These are the best places to travel this summer

Porto Venere

Sicily Travel Guide

Shop

Get even more with a Lonely Planet guide.

Shop Book
Portovenere, Liguria, Italy

Getty Images

LONELY PLANET’S RECOMMENDED eSIM

Stay connected in Porto Venere

with

Saily is an affordable eSIM service that helps you stay connected and secure, anywhere in the world.

Get your eSIM

Overview

Perched on the dreamy Golfo dei Poeti's western promontory, the historic fishing port's sinuous seven- and eight-storey harbourfront houses form an almost impregnable citadel around the muscular Castello Doria.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Grotta di Lord Byron in Portovenere on the Ligurian coast.

    Grotta di Byron

    Porto Venere

    At the end of the quay, a Cinque Terre panorama unfolds from the rocky terraces of a cave formerly known as Grotta Arpaia. Lord Byron once swam across the…

  • Inside San Pietro church in Portovenere.

    Chiesa di San Pietro

    Porto Venere

    This stunning wind- and wave-lashed church, built in 1198 in Gothic style, stands on the ruins of a 5th-century palaeo-Christian church, with its extant…

  • Palmaria

    Porto Venere

    The largest island of the Italian Riviera is largely undeveloped (it's home to around 50 residents) and lies just a short ferry ride from Porto Venere…

  • Castello Doria

    Porto Venere

    No one knows when the original castle was built, though the current structure – a formidable example of Genoese military architecture – dates from the…

View more attractions
Advertisement

Plan with a local

Get a book. Get inspired. Get exploring.

Explore all books

in partnership with getyourguide

Book popular activities in Porto Venere

Advertisement