There is a particular thrill in seeing the Gulf of Poets by boat, watching this stretch of the Ligurian coast reveal itself from an entirely new angle.
September is a lovely time to do it. The light is still warm, the sea is inviting, and a trip out from La Spezia or Portovenere brings out sides of this coastline that are genuinely easy to miss when you explore the Gulf of Poets by boat rather than on foot. The Cinque Terre, the cliffs, the hidden coves and Portovenere itself all look more dramatic from out on the water, their colours softened by the last of the summer light.
You can book a private tour, settle in for an aperitivo on board, or simply let the afternoon drift towards sunset, when the sky and sea turn every shade from gold to deep blue. Timing a trip around the Gulf of Poets by boat for the last hour of daylight is one of the more memorable ways to spend an evening in this part of Liguria, and the pace on board is unhurried in a way that suits September particularly well.
Beyond the better-known stops, a handful of quieter corners become even more striking when approached from the sea. Le Rosse, a stretch of clear water and natural rock pools on the open sea just behind Portovenere, is one of them. So are the islands of Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto, scattered across the gulf and folded into some of its most beautiful views. Seeing them as part of a wider trip around the Gulf of Poets by boat brings a different sense of scale to the whole area, and it is worth reading a little about Palmaria and its UNESCO-listed trails if you fancy landing there another day.
From Portovenere, public boats also continue further along the coast into the Golfo del Tigullio, calling at Rapallo, Santa Margherita Ligure, Portofino and other well-loved towns on this stretch of the Riviera. It is an easy way to turn a short excursion into a longer day on the water, still carried by the same light that makes exploring the Gulf of Poets by boat so appealing in the first place.
On land, La Spezia settles into a quieter rhythm once the summer crowds thin out, and September evenings along the seafront have a particular calm to them, boats coming home as the town’s lights start to come on. It is a good moment to slow down, whether that means a walk along the harbour before dinner or simply watching the fishing boats return from a table nearby. The pace suits travellers who have already ticked off the busier Cinque Terre villages and fancy a gentler day before moving on.
The Downtown Blue Apartment, right in the centre of La Spezia and just a few minutes’ walk from the station, makes an easy base for anyone planning to explore the Gulf of Poets by boat this September, with trains to the Cinque Terre a short ride away on days when a change of plan calls for it. If you are still weighing up your options, our guide to the best boat tours from La Spezia and Portovenere is a useful place to start before you book.
Do ask us for pointers when you arrive: we are always glad to point you towards a reliable operator, suggest the best time of day to head out, or recommend a harbourside table for watching the sunset once you are back on dry land. Either way, a few hours out on the gulf are a fine way to see this corner of Liguria properly, from an angle most visitors never get around to trying.