From Geneva Airport, the Italian Riviera is reached across the Alps via Turin (256 km, about 3 h 10) or Milan (329 km, about 3 h 50), then down to Genoa and along the coast to Portofino and the Cinque Terre. Split over two days, it is a journey from glaciers to the Mediterranean, and AirportsTransfers.ch can take care of every road leg.
- Route: Geneva, Mont Blanc or Fréjus tunnel, Turin or Milan, Genoa, Riviera di Levante
- Border crossing: the route crosses the border into Italy
- Bases: Genoa, Santa Margherita Ligure or Camogli, Levanto or La Spezia for the Cinque Terre
- Cars in the Cinque Terre: heavily restricted; trains and boats link the villages
- Best season: April to June and September to October
Crossing to the coast
Two main routes lead from Geneva to Liguria. The western route crosses into Italy via the Fréjus tunnel or the Aosta valley, reaches Turin and then drops south across the Piedmont hills to the coast. The eastern route enters via the Simplon or Aosta and passes Milan before heading south through the Apennines. Both end with the descent to Genoa, where the motorway suddenly reveals the sea far below.
A stop in Turin or Milan is a good way to break the trip, or you can drive through in one long day and arrive at the coast in time for dinner by the sea.
Genoa: the old port city
Genoa is often overlooked, but it rewards a day. Its medieval centre, among the largest in Europe, is a maze of narrow alleys called caruggi, opening on to squares and churches. The Strade Nuove, lined with Renaissance and baroque palaces, form a UNESCO World Heritage site, and some of the palaces are open as museums. The renovated Old Port has a large aquarium and waterfront promenades.
Genoa is also the home of pesto alla genovese, made with basil, pine nuts and Ligurian olive oil, and of focaccia, eaten at any time of day. Trying both in the place they come from is part of the journey.
Camogli, Portofino and Santa Margherita
East of Genoa, the Riviera di Levante begins. Camogli is a fishing town of tall, brightly painted houses rising from a pebble beach. The Portofino promontory beyond is a protected natural park, crossed by footpaths and with the ancient abbey of San Fruttuoso hidden in a cove reachable only on foot or by boat.
Portofino itself is a small, sheltered harbour ringed by pastel houses and yachts, overlooked by Castello Brown and a lighthouse. The road into the village is narrow and parking very limited, so many visitors stay in neighbouring Santa Margherita Ligure, a larger resort with a long seafront, and reach Portofino by boat, on foot or with a chauffeur drop-off.
Between Santa Margherita and the Cinque Terre, the coast continues through Rapallo, with its seafront castle, and Sestri Levante, which sits on a narrow isthmus between two bays, one of them aptly called the Bay of Silence. Both make relaxed stops for lunch or a swim on the way east.
The Cinque Terre
Further east, the five villages of the Cinque Terre, Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore, cling to cliffs above the sea, surrounded by terraced vineyards built over centuries. Together with Portovenere and the islands nearby, they are a UNESCO World Heritage site and a national park.
The villages are largely closed to private traffic, so the sensible plan is to base yourself in Levanto or La Spezia, or in one of the villages with a hotel arranging access, and explore by the local train and the boats that run along the coast. Footpaths link the villages, including the coastal Sentiero Azzurro; some sections close periodically for repairs, so check before setting out. Portovenere, at the tip of the gulf of La Spezia, is a beautiful final stop with its church on the rocks.
Practical advice
- Travel light: the villages are steep, with many steps and few vehicles.
- Spring and early autumn are calmer than July and August.
- Trains between the villages are frequent but busy; early mornings are quieter.
- Your chauffeur can collect you from La Spezia or Levanto for the return to Geneva Airport.
The trip combines well with Tuscany to the south: Lucca, Pisa and Florence are close enough to add on before returning home or flying out from a Tuscan airport.
Book your Riviera transfer
Book your road legs online with AirportsTransfers.ch, either a single transfer from Geneva Airport to Santa Margherita, Levanto or La Spezia, or a multi-day plan. A fixed price per vehicle is shown before you pay by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. Your chauffeur meets you after customs at Geneva Airport with a name sign, tracks your flight and includes waiting time if it is late. Child seats are fitted on request, and a V-Class van suits families with luggage. For advice on the best drop-off point, call or WhatsApp +41 78 346 56 77, 24/7.
