Portofino on Nimbus W9

Timings

8 hours

Max People

6

Private Boat to Portofino: Cinque Terre & Portovenere on the Nimbus W9

Boarding at La Spezia at approximately 10:00 a.m., disembarkation at 6:00 p.m. — an 8-hour private day on the water aboard the Nimbus Weekender W9, with a maximum of 6 guests on an exclusive charter. After boarding and a short briefing with the captain, the Nimbus sets sail south towards the UNESCO-listed archipelago of Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto — three spectacular undeveloped islands at the entrance to the Gulf of Poets — before anchoring in front of Portovenere and the Church of San Pietro, built in the 13th century and framing the small cove below known as Byron's Cave.

From Portovenere the Nimbus continues northwest along the coast, passing the Cinque Terre — the five legendary fishing villages of Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. Their colourful houses suspended on sheer cliffs above crystal-clear water are one of the defining images of the Italian coast, and the view from the sea — at close range, at the pace of a small private boat — is unlike any other perspective available on this landscape.

The Final Destination: Portofino, the Riviera at Its Most Iconic

The tour's final destination is Portofino — a name synonymous worldwide with Mediterranean elegance and dolce vita. The village is built entirely around its small natural harbour: tall colourful houses leaning over the waterfront, the famous piazzetta just steps from the quay, the surrounding hillside dense with pines and Mediterranean scrub. The sea in the harbour reflects the colours of the houses, the sky and the vegetation, and hosts the yachts, dinghies and ferries that arrive and depart in what can only be described as perfectly composed choreography. Arriving by private boat, through the narrow entrance of the harbour, is the arrival that Portofino was designed for.

Throughout the day, multiple stops for swimming, sunbathing and relaxing are scheduled in sheltered coves along the Ligurian Riviera — the Nimbus W9's size and manoeuvrability allow it to anchor close inshore in positions unavailable to larger charter vessels. Disembarkation at the port of La Spezia at 6:00 p.m.

Itineraries are subject to weather and sea conditions. The skipper may modify the route at any time to ensure the safety of all guests. Punctuality at boarding and disembarkation is required: delays will incur a charge of €120 per hour. In case of unjustified delay, the captain reserves the right to depart without the late guests.

Departure port: La Spezia. Duration: 8 hours. Max capacity: 6 guests.

Price

1500.00 

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Price

1500.00 
1400.00 
750.00 
Extend your experience on board, enjoy the sunset in the beautiful setting of portovenere! Max 3 hours
500.00 
Transfer round trips from Viareggio to La Spezia Port by private car, for max 7 guests
450.00 
Transfer round trip from Apuan Coast, Forte dei Marmi and Pietrasanta to La Spezia Port by private car for max 7 guests
45.00 
Light Lunch on board with pasta, fruit, ham and cheese. Price per guests

Terms and conditions

  • Exclusive rental
  • Skipper
  • Snacks and soft drinks
  • Towels
  • Aperitif
  • Hostess
  • Snorkeling equipment
  • Stand up paddle
  • lunch
  • fuel

La Spezia to Portofino by Private Boat: The Riviera in One Day

The argument for doing this itinerary on the Nimbus W9 rather than a larger charter vessel comes down to a single quality: proximity. A 9.5-metre boat with 6 passengers moves through the Ligurian coast differently from a 20-metre yacht with 12 — closer to the cliffs, deeper into the coves, quieter at anchor. Over 8 hours and a route that covers the best of the entire eastern Ligurian Riviera, the difference accumulates into something qualitatively distinct. This is the most ambitious itinerary in the Nimbus portfolio, and it suits the boat well.

Departure from La Spezia at 10:00 a.m. The first landmarks are the islands of Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto — the UNESCO-protected archipelago at the southern entrance to the Gulf of Poets, their limestone profiles rising from exceptionally clear water. The crossing to the islands establishes the day’s register: open water, good light, the city already behind you and the coast ahead entirely given over to nature and medieval stone.

Portovenere, Byron’s Cave and the Gothic Waterfront

Portovenere is the first major stop, the Nimbus anchoring directly in front of the Church of San Pietro — 13th-century Gothic in black and white stone, positioned at the very tip of the promontory above Byron’s Cave. The sea cave and natural arch below the church carry the name of Lord Byron, who spent time on the Gulf of Poets in the early 19th century and who reportedly swam from this headland across the water to Lerici. The medieval waterfront behind — tall stacked houses in ochre and deep red, a castle on the hill, the narrow lanes of the village visible behind the harbour — is one of the most complete and unselfconscious pieces of Ligurian townscape accessible by sea.

From Portovenere the Nimbus turns northwest and the Cinque Terre begin. The five villages reveal themselves in sequence from south to north: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, Monterosso — each one a different arrangement of the same elements (coloured houses, vertical cliffs, impossible gardens, a harbour or a beach at the foot of everything) and each one, from the water, making the case for the UNESCO World Heritage designation in its own particular way. The Nimbus moves along the coast at a pace that lets each village register before the next one appears. There is no rushing this stretch.

The swimming stops happen along the Cinque Terre coast and in the coves of the Riviera di Levante beyond — the water quality in this stretch of the coast is consistently high, and the Nimbus’s ability to tuck into small inlets means the anchorages tend to be sheltered and uncrowded even in high season. The bow is the place to be between stops: lying in the sun, watching the cliffs pass, with nowhere in particular to be until the boat rounds the final headland and Portofino comes into view.

The arrival in Portofino harbour is the moment the day has been building towards. The village needs no preparation and resists easy summary: the scale of the bay, the particular density and colour of the waterfront architecture, the piazzetta with its café tables and its studied casualness, the hillside pressing down towards the water from three sides. Seen from a private boat entering the harbour slowly, it makes complete sense in a way that the photographs never quite convey. There is time to go ashore, to walk the village, to sit at the piazzetta and watch the harbour, before the Nimbus heads back south along the Riviera towards La Spezia.

Disembarkation at 6:00 p.m. Eight hours. Six guests. One of the most celebrated coastlines in the world, covered at close range from a private boat that can go where the larger vessels do not.

Portofino Private Boat Day Trip from La Spezia — Nimbus W9: FAQ

How long does the Nimbus W9 take to reach Portofino from La Spezia?

The route covers Portovenere and the Cinque Terre coast along the way, so Portofino is reached in the second part of the day after a full morning of stops and coastline. The Nimbus W9 is powered by a Mercury F350 Verado XL engine, making transfers between destinations efficient without sacrificing the inshore experience along the route.

Is there time to explore Portofino village on foot during the tour?

Yes — the itinerary includes time in Portofino harbour for guests to disembark and explore the village, the piazzetta and the waterfront at their own pace. The return to La Spezia departs in the late afternoon, with disembarkation at 6:00 p.m.

How does this tour compare to the Portofino tour on the Maiora 20 Fly?

Both tours cover the same core itinerary. The Nimbus W9 carries a maximum of 6 guests and offers a more intimate, close-inshore experience with access to smaller coves. The Maiora 20 Fly accommodates up to 12 guests and includes a hostess, aperitif, towels and a panoramic flybridge as standard — the higher-service option for larger groups.

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CANCELLATION POLICY

Bad weather
If poor marine weather conditions prevent rhe regular running of the tours, it can be scheduled at a later date, alternatively the full amount paid will be refund
For cancellation by the customer
For cancellations up to 60 days before departure, no cancellation fee is required
From 59 to 30 days before departure cancellation fee will be 30%
From 29 to 15 days before departure cancellation fee will be 50%
For cancellation within 14 days before departure, there is no refund
In case of NON SHOW there is no refund
For cancellation by organizer the full amount paid will be refund

Sede operativa

Piazza Pellerano, 1
Marina di Massa (MS)
Italy

Info & Booking

Opening hours

Invernale: dal Lunedì al Sabato – Mattina 9:30 – 12:30 Pomeriggio 15:30 – 19:30

Estivo (dal 15 Giugno al 30 Agosto): dal Lunedì al Sabato 9:30 – 12:30 Pomeriggio 16:30 – 20:00

Domenica reperibili al numero: +39 393 8460930