This is an excursion for lovers of sports, the sea, and nature, this is perfect for anyone wanting to bring together their passion for physical activity and the natural marvels of Liguria. The kayak itinerary that goes from Santa Margherita to Portofino offers a truly magnificent panorama which you can enjoy calmly and serenely: a joy for both body and soul.

The difficulty level is medium as you need a certain fitness level to be able to paddle without tiring yourself.

IN BRIEF:

• Length: two hours.
• Cost (excluding food): zero euros.
• Period: May-September

ITINERARY:

The starting point for our kayak excursion from Santa Margherita to Portofino is located a short distance from Rapallo, near the beach of Prelo: this is where you can rent a kayak from the racks of the Canoa Club Rapallo. If you are accompanied by a member of the association, the excursion is free, if that is not the case, please phone (+ 39 (0)339 73 05 125) to make arrangements.

Upon entering the water, we are very careful of swimmers, then, once we have cleared the area, we begin to paddle more intensely (learning the correct movement is much easier to do in person than to explain), and start heading out to Santa Margherita. Passing in front of the marina, we decided to go further out, without exaggerating, obviously. Our kayak trip is about ten minutes in.

Kayaking between Santa Margherita and Portofino

The view is truly magnificent, to our right is the coast and to the left the open sea. The water is like a blue blanket dotted with vessels of all types: motorboats, ferries, sailboats, yachts. We are near the beaches now, and a bit of effort later we approach the well-known club, Il Covo, and the diving center, Il Grande Blu.

We slowly reach Paraggi– an absolute must-see if you have never been before, here the water is crystal clear and calm – and then, Niasca, a heavenly natural cove that will leave you at a loss for words. After about twenty minutes, we decide to stop and take a break to admire the marvelous view in front of us. We rest our paddles and breathe in deeply, it is starting to get hot, so we wet our heads and relax our muscles: for hotter days we suggest wearing a bandana or hat, so as to reduce the chance of sunstroke. We are nearly halfway through our kayak excursion from Santa Margherita to Portofino.

In the distance we can see the lighthouse of Portofino, but we are still about ten minutes away from our destination. We paddle a bit harder and manage to shave a few minutes off our time: we have arrived. A gigantic mega yacht welcomes us, standing guard to this beautiful place, it is easy to see, especially between July and August, vessels anchored just a few miles from the Piazzetta. Once we have reached our destination, we are tempted to forge ahead but we resist the temptation: we still aren’t used to managing our strength and it is best not to exaggerate. After about ten minutes we turn around and complete our excursion.

Once again we pass in front of Paraggi and decide to stop. The beach is strangely deserted. What better invitation is there? We carefully come in to shore, beach our kayaks and lay on the sand. Time flies and it is time to get back into our kayaks and complete our return trip: in about twenty minutes we have finished. One last effort and we reach Prelo, after over two hours (including our break) we have finished our trip.

WHERE TO EAT

We recommend having a large breakfast about two hours before the kayaking trip.

On the beach in Prelo there is a small café serving sandwiches or salads, or, if you want a proper meal, there are some trattorias or pizzerias in Santa Margherita or Rapallo. Both along the seaside or in the town centre, there are a large number of places to choose from. Obviously, if you plan to go back into the water, it is best to have a light lunch.

OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION

We recommend getting further information from Canoa Club Rapallo (info@canoaclubrapallo.it). As we mentioned, if you go out with a member of the association, the excursion is free. To reach the beach in Prelo (San Michele-Rapallo) the best option is to take the bus: the bus stop is only a few steps away.

Paolo Bellosta

VIDEO