Portofino Question

[teacherman]

We are on Legend of the Seas, visiting Portofino on Monday, Oct 12. We plan to take bus to Santa Margurite, walk around for a while, bus back to Portofino. Questions: 1) have any of you taken return bus to Paraggi Beach and then walked the path back to Portofino?? If so, was the walk "strenuous"? How long does it take? 2) We also thought of walking up to Brown's Castle in Portofino? I understand it is closed on Monday. Would the walk allow us access to the gardens and views of the city? Any advice/information is welcome.

[debsjc]

We were in Portofino last October. I can't help with many of your questions, but I would just mention there is a ferry from Portofino + S.Margarite as well. It operates about 3 times a day in October, and takes about 20-25 mins.

We went by bus and came back by ferry, which was great fun and it went very close to our ship which was at anchor, and we got some good photos.

[GSPLover]

We are on Legend of the Seas, visiting Portofino on Monday, Oct 12. We plan to take bus to Santa Margurite, walk around for a while, bus back to Portofino. Questions: 1) have any of you taken return bus to Paraggi Beach and then walked the path back to Portofino?? If so, was the walk "strenuous"? How long does it take? 2) We also thought of walking up to Brown's Castle in Portofino? I understand it is closed on Monday. Would the walk allow us access to the gardens and views of the city? Any advice/information is welcome.

 

We did the bus from Portofino to Santa Margherita and return. Thought about the walk back but decided to use that time in Portofino. The walk to Castello Brown is worth the effort. Spectacular views (see http://picasaweb.google.com/ftroute/Portofino ) from the castle area and the trail back down.

 

While in S. Margherita, pay particular attention to some of the buildings (see pic 20 of the series in the link here). The window treatments and more on that building are painted on - not built-in. You will see many buildings like that.

[Houston Pegaroo]

We were in Portofino last October. I can't help with many of your questions, but I would just mention there is a ferry from Portofino + S.Margarite as well. It operates about 3 times a day in October, and takes about 20-25 mins.

We went by bus and came back by ferry, which was great fun and it went very close to our ship which was at anchor, and we got some good photos.

 

Can you please share details of arranging the bus and ferry? Where to locate, if advance reservations are necessary, costs, etc. We are planning on doing this same thing in early October. Thanks.

[debsjc]

As far as I remember -

 

We got off the tender and there was a ferry timetable posted up in the area where the tender dropped us off. There wasn't a ferry going for an hour or 2, but there was one coming back at about 1pm I think - but check the timetable. We walked up the main street, bought our bus tickets in a cafe, and then took the bus. We didn't book anything in advance.

 

We were on a quite early tender, and we did notice the later buses looked very full, so maybe try and get off sooner rather than later.

 

To come back we just bought the ferry tickets at a booth by the pier in S.Margherita

 

I'm sorry I dont remember the costs, but it was inexpensive, maybe something like 1 Euro for the bus and 10 Euro for the ferry

[carlc2]

We are on Legend of the Seas, visiting Portofino on Monday, Oct 12. We plan to take bus to Santa Margurite, walk around for a while, bus back to Portofino. Questions: 1) have any of you taken return bus to Paraggi Beach and then walked the path back to Portofino?? If so, was the walk "strenuous"? How long does it take? 2) We also thought of walking up to Brown's Castle in Portofino? I understand it is closed on Monday. Would the walk allow us access to the gardens and views of the city? Any advice/information is welcome.

 

I read in your post that the Brown Castle is closed on Monday? Do you know this as a fact? I really hopy you are wrong - but have a feeling you are not. I cannot seem to find any information about this. Hopefully someone knows...

[Houston Pegaroo]

As far as I remember -

 

We got off the tender and there was a ferry timetable posted up in the area where the tender dropped us off. There wasn't a ferry going for an hour or 2, but there was one coming back at about 1pm I think - but check the timetable. We walked up the main street, bought our bus tickets in a cafe, and then took the bus. We didn't book anything in advance.

 

We were on a quite early tender, and we did notice the later buses looked very full, so maybe try and get off sooner rather than later.

