Portovenere Things to Do Tips by timtrina Top 5 Page for this destination

Castello Doria

Built in around the 1200's (apparently there is no actual historical date available - it's said to be debatable), this huge castle sits atop the hill, next to the church of San Pietro, and the church of San Lorenzo.

The admission fee is unbelievably cheap - 2,10 Euros for adults and ,50 Euros for children.

You can walk throughout the castle grounds at your leisure, and the day we visited, there was not another soul in sight.

Imogen danced for us on the outside "stage" area, and we sat on the very old steps as her audience. It is such an unbelievably serene place to visit - you feel like you've been taken back in time.

The grounds are also quite large, and it's nice to have a wander through these too. There's a little old church to the right hand side, which although is used by the locals regularly, is well worth the visit.

If you're game enough, take the challenge to walk up along the roof of the castle - there are no hand rails though, so families with little children should definately carry them or keep a close eye on them at all times.

It's incredibly high though - be warned - especially for those of you who are afraid of heights as I am.

There's a travellogue of this Castle with heaps more great photos - please be sure to have a look!

I have also included the official website for the Castle below, which has a great deal of extra information and opening times, etc.

A very interesting statue on the way to San Pietro

Tim couldn't resist sitting in this breathtakingly beautiful (??) woman's lap. The statue sits just near the entrance to the Chiesa San Pietro......

Garibaldi Monument

On the way to the church of San Pietro, you'll find a monument to Garibaldi on the right hand wall. Unfortunately, we were unable to read all of the Italian - but took a photo anyway :)

The Harbour of Porto Venere by night.... the harbour Review

Although Portovenere takes on a totally different feel by night, it is just as spectacular with the entire harbour lit up. It was totally safe to walk through here at night, and there are loads of cafes / restaurants to choose from. Take a stroll with your special someone - very, very romantic!

THE BEST IRISH COFFEES IN ITALY - OR IN THE WORLD!

There is a little bar / cafe, just in front of the Hotel Belvedere, at the start of the harbour (just sitting behind the main carpark for Portovenere).

They have great staff, yummy gelato, delicious food, and best of all - the BEST Irish coffees we've ever tasted. You can see by the photo, that there's a generous heap of Whiskey in this drink - after 4 of these each, we were singing and dancing along the harbour of Portovenere for about 2 hours. Imogen (our daughter), said it was the most fun she's ever had going out to dinner! :)

Tim and Imi in one of the narrow streets.... carugi: narrow roads Review

Just love this photo, so had to put it in also. As mentioned in a previous tip - the narrow streets of Portovenere are something truly special - especially the walk back down to the main harbour area from the Castello Doria - that is where this photo was taken.

The archways of San Lorenzo...

The photos we took here were probably some of the best in our whole 3 month holiday. The arches were almost Spanish-like, and the views through them will remain in our minds forever......

Be sure to check out the travellogues for more photos....

The Gardens of Castello Doria

As mentioned in the previous tip, it's just lovely to pack a "picnic" style lunch, and head up to the grounds of the Castello Doria. We sat on a park bench and looked out over the ocean - totally relaxing - an image that will stay with us forever.

You could walk these narrow streets for hours.... carugi: narrow roads Review

And we did! Even though Portovenere is such a small little "fishing village", the maize of tiny little streets were something out of this world. Salmon and Apricot coloured buildings - washing hanging over your heads - cats absolutely everywhere and the sound of people getting together - THAT is Portovenere......

Be sure to check out the travelogues for some more awesome photos of our favourite place in all of Italy.

The Harbour of Portovenere the harbour Review

We couldn't believe our eyes when we woke up on the first morning in Portovenere. As we had arrived at about 8:30pm the night before, we could only see the harbour area lit up - which was still breathtaking anyway! Be sure to walk along the shop fronts here, as there are so many restaurants with the most delicious seafood dishes. We had the best seafood risotto we have ever tasted in Portovenere - along with 2 x 1 litre bottles of Vino Bianco! That was a great night.....