from the sea. You can also ride bikes or walk to Portofino. We've stayed in SML twice, and have loved it each time.
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tuscanlifeedit

ILUVPARIS

SML is the home of my heart. Rapallo is surrounded by apartments and condos, the shore line is not as picturesque as SML, and there is loads more traffic in Rapallo. Also, Rapallo was once hugely popular but other Ligurian seaside towns have replaced it and I think it is because of the sprawl. It just isn't as pretty as many other Italian Riviera places.

Here is an article I wrote for the Pittsburgh Post Gazette about SML. It says way more about why I love it so much than I could say here:

http://www.postgazette.com/travel/20...fino0810p1.asp

There are also very upscale hotels in SML, and they are quite as nice as the Excelsior Palace and the Cennobio al Doge. I write about one in the article.

Rapallo has more of a city feel to me. SML is still a sweet small port town with a resort atmosphere... gentle and lively, and a very cool older town above the shore line that feels like a town and not a resort. I hope that isn't confusing. I hope the article makes it clear why I love SML. If could, I would move there!

Carmen

Nessundorma, there must be more than one. The ferry that leaves from Rapallo definitely goes to SML, then Portofino, then San Fruttuosa and then back. They leave very regularly, ILUVPARIS, so you should have no problem, whichever town you stay in.

Carmen

One more thought: we stayed in Rapallo on the advice of our travel agent, but it was not our favorite stop. Our hotel had a nice pool, but that was the high point. I haven't spent any time off the boat in SML, but I would certainly consider that next time.

ILUVPARIS

Okay everyone has convinced me so we switched hotels to SML.

This is why these forums are so valuable. You ask one question and by doing so you get an answer to something you weren't even asking about! I'm sure once I get there I'll be thanking each one of you for the pointer!

I see from one of the posts that there's a ferry from SML to Portofino so we should be all set.

Thanks again and I'll report when we return.

Ciao!