 

To come back we just bought the ferry tickets at a booth by the pier in S.Margherita

 

I'm sorry I dont remember the costs, but it was inexpensive, maybe something like 1 Euro for the bus and 10 Euro for the ferry

 

 

Thanks for all of the helpful info.

[GSPLover]

Can you please share details of arranging the bus and ferry? Where to locate, if advance reservations are necessary, costs, etc. We are planning on doing this same thing in early October. Thanks.

 

When you get off your tender, you will walk clockwise around the port. Assume that your tender is about the 9 o'clock position. When you reach about 2 o'clock you will see a narrow street going uphill. Follow it. About a block up you will see a newstand; buy your bus tickets there (about €1,20 each person each way - buy 'andata e riturno' - ticket for each direction. you continue up the hill to a small turnaround. That is where the bus stops.

[Houston Pegaroo]

When you get off your tender, you will walk clockwise around the port. Assume that your tender is about the 9 o'clock position. When you reach about 2 o'clock you will see a narrow street going uphill. Follow it. About a block up you will see a newstand; buy your bus tickets there (about €1,20 each person each way - buy 'andata e riturno' - ticket for each direction. you continue up the hill to a small turnaround. That is where the bus stops.

 

 

Great details! Thanks for the tips. Sounds like it will be easy to find.

[euro cruiser]

Here is the link for the bus schedule between Portofino and Santa Margherita: http://www.tigulliotrasporti.it/cartina2.php?sez=TOc

[GSPLover]

Here is the link for the bus schedule between Portofino and Santa Margherita: http://www.tigulliotrasporti.it/cartina2.php?sez=TOc

 

Great link. Thanks! Yes, I can read Italian (to a degree.)

[euro cruiser]

And here is the ferry schedule: http://www.traghettiportofino.it/eng/linee.html

[GSPLover]

Great details! Thanks for the tips. Sounds like it will be easy to find.

 

I should have added:

When you are in Santa Margherita, the bus makes two stops (that I'm aware of). First, there is a beach to your right and a large round-a-bout to your left. Get off/on here as this is closest to city center. The next stop is the train station and it's a 10 minute walk back downhill to city center (been there, done that.)

[euro cruiser]

Great link. Thanks! Yes, I can read Italian (to a degree.)

It's funny, I've found that even when an Italian web site has English pages, it often doesn't show up when you do a google search. I have much better luck searching in Italian, then being pleasantly surprised when they have it in English.

[euro cruiser]

I should have added:

When you are in Santa Margherita, the bus makes two stops (that I'm aware of).

According to the schedule, it looks like four stops:

• Portofino
  
• Paraggi
  
• Covo Nord Est
  
• Piazza V. Veneto
  
• Santa Margherita FS (train station)
  

I suggest printing out the timetables for both the bus and the ferry and carrying them with you. That way, even if you don't speak any Italian, you can show people the schedule and point out where you want to go.

[euro cruiser]

According to the municipal website, Castello Brown is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 AM to 7 PM and is, unfortunately, closed on Mondays.

 

http://comune.portofino.genova.it/home/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=118&Itemid=335

 

I don't see an English language version of the site.

[GSPLover]

According to the schedule, it looks like four stops:

• Portofino
  
• Paraggi
  
• Covo Nord Est
  
• Piazza V. Veneto
  
• Santa Margherita FS (train station)
  

I suggest printing out the timetables for both the bus and the ferry and carrying them with you. That way, even if you don't speak any Italian, you can show people the schedule and point out where you want to go.

 

It should be noted that the two stops after Portofino are not in Santa Margherita.

[debsjc]

And here is the ferry schedule: http://www.traghettiportofino.it/eng/linee.html

 

Good link -There is a couple of different timetables there, make sure you get the one that shows the 'all year' ferries for October. Looks like there are 2 a day each way, and it's 5.5 euros one way :)

[susietb]

Parragi Beach is less than 1/2 an hour walk back to Portofino. The path which skirts the property of the Hotel Splendido is a lovely walk, You may want to climb (just a little bit) and see the hotel. You can have a drink there and sit on the terrace where Burton and Taylor spent a lot of time. There are many photographs of the celebrities who stayed there over the years hanging in the lobby.