Camping in Liguria by motorhome. Cinque Terre, Portofino and the Riviera di Levante

Liguria is the coast everyone wants to see and hardly anyone experiences properly by motorhome. The villages cling to cliffs, the roads are narrow, and in the Cinque Terre driving large vehicles is simply banned. If you know this and leave your vehicle in the right place, you get the best week of the year: trains along the coast, footpaths above the sea, pesto where it was invented, and in the evening a pitch with a view of the gulf.

This guide focuses on the Riviera di Levante, the eastern part of Liguria between Genoa and La Spezia. That is where Portofino, Camogli, Sestri Levante and the Cinque Terre are, and where you will find Campavia sites with nightly and monthly prices.

The Riviera di Levante in five places

Place	What to expect	By motorhome
Camogli	Colourful harbour facades, fishing village, boat to San Fruttuoso	Parking difficult, better by train
Portofino	The famous harbour, villas, promenade	Motorhomes banned from Santa Margherita onwards, bus or boat
Santa Margherita Ligure	Belle Époque promenade, gateway to Portofino	Car parks on the edge of town, daytime possible
Sestri Levante	Two bays, Baia del Silenzio, family-friendly beach	More relaxed, car parks available
Cinque Terre	Five villages on the rock, footpaths, vine terraces	No motorhome access, train from Levanto or La Spezia

The rule for the whole coast: park the vehicle at a site on the railway line and travel from there by train. The regional line between Genoa and La Spezia stops in almost every town, runs every 20 to 30 minutes in summer, and between the Cinque Terre villages costs around 20 euros a day with the Cinque Terre Card, footpaths included.

Best time to travel: May, June, September and October

Month	Temperature	Sea	Villages	Prices
April	16 to 19 °C	Too cool for swimming	Quiet, some things still closed	Low
May and June	21 to 26 °C	Pleasant from June	Lively but not full	Medium
July and August	28 to 32 °C	Warm	Overcrowded, some trails limited	High, often minimum stay
September	24 to 27 °C	Warmest of the year	Relaxed	Medium
October	19 to 23 °C	Still swimmable until mid-month	Quiet, everything open	Low
November to March	10 to 15 °C	No	Still, fishing villages to themselves	Monthly rates, mild winter climate

Liguria has an unusually mild winter climate. The Riviera lies in the lee of the Apennines, and frost is rare. If you do not want to drive all the way to southern Spain, you can winter here with a sea view and Milan two hours away.

Where to stay: Bellavista Portofino, Lavagna

Bellavista Portofino sits on a hill above Lavagna on the Gulf of Tigullio, one motorway exit from the A12. The hosts call it "only 10 VIP pitches", and that describes it well: 48 square metres per pitch, electricity and water at the pitch, barbecue and picnic area, a swimming pond and a large oak for shade. Motorhomes up to 8 metres, dogs welcome.

What makes the site so practical for the Riviera di Levante:

• Location. Lavagna has a station on the coastal line. From there you are in Sestri Levante in 10 minutes, Santa Margherita in 15, and Monterosso, the first Cinque Terre village, in a good 40.
• Shuttle and bikes. The hosts offer a shuttle to the station or into town and rent bicycles. The 1.5 kilometres to the beach and the supermarket are walkable at a pinch.
• Peace. Up on the hill the evening breeze comes off the gulf, while down on the coast the summer sites are packed tight.

Prices: from 30 euros per night, around 720 euros as a monthly rate, electricity metered. Free cancellation up to 14 days before arrival. No upfront payment is needed to request a stay; the host replies first.

