Getting There
By Train -- Get off in Santa Margherita and catch the bus.
By Bus -- The Tigullio bus (tel. 0185-288-834; www.tigulliotrasporti.it) leaves from the train station and Piazza Vittorio Veneto in Santa Margherita every 20 minutes and follows one of Italy's most beautiful coastal roads (25 min.). In Santa Margherita you can change for a bus to Rapallo (another 15 min.).
By Boat -- The best way to arrive is to sail to Portofino on one of the Golfo Paradiso ferries (tel. 0185-772-091; www.golfoparadiso.it) from Camogli, or on one of the Tigullio ferries (tel. 0185-284-670; www.traghettiportofino.it) from Santa Margherita or Rapallo.
By Car -- On a summer visit, you may encounter crowds even before you get into town, since traffic on the shore-hugging corniche from Santa Margherita, just a few kilometers down the coast of the promontory, can move at a snail's pace. In fact, given limited parking space in Portofino (tel. 0185-267-475; visitors must pay obscene rates -- 4.50€/$5.85 per hour, 19€/$25 per day -- to use the town garage), you would do well to leave your car in Santa Margherita and take the bus or boat.
Visitor Information
Portofino's tourist office is at Via Roma 35 (tel./fax 0185-269-024; www.apttigullio.liguria.it). Summer hours are daily 10:30am to 1:30pm and 2 to 7:30pm; winter hours are Tuesday to Sunday 9:30am to 12:30pm and 2:30 to 5:30pm.
