5 Days on the Ligurian Riviera: Portofino, Cinque Terre and Camogli from One Apartment in Genova

Five days on the Ligurian Riviera. Portofino, Cinque Terre, Santa Margherita, Camogli, the Caruggi of Genova. All of it reachable by train or boat, without a car, without stress — if you know where to base yourself.

The answer, for most travellers who do this well, is Genova. Here's a day-by-day itinerary built around a single apartment at Porto Antico.

Day 1 — Arrive in Genova. Explore Porto Antico and the Caruggi

Drop your bags, walk to the harbour. Genova's Porto Antico is where the city breathes. Spend the afternoon exploring the Caruggi — the medieval alleys of the old town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Eat focaccia and pesto where the locals eat. Go to bed early. Tomorrow is Portofino.

Day 2 — Portofino by Ferry from Porto Antico

Walk five minutes from your apartment to the ferry terminal at Porto Antico. Board the morning boat to Portofino. One hour and fifteen minutes on the water, watching the Riviera unfold. Arrive directly in the harbour. Climb to Castello Brown. Eat lunch with a sea view. Return by ferry in the evening.

Day 3 — Camogli and San Fruttuoso by Boat

Camogli is one of the most beautiful fishing towns on the Italian coast — and almost no one from outside Italy knows it. Take the ferry from Porto Antico or the train to Camogli, then board a local boat to San Fruttuoso: a medieval abbey sitting at the base of a cliff, reachable only by sea or on foot. Have lunch on the terrace. Swim. Return slowly.

Day 4 — Cinque Terre by Train

Take the regional train from Genova Brignole toward La Spezia. The five villages — Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, Riomaggiore — are all connected by train and coastal path. Arrive early to beat the crowds. Walk one or two sections of the trail. Eat at a terrace overlooking the sea. Return to Genova by evening.

Day 5 — A Slow Morning in Genova

Your last morning. No trains, no ferries. Just a slow coffee at a bar in the Caruggi, the Palazzo Ducale, the market at Piazza Caricamento, the light on the harbour one more time. Genova doesn't reveal everything at once. It asks you to come back.

Where to Stay: No Vacancy Genova at Porto Antico

This entire itinerary is built around one location: Porto Antico. The ferry to Portofino departs here. The train stations are minutes away. The Caruggi begins at the harbour's edge. No Vacancy Genova is a boutique holiday apartment positioned exactly here — designed for travellers who want to move through the Riviera with ease and come back to something beautiful at the end of each day.

Book directly with Federico: WhatsApp +39 351 5970968. No platform fees. Just a real conversation and a place that makes the whole itinerary work.