Monterosso Portofino Shore Excursion: Private Minivan Tour

Stroll through three Ligurian towns and drive the scenic coastal road between them

A private minivan tour from La Spezia covers Monterosso, Santa Margherita Ligure and Portofino over nine hours, with port pickup and drop-off included. The driver provides commentary on the sites and the famous scenic road between Portofino and Santa Margherita Ligure, where you'll see villas and coastal overlooks. You spend time strolling each town for shopping and coffee, with a light lunch stop in Monterosso. Air-conditioned transport and onboard WiFi are included. The driver is not a licensed guide and cannot enter museums or monuments by agreement with the local labor union.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Monterosso and Portofino area

• Stroll Santa Margherita Ligure for shopping and coffee
• Enjoy scenic road between Portofino and Santa Margherita Ligure
• Have light lunch and sightseeing in Monterosso al Mare
• Drive back to the ship

The experience

How do you fit three coastal towns into a single port day without renting a car or joining a crowd? This tour picks you up at the La Spezia port and moves through the route by minivan, so the driving and the stops are already planned. You start in Santa Margherita Ligure, a town with layers of history (Roman, Saracen and Napoleonic), where you have time to walk around, grab coffee or shop before moving on. The driver shares commentary about what you're seeing as you travel, including the stretch of road between Portofino and Santa Margherita Ligure, which winds past some of the area's most notable villas and offers views out over the water.

Monterosso is where you stop for a light lunch and explore the town itself, which sits at the western edge of Cinque Terre. The tour also includes Portofino, the small harbor town known for its Roman history. Because this is a private tour, the pace and timing at each stop are yours to set within the nine-hour window. The minivan is air-conditioned, and WiFi is available onboard, so you can stay connected between stops if you need to.

One practical note: the drivers are professional English speakers but not licensed guides, so they provide commentary from the vehicle and during stops, but cannot enter churches, museums or other monuments. If those interiors are on your must-see list, you'll want to plan time to visit them on your own or book a different tour that includes a guide with museum access.

What’s included

• Private air-conditioned minivan transportation.
• port pickup and drop-off.
• professional English-speaking driver commentary at each stop and along the scenic road.
• onboard WiFi.
• all taxes, fees and handling charges.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:30

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditions

Operated by Tuscany Taste Tour di Maurizio Mancini

Is this one for you?At nine hours, this tour leaves room for a leisurely morning at your hotel or a late dinner back in port, but not both. Plan accordingly if you have other port activities in mind. The private minivan means you're not waiting for a group to assemble or moving at someone else's pace, which works well if you want flexibility within the day's route.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Italian.

What's the difference between Monterosso and the other towns we visit?

Monterosso sits at the western edge of Cinque Terre and is the main stop where you have time for lunch and to walk the town itself. Santa Margherita Ligure and Portofino are separate coastal towns with their own histories: Santa Margherita was colonized by Romans, Saracens and later the Napoleonic forces, while Portofino is known for its Roman settlement and harbor. All three are included in the single tour.

How much time do I actually spend in each town?

The tour runs nine hours total from port pickup to drop-off, and you move between the three towns by minivan. The itinerary includes strolling Santa Margherita Ligure for shopping and coffee, driving the scenic road between Portofino and Santa Margherita Ligure, and stopping in Monterosso for a light lunch and sightseeing. The exact time at each stop depends on the day's flow, but each town gets meaningful time to explore on foot.

Is lunch included in the price?

A light lunch in Monterosso is part of the tour itinerary, though the cost of the meal itself is separate from the tour price.

Can the driver take us inside churches or museums?

No. The drivers are professional English speakers who provide commentary from the vehicle and during stops, but they cannot enter churches, museums or other monuments due to an agreement with the local labor union. If visiting interiors is important to your day, plan to do that on your own during the stops.

What happens if I need a wheelchair or have mobility concerns?

The minivans can accommodate collapsible wheelchairs, but the vehicles are not equipped with ramps. Infants and small children can use specialized infant seats on request at the time of reservation, at no extra charge. If you have cardiovascular concerns or other health considerations, check with the operator before booking.