Joseph & Kaylee
Joseph & Kaylee
Getting There
Portovenere is a small village on the Ligurian coast of northwestern Italy. It’s known for Porto Venere Regional Natural Park, a protected area with trails and dive sites. The park encompasses Palmaria Island, dotted with beaches and caves. The Gothic-style Church of St. Peter sits atop a rocky headland. Nearby is the centuries-old Castello Doria, an imposing clifftop fortress with views of the Gulf of Poets, where Kaylee & Joseph will celebrate their marriage.
Kaylee travels a lot and considers herself an amateur travel agent. She recommends the following websites, apps, and tools for your itinerary planning:
Google Flights: Best for cross referencing flights across Airlines
Rome2Rio: This website will tell you how to get from one destination to the other with a range of transportaion modes (walking, driving, public transport, and flying).
Trenitalia: All train travel across Italy can be booked via Trenitalia. The app is very user friendly and train fares are inexpensive, regional tickets are usually under Euro 20.
Step 1: Planes
Portovenere has a handful of nearby airports. We suggest flying into one of the following. Distance reflects the time it takes to get to La Spezia Centrale by train.
If you are flying from the Philadelphia area, I recommend searching a variety of airports as Philadelphia and Baltimore tend to have steep fares. Newark New Jersey (EWR), New York (JFK), and DC Ronald Reagan (DCA) have less expensive trips and are all within 3 hours of Philly.
Cheapest: Rome/FCO (3.5 hours)
For many, Rome is the least expensive and often most direct airport. Rome is roughly three and a half hours by train (direct) to the wedding location. It is how Kaylee & Joseph are traveling to Italy!
Closest: Pisa/PSA (45 minutes to La Spezia by train)
If you are looking to get as close as possible to the wedding, Pisa is a great option. Pisa is a regional airport that does not offer direct flights from the USA, however it offers plenty of layover options in major European cities.
Other Options:
Genoa/GOA (1 hour)
Florence/FLR (2.5 hours)
Milan/MXP (2.5 hours)
Step 2: Trains
From the airport, take the train to La Spezia Centrale. Tickets can be purchased on the Trenitalia app.
Step 3: Automobiles
A shuttle runs every 30 minutes from La Spezia to Portovenere. Tickets can be purchased in the train station Tabaccheria for 2.50 Euro. The shuttle picks up on the corner of Viale Giuseppe Garibaldi & Corso Cavour. Alternatively, you can hail a taxi for roughly 40 Euro. There are no Ubers or Lyfts in Liguria.
A Note on Walking
Portovenere is a UNESCO world heritage site and does not allow vehicle traffic in the old town, no exceptions. All recommended accommodations are a short, mainly flat walk from the pedestrian drop off point, but we recommend comfortable shoes and light suitcases.
