Byron swam this straits; Shelley wrote here. Portovenere's medieval church perched on a black-rock promontory and the wild, traffic-free island of Palmaria just 400 metres offshore form one of Italy's most romantic and under-visited UNESCO landscapes.
What to expect
A private Ligurian gozzo boat collects you from La Spezia and crosses to the striped marble façade of the Church of San Pietro at Portovenere, where views sweep across the entire Gulf. The boat then ferries you to Palmaria — no cars, no crowds — where you snorkel sea caves of emerald green water and walk clifftop paths alive with wildflowers. Return via the Byron Grotto, where the poet supposedly swam nightly across to Lerici.
Good to know
Portovenere is approximately 20 minutes by taxi or bus from La Spezia port. For maximum time on the water, arrange private boat pick-up directly from La Spezia marina. Bring reef-safe sunscreen, water shoes, and a waterproof bag for cameras. Pre-book 2–3 weeks ahead in season.