Tourist attractions in Porto Venere

Sights map:

Tour “Around Three Islands”

Cost: 12 euros.
It is a very exciting tour by boat around the three islands near Porto Venere. This tour is described in detail on our webpage “Around three islands tour”, where you will come to know not only about the motor-ship schedule, but also useful tips, such as, on which side of the boat it is better to take a seat, when do you need to change your seat towards the bow of the boat and the like.

Town Gate and City Centre

The central street in the town of Porto Venere is located parallel to the beautiful waterfront, dotted with multi-coloured houses and connected through tunnels. This street is called Cappellini. Town gate, built in 1113, decorate the passageway to the street. Here, you find the main shops, restaurants, bars and other malls of the city, all in one place.

San Pietro Church (St. Peter)

The church was built on a small promontory in 1198. This is the first attraction that is seen by tourists, coming to the city by boat or while coming on foot from the side of Cinque Terre. It is fully open to tourists and thanks to restaurations is in a good shape.

Doria Castle

Cost: 5 euros.
Opening hours: every day from 10.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m., starting from 01 April 2024 to 02 November 2024.
It is a very exquisite castle, preserved down to this day from XII-XIV centuries. It is one of the major attractions in Porto Venere, with its terrace offering a beautiful view over the entire city and San Pietro Church.

St. Lorenzo Church

This church was built between 1118 and 1130 during the reign of the Republic of Genoa. In recent times, it has been renovated quite often and so it has a beautiful look, though it is almost 1000 years old.
The celebration of White Madonna, the patroness of Porto Venere is held on 17th August. On this day, the city looks even more beautiful, especially at night, when festive lights are lit.

Caves in Porto Venere

There are 36 caves in the cliffs near Porto Venere and on the islands of Palmaria and Tino. You can know about them in detail, as you are going on the tour “around three islands”. Arpaio cave is the largest among them; St. Peter’s Church is connected to it by a trail with a scenic viewpoint in the descent. When you go on a boat ride, you will be able to look deep into some of the caves from the bow of the ship.

Palmaria Island and its trails

On our website, you will find a special page “Palmaria Island” dedicated to this island. All year round, seven days a week, every half an hour a boat sails away from Porto Venere, taking tourists and locals to the island. There is a large number of walking trails and small wild beaches.

Tino Island

Tino Island is located just behind the Palmaria Island, much smaller than the latter. Today it is a military zone, so you can visit this place only on two days a year, i.e. on 13th September, on the occasion of the feast of St Venerio (a hermit, who lived on this island between the VI and VII centuries), and on the first Sunday after the feast. A monastery, built in the XI century, is situated atop the island.

Cinque Terre

The National Park of Cinque Terre, which is very popular among tourists, deserves special attention. There are five small villages located near the sea on rock ledges. Don’t miss to read through the most comprehensive website about this place "In Cinque Terre".