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Voykit pocket guide · Italy
Rapallo
Rapallo is a half-day stop on the Ligurian coast: walk the promenade, see the castle and eat seafood, then move on to Portofino or Cinque Terre.
Rapallo is a compact seaside town on the Ligurian Riviera, 30 min by train from Genoa and 1 h from Cinque Terre. Its main draw is the seafront promenade, the small Castello sul Mare and easy boat access to Portofino. Most travellers use it as a lunch stop or a one-night base for the eastern Riviera.
- Country
- Italy
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (crowded and hot)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Cards and contactless are widely accepted in cities; small cafés, markets and rural places may prefer cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget €50–80 excl. bed · Mid €80–150 excl. bed · High €150+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- TIM, Vodafone, WindTre and Iliad sell prepaid SIMs in shops and at airports; a passport and an Italian tax code (codice fiscale, issued in-store) are needed.
- Emergency
- Police 113 · Fire 115 · Ambulance 118 · EU-wide emergency 112
- Plugs
- Types C, F, L · 230 V · 50 Hz · Italian type L plugs have three pins in a row; most sockets also take two-pin Europlugs (C), and bivalent sockets take Schuko (F).
- Tipping
- Bar: Leave €0.10–0.20 of change on the counter if you like.; Restaurant: Coperto or service may already be on the bill; leave €1–2 a person or round up for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day.
- Water
- Tap water is safe unless signed otherwise; Rome's nasoni fountains run all day. Restaurants serve bottled water (naturale or frizzante) unless you ask for tap (acqua del rubinetto).
- Toilets
- Few public toilets; use bars (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €1.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a bar | €1.20–1.80 |
| Pizza (margherita) | €7–12 |
| Seafood pasta | €14–22 |
| Gelato (two scoops) | €3–5 |
| Boat to Portofino (one way) | €7–10 (check) |
| Regional train to Genoa | €4–5 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- GOA · Genoa Cristoforo Colombo
- Regional train from Genova Brignole or Principe to Rapallo, about 30–40 min
Typical fares
- Rapallo → Portofino (boat)
- about €7–10, 30 min (check)
- Rapallo → Genoa (train)
- about €4–5, 30–40 min (check)
- Taxi from station to seafront
- €8–12
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Rapallo is walkable: from the station to the castle is about 10 min. Regional trains connect to Genoa, Santa Margherita Ligure and Cinque Terre. Boats run from the harbour to Portofino and San Fruttuoso (seasonal).
See and do
Known for
- Castello sul Mare
- Seafront promenade (Lungomare)
- Boat trips to Portofino and Santa Margherita Ligure
- Farmer's market (weekday mornings)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Portofino | Boat from Rapallo harbour (seasonal) or train to Santa Margherita Ligure then walk/bus | 30–45 min |
| Santa Margherita Ligure | Regional train, 5 min, or boat | 15–20 min |
| Cinque Terre | Regional train to Monterosso or Riomaggiore, about 1 h | 1–1.5 h |
| Genoa | Regional train from Rapallo station, about 30–40 min | 45 min–1 h |
Sleep
- Seafront (Lungomare)
- Hotels with sea views; close to restaurants and the castle.
- Town centre near the station
- Budget options and trattorias; 5–10 min walk to the promenade.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello / Goodbye | Ciaochow |
| Thank you | Graziegraht-see-eh |
| How much? | Quanto costa?kwahn-toh koh-stah |
| Where is the station? | Dov'è la stazione?doh-veh lah stah-tsee-oh-neh |
| Can I pay by card? | Posso pagare con carta?poh-soh pah-gah-reh kon kahr-tah |
| The bill, please | Il conto, per favoreeel kohn-toh pehr fah-voh-reh |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say buongiorno (until mid-afternoon) or buonasera on entering shops and bars; avoid: Walking in and pointing without a greeting
- Cheek kisses: Two kisses, right cheek first, among friends; follow their lead; avoid: Kissing strangers or in business settings
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders and knees in churches; avoid: Beachwear, bare chests and flip-flops away from the beach
- Queues: At delis and pharmacies take a number (numerino); avoid: Assuming the crowd at a bar counter is chaos — pay at the till first where asked
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated and ask for the bill; avoid: Splitting a bill item by item with a large group
- Conversation: Food, football and family are safe openers; avoid: Mafia jokes and north–south stereotypes
- Dinner at a home: Bring pastries, wine or flowers (not chrysanthemums, which are for funerals); avoid: Refusing seconds too firmly
Scams and watch-outs
- Boat schedules are seasonal: check at the harbour office in winter.
- Restaurants on the seafront are pricier than those in the backstreets.
- The castle interior may be closed for events; check the town website.
Rapallo is safe for tourists. Watch for pickpockets on crowded trains and the seafront in summer. The main risk is heat in July–August: carry water.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Rapallo yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Castello sul Mare
- Seafront promenade (Lungomare)
- Boat trips to Portofino and Santa Margherita Ligure
- Farmer's market (weekday mornings)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Rapallo, revision 5132917 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5132917
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Rapallo
A questo indirizzo, per favore
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
The US has a consulate in Genoa (check address); most other countries have embassies in Rome or consulates in Milan.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/rapallo). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.