My son and his girlfriend will be going to Italy in June and staying in Portofino for three days....one day, they will go over to Cinque Terra. Does anyone know if you can take a boat from Portofino to CT and back? Also, are there any beaches they can get to, or is it just rocky coast? What do you recommend for the other two days>

If they can afford it, lunch or dinner on the terrace at Splendido hotel is magical.

We did a bus ride for $1.00 (year 2000)to the next town..Santa Margarita, I believe. Nice tourist town to walk around and shop. Larger that Portofino and a very short bus ride. We laughed as we followed a cab hauling friends of ours to the same spot. We all got there together...but their cab ride was a LOT more than just taking the bus. Check this out. The cabbies will not tell you this one.

Hi Barbara - For details on ferry services to CT see:

http://www.traghettiportofino.it/

It's quite a long ride - so they might want to go one way by ferry and the other by train.
www.trenitalia.com

There is a small beach at Paraggi, next to Portofino.

Santa Margherita, Rapallo and Camogli are all worth a visit (- all accessible by bus).

Otherwise Genova isn't far.

Hope this helps ...

Steve

Great suggestions! Thank you! But as for the splendido, I'll send them after I get a chance to go!

If they are there on a Thursday the gigantic weekly market along the boardwalk in nearby Rapallo is great fun, it runs from about 8AM til noon. Hardly any tourists or English speakers in Rapallo which was refreshing!