A week's plan from Lavagna

1. Day 1, Sestri Levante. Ten minutes by train, then the Baia del Silenzio, fish at the harbour in the evening.
2. Day 2, Portofino. Train to Santa Margherita, then bus 782 or the boat to Portofino. Walk to the lighthouse, back by boat via Paraggi.
3. Day 3, Camogli and San Fruttuoso. Train to Camogli, boat to the abbey of San Fruttuoso, a swim in the bay, return on foot over the Monte di Portofino for experienced walkers.
4. Day 4, northern Cinque Terre. Train to Monterosso, walk to Vernazza (about two hours, Cinque Terre Card required), on by train to Corniglia.
5. Day 5, southern Cinque Terre. Manarola and Riomaggiore, sunset in Manarola from the Punta Bonfiglio viewpoint.
6. Day 6, inland. By bike or shuttle into the Val Fontanabuona, slate villages, focaccia col formaggio in Recco on the way back.
7. Day 7, rest day at the site. Swimming pond, barbecue, view of the gulf.

What a week and a month cost

Item	One week in September	One month in October
Pitch (Bellavista Portofino)	7 × 30 € = 210 €	720 €
Electricity, metered	20 to 35 €	60 to 110 €
Train and Cinque Terre Card	60 to 90 €	120 to 200 €
Boats (Portofino, San Fruttuoso)	40 to 60 €	60 to 100 €
Food and market	250 to 400 €	700 to 1,000 €
Total	around 580 to 800 €	around 1,660 to 2,130 €

For comparison: campsites right on the coast at Sestri Levante or Deiva Marina charge 50 to 70 euros a night for two people in August, often with a minimum stay of a week.

Staying longer: Liguria in winter

A monthly rate of 720 euros sounds high compared with Spain. In return you get something rare on the Costa Blanca: a town that is not empty in winter, Milan and Genoa within reach for city trips, and January daytime temperatures of 12 to 14 degrees. If you stay from December to February, clarify three things before you request:

• Electricity use. With electric heating, winter consumption reaches 150 to 250 kilowatt hours a month. Ask for the price per kilowatt hour.
• Offered months. Not every site has a monthly rate in winter. The site page shows the months in which a monthly rate applies.
• Discounts from two months. Many hosts give way at two or three months. On Campavia the discount is applied automatically in the price.

You will find all Italian sites with monthly rates on the Italy overview.

Practical notes

• Motorway. The A12 is winding, has many tunnels and is tolled. Expect 25 to 35 euros from Milan to Lavagna.
• ZTL. Almost every town centre on the Riviera is a restricted traffic zone. The camera records you and the fine arrives months later by post. Never drive into a town centre, not even briefly.
• Vehicle size. Up to 8 metres the coastal road, the Via Aurelia, is doable but slow. Above that, stay on the motorway and use the train.
• Food. Pesto alla genovese, focaccia, trofie, anchovies from Monterosso. In Recco the focaccia col formaggio, worth the detour.
• Dogs. Allowed on the Cinque Terre trails; on beaches in summer only on designated sections.

Frequently asked questions about camping in Liguria

Can I drive a motorhome into the Cinque Terre? No. Access to the five villages is closed to motorhomes, and the car parks above the villages are unsuitable for large vehicles. Leave your vehicle in Levanto, La Spezia or at a site with a station such as Lavagna and take the train.

Where can I stay overnight by motorhome near Portofino? Not in Portofino itself. The nearest options are Rapallo, Chiavari and Lavagna. Bellavista Portofino in Lavagna is one station and one boat ride away.

How much is a pitch in Liguria per night? On the coast in summer 40 to 70 euros, at sites inland and on the hills 25 to 35 euros. Monthly rates start at around 700 euros.

Is the Cinque Terre Card worth it? If you hike, yes. The card with train costs around 20 euros a day and includes the regional trains between Levanto and La Spezia and the paid footpaths. If you only take the train, it is cheaper without the card.

Is Liguria suitable for wintering? For campers who want culture and cities, yes. It is cooler than southern Spain but frost-free, and Genoa, Milan and Pisa are day trips. Check that your site is open in winter and offers a monthly rate.

How do I get around from the site in Lavagna without a car? On foot or by shuttle to Lavagna station, from where regional trains run in both directions. Bicycles are available to rent at the site.