Portovenere Holidays

Portovenere is a quaint seaside town in the south of Liguria. Its waterside row of brightly coloured houses has helped to earn it UNESCO World Heritage status, but the town also boasts an impressive hilly backdrop and a petite patch of golden sandy beach.

Take a boat ride out to sea and you’ll see why Portovenere was named after Venus, the goddess of beauty. The town’s tangle of historic streets winds across the hillside in postcard-perfect fashion, crowned on top by the Castle of Portovenere. Dating from the 12th century, this ancient fortress offers some of the most breathtaking views in the region from its hilltop perch.

Portovenere is one of the smallest seaside towns along the Ligurian coast and so offers up just a handful of restaurants to choose from. The beautiful villages of the Cinque Terre are within reach, so you will have plenty to see and do if you fancy getting out and about. If you are feeling particularly energetic, you can hike along the coast to Riomaggiore, the southernmost Cinque Terre village. It’ll take you a good few hours, but you’ll be rewarded with spectacular views – and most likely an ice-cold drink once you arrive in Riomaggiore.

Your plans, our expertise

Start planning your Citalia holiday by getting in touch with one of our Personal Travel Planners.

Lines open: Monday to Saturday 09:00 to 17:30 (Wednesdays from 9:30), Bank Holidays 10:00 to 16:00.

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Handpicked Hotels in Portovenere

Discover the real Portovenere while staying in one of our carefully selected hotels

Liguria, Porto Venere

Grand Hotel Portovenere

Located in Portovenere, a prime location for exploring the Cinque Terre
A charming hotel that overlooks the sea and harbour

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Things to do in Portovenere

Things to doCinque TerreCinque Terre (Five Lands) is the collective name for five of Italy’s most picturesque coastal villages.Find out more about Cinque Terre

Things to doLiguria's BeachesLiguria has more Blue Flag beaches than any other region in Italy, so prepare to be dazzled by the many spectacular sandy spots dotting this famously pretty coastline.Find out more about Liguria's beaches

Things to doPortofinoPortofino is often compared to the villages of the Cinque Terre, but this seaside stunner was earmarked for fame decades before the Cinque Terre gained renown.Find out more about Portofino

Flight Information

Most flights to Liguria arrive into Pisa airport (PSA) although visitors to the west of the Riviera can also fly into Nice (please call our Italy Experts to book flights to Nice). Direct flights to Pisa are available from London Gatwick, London Heathrow and London Stansted and take approximately 2 hours and 10min.

Visa Information

At the current time, British citizens do not require a visa to visit Italy.

Tipping

Whilst tipping isn’t embedded into Italian culture it is always appreciated as an acknowledgement of good service. Nowadays people generally round up a bill in a bar or cafe and leave 5-10% extra on a restaurant bill. Taxi bills are usually also rounded up.

On guided tours/excursions, it is customary to leave a token of appreciation for the driver and guide.

On small group escorted tours, it is customary to leave a token of appreciation for the driver and guide at the end of the tour.

Introduction to languages

The official language of Italy is Italian. English is widely spoken too, so getting by is easy.

Liguria Specialities Food is history in Liguria, almost every town has its specialities. Take Pignone, a small medieval commune close to la Spezia, as an example. Every year they celebrate their food heritage in Gli Orti di Pignone, a festival of peasant culture. Potatoes, a staple crop, are important to Pignone from both an economic and culinary perspective and play their part in wider Ligurian cooking.

Liguria Specialities Trenette al Pesto, a classic Genoese dish combines locally made pesto and fettuccine, string beans and of course the humble patata di Pignone. Another recipe to make use of this ubiquitous vegetable is Stoccafisso alla Ligure, which includes dried cod, cooked Ligurian style. Like much of the region’s cuisine it’s a very simple dish with potatoes, capers, stockfish, anchovies and other ingredients varying by family recipe.

Liguria Specialities The Torta di Patata, a humble tart, is constructed using potatoes with bacon, parmesan, nutmeg and other ingredients. It’s a versatile dish and can be served alongside fish or sausages.

Tradition of course extends to the wine making parts of Liguria. Cinque Terre, which is on the itinerary of most visitors to the region, produces a lovely sweet wine called Sciacchetrà. Amber in colour with suggestions of honey, apricots and figs, this delightful drink is made from Vermentino, and Bosco grapes which add most of the flavour. It’s created using a meticulous fermentation process, with aging taking around 18th months. It’s the perfect accompaniment to cheese or a generous slice of Torta di Patata.