Making the most of Portovenere
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
As cruise ships cannot dock, passengers are tendered ashore.
This picture-perfect Italian town is the gateway to the fabled Cinque Terre coast, where five hamlets cling to steep cliffs linked by a foot path.
Take a printable map with you.
According to some archaeologists, S. Pietro church stands on a site that was a temple to Venus Erycina in pagan times, from which the name Portus Veneris derives. In the first years of Christianity, that temple became a Christian temple. In 1256 ad. the Genoese built S. Pietro church over the early Christian temple, thanking Porto Venere's inhabitants for their help in taking Lerici castle. They used a new style known as gothic-genoese.
Getting around
Avoid a cruise-organised tour: the Cinque Terre can be reached on foot or by boat. Purchase a ticket at the pier, then take the next departure. Do not miss it!
Nearby places
Nearby: La Spezia.
Food and shopping
Fish restaurants and cafes line the waterfront.
Money
Currency: Euro.
Staying connected
Italian is the language spoken.
Use 112 in an emergency.
Opening Hours and
Opening Hours and Holidays: In Italy, most shops and businesses trade Monday to Saturday around 8am to 1pm, resuming about 4pm to 7pm. Saturday afternoons and Monday mornings see many closures, while southern days can start and finish an hour later. To facilitate international dealings, some northern businesses keep a 9am-5pm day. Traditionally, Sunday closes everything except bars and restaurants, though most towns retain a morning pasticceria; Sunday opening is increasingly common in large cities and tourist areas.