Portofino is, by design, a village that is reached without ever landing directly. Its limestone peninsula has neither a runway nor its own helipad: the village has, voluntarily or by geography, protected itself from mass transport. It is this constraint, shared with very few destinations in the world, that has made arrival by helicopter and by sea the signature of those who travel there by private jet.
From Genoa, the helicopter flies east along the coast. In twelve to fifteen minutes, the peninsula appears: Castello Brown on its rocks, the harbor with pastel houses, superyachts at anchor in the bay. Rapallo helipad is five kilometers from the village. A car awaits; you’ll be there in less than a quarter of an hour.
The maritime option, specific to summer, is different in its rhythm. An express boat from Genoa’s Porto Antico sails along the Riviera del Levante, passing Nervi, Camogli, the Abbey of San Fruttuoso visible from offshore, and enters Portofino harbor under the gaze of the Castello. This 45 to 60-minute journey is often described by regulars as the true decompression chamber between the plane and the villa.
The two connections, helicopter and boat, are complementary. The helicopter is the choice for speed and discretion; the boat, for a spectacular arrival. Private Jets Connect coordinates both from Genoa, according to the schedule and passenger preferences.
