44.269° N, 9.393° E
Complete guide
Spiaggia di Portobello (Baia del Silenzio): beach guide
What the beach is like
Portobello beach is the beach of the Baia del Silenzio, in the municipality of Sestri Levante: the municipality uses both names in its notices about access to the beach. The beach is sandy and faces the Ligurian Sea.
Sestri Levante is called the city of two seas because its old town looks out over two bays, the Baia delle Favole and the Baia del Silenzio, divided by a peninsula. The national tourism portal describes the Baia delle Favole as lively and well equipped, with an open view of the sea, and the Baia del Silenzio as more secluded. The bay's water is surrounded by pastel-coloured houses, and the Metropolitan City of Genoa notes its transparent water.
Getting there
The centre of Sestri Levante lies 0.3 km north-east of the beach as the crow flies. In the summers of 2025 and 2026 the beach was entered on foot through three entrances: via Portobello, vico Andersen and piazzetta Stalli. For the 2026 season a specific ordinance closed the pedestrian accesses from vico Byron and via Cappuccini, so as to channel the flow of people through the three entrances.
To drive a vehicle into the 'zona Blu' and 'Baia' limited traffic zones, the municipality asks you to send a notification within 48 hours of entering; the temporary permit is valid for a maximum of 72 hours. Before setting off, it is worth checking the rules in force on the municipality's website.
When to go
In summer 2026, from 1 July to 31 August, access to the beach was limited to a maximum of 450 people at the same time, with entry regulated from 8.30 to 17.30. In 2026 there was no booking system: staff let people in until the maximum limit was reached. In the 2025 season the mayor's ordinance had set the same limit of 450 people on the beach at the same time, in addition to concession holders, with access monitored every day from 8.30 to 17.30.
For those who love sunrise over the sea, the national tourism portal lists the small Baia del Silenzio among the places in Italy to watch the sun rise, with the light striking the colourful houses of the small fishing village.
Seabed and sea
In the 2025 season the European Environment Agency rated the bathing water quality as excellent. In 2026 the list of Blue Flag beaches compiled by the FEE includes, for Sestri Levante, Baia Portobello, Renà, Riva Trigoso and the northern part of the Baia delle Favole. The municipality also justifies the cap by the need to protect the Portobello ecosystem.
Facilities and free beach
In summer 2026 the municipality confirmed the free services for bathers: lifeguards provided by Onda Blu srl, showers, toilets and an infopoint run by the temporary association Outdoor Paradise. Access control in 2026 was entrusted to the Cooperativa Guardiani Giurati Lubrani, at a cost of about 40 thousand euros partly covered by the tourist tax. In 2025 access control was entrusted to Le Physique Security srl and the infopoint to the Associazione Shock Wave.
In 2024 the municipality opened three new free public toilets at palazzo Negrotto Cambiaso, in via Portobello, by the bay's infopoint: one is accessible and has a baby-changing table. Cleaning of the new toilets and the infopoint service were entrusted to the cooperative Il Sentiero di Arianna, as part of a project for the employment of people with disabilities. Free public showers had also recently been installed on the beach.
The Baia del Silenzio is one of the municipality's 6 accessible beaches, designed to allow people with motor disabilities to reach the sea too. In 2025 the municipality pointed to the access for people with motor disabilities from the Portobello entrance. On the municipality's accessible beaches barriers are overcome with large tiles laid on the sand to form corridors, walkways down to the sea and paved rest areas with a tap. The project grew out of the work of the association NoiHandiamo with the municipality.
Rules and protected areas
In 2025 and 2026 the summer cap was set by an ordinance; in 2025 the municipality explained it as aiming to guarantee everyone safe and orderly use of one of the city's most iconic places. In 2024 the mayor had announced the aim of trialling a ticketed entry for non-residents; in the 2025 and 2026 seasons the municipality kept the cap without bookings.
In January 2026 the city council approved the update of the plan for the use of state-owned maritime areas (PUD), whose objectives include setting up an organised free beach in the bay of Portobello. The Commissione Portobello also took part in the update process.
With children
Since 2024 the public toilets in via Portobello have included an accessible room with a baby-changing table. It is best to bring shade and enough water.
Nearby
Hans Christian Andersen often stayed in Sestri Levante in the nineteenth century, and the town has named a literary prize linked to children's fiction after him. It was the Danish writer who gave the Baia delle Favole its name.
Riva Trigoso lies 2.9 km to the south-east as the crow flies, Cavi 2.7 km to the north-west. According to the national tourism portal, in Riva Trigoso fishermen set out to sea every day, repeating age-old gestures.
Sources
- Comune di Sestri Levante — Inaugurati i nuovi servizi in Baia del Silenzio (2024)
- QualeSpiaggia — open data spiagge (CC BY 4.0)
- Città Metropolitana di Genova — Sestri Levante
- Italia.it — Sestri Levante
- Italia.it — Liguria: 6 spiagge tra Ventimiglia e Cinque Terre
- Città Metropolitana di Genova — Baia del Silenzio
- OpenStreetMap
- Comune di Sestri Levante — Baia del Silenzio, dal 1° luglio torna il contingentamento degli accessi (26/06/2026)
- Comune di Sestri Levante — Baia del Silenzio, firmata ordinanza per contingentamento dal 1° luglio (25/06/2025)
- Comune di Sestri Levante — Permesso temporaneo per l'accesso alle ZTL (zona Blu e Baia)
- Italia.it — 9 Best places to see beautiful sunrises in Italy
- EEA — Bathing water quality 2025 (IT007010059004)
- FEE Italia — Bandiera Blu 2026, elenco spiagge
- Comune di Sestri Levante — Spiagge accessibili
- Comune di Sestri Levante — Aggiornamento del PUD (21/01/2026)