Abbazia di San Fruttuoso
Benedictine abbey by the sea in the Portofino Park, reachable only on foot or by boat, with the Doria tombs and a 13th-century cloister.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The abbey stands in a small cove of the Portofino Natural Park, where no roads reach. According to tradition it originated in an 8th-century church; in the 10th century it was rebuilt as a Benedictine monastery.
In the 13th century the Doria family chose the complex as its burial place: the 14th-century family tombs are preserved in the funerary hall. In 1551 the patronage passed to Admiral Andrea Doria, and the 16th-century tower was completed in 1562.
In 1983 Frank and Orietta Pogson Doria Pamphilj donated the complex to the FAI – Fondo per l’Ambiente Italiano, which restored it and opened it to the public; in 2017 the spring was brought back into use. The visit route includes the cloister, the Doria funerary hall, the church, some archaeological finds and the tower; in the sea in front of the bay stands the statue of the Christ of the Abyss.
Highlights
- Cloister and funerary hall with the Doria tombs
- 16th-century tower
- Early church and parish church
- Archaeological finds
- Statue of the Christ of the Abyss in the bay
- Reachable only on foot or by boat
- Operated by
- FAI – Fondo per l’Ambiente Italiano
- Visitors per year
- approx. 51,151
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €10 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €5young people aged 6 to 18 and students up to age 25 |
| Children & teens | €5free up to age 5 · Young people aged 6 to 18. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · People with disabilities and, where provided, one companion enter free; for guided tours and events only the additional service is paid. |
| Students & apprentices | €5Students up to age 25. |
| Groups (20+ people) | –Reduced rates for groups of at least 20 people, with a quote via the online form; school groups €3 per student. |
| Families | €26Two adults and children aged 6 to 18. |
| Guided tour for groups in Italian (max. 25 people, 1 hour) | €120Rate per group |
| Guided tour for groups in a foreign language (max. 25 people, 1 hour) | €200Rate per group |
| LIS guided tour for groups (max. 15 people) | €100Rate per group; booking at least 10 days in advance |
Free admission for FAI members, INTO members, ICOM members, Mécènes and Bienfaiteurs Amis du Louvre members, accredited journalists and children up to age 5. Prices may vary for events. Tickets are bought online.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: not available
- Elevator: not available
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The site is difficult to access for people with reduced mobility or in wheelchairs: from the quay to the abbey there is one uphill and one downhill flight of steps, a stretch of beach and three more uphill flights of steps; the abbey is spread over three levels connected by stairs. Seats are provided in the upper cloister and on the sea terraces. Guide and assistance dogs on a lead are admitted. LIS guided tours for groups by booking; LIS video guides are also available.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Stazione di Camogli (poi battello) · 7-