Santa Margherita Ligure Travel Answers

the entire length of the main street is no longer than 1 - 1.25 km for your area of interest. driving into town from camogli is pretty but curvy, parking is predominantly on street and like everywhere else - sooner or later you find a spot.

Hi nicolaitan! Thanks. Yeah, it's hard to find a nice B&B by the sea in Santa Margherita... seems like mostly pricey hotels, unfortunately. The less-expensive hotels in SM don't have the seaview. So it looks like we'll settle in Camogli. If anyone has any don't-miss suggestions for Santa Margherita and the surrounding areas, definitely give me a shout. We'll be in Liguria mid-to-late September. Not so interested in Portofino. If time allows, maybe drive from Liguria to either Piedmont area (near Alba) or maybe Montalcino area. Cheers!

It is great town to walk about, although as mentioned previously, rather small. I also suggest walking the neighborhoods. From SML you can walk to Portofino along the coastal road (1 hr min. each way) or hike the back trails (2-4 hours depending on which trail), of which there are many. Both routes are very scenic but I preferred the longer hikes into the rural areas. You can also head the other direction toward Rapallo on the coast road, although it gets pretty dicey when the sidewalk runs out.

Thanks, NorCal!! I kept going back and forth about whether we should make Santa Margherita our base instead of Camogli... but for some reason SM seems way more "resort-y" (based on the type of hotels that are there, including a Best Western). So probably a daytrip would be just fine. I heard that the big cruise ships have "discovered" Santa Margherita, so that definitely alters the character of a place, unfortunately.

in SM is better you've have no car if you were not resident, it will cost a bomb! from SM to Portofino there is also a public bus, use it also if you find where to park the car in SM as in Portofino it would be very hard and exensive. from Camogli to SM you could take a train, 5 minute trip and cost is 1.40 euro. Station at SM is a little bit higher then sea level but nothing hard. Camogli is surely much cheaper then SM.

Grazie, cgf! Since Camogli has no nightlife... what should we do if we want to go to a club on Paraggi Bay (near Santa Margherita)? Would it be okay to drive there and park the car? Because I have no idea how late the train would be running on a Friday/Saturday night. Thanks again, Betty

Prego Betty for trains have a look at here ferroviedellostato.it/homepa...

Hi. You don't need a car in SML, and in case you have one it won't be easy to park it in june-july-august time, or on sunny weekends. Train is the way to get there, or by ferry. Speaking of a day-trip, yes you can drive from Camogli... hope you are a good driver ;) but avoid weekends if possible. But you will park the car somewhere, pay 2 Euro per hour (they have scratch-off cards) and leave the car there the whole day. Don't drive to Portofino. Just take a bus, it's just 10 minutes. Hope this helps, Ric

Betty, Paraggi is a small, fantastic bay but there is no parking for cars (that's why you will see so many 2wheels around the riviera). I heard that the "covo di nord est" disco is going to re-open after 4 years the coming summer, it is midway between SML and Portofino and has parking next to it, right on the sea, and definitely expensive ;) Ric

Ric, Sounds like "Il Covo..." will be right near the famous "Le Carilion", right? People say that in September, these places are only good on Friday nights. Cheers!

actually, you can walk from "il covo" to "le carillon" :) and yes, when august is over and the "winter season" still faraway, discos are only crowded at weekends, especially on friday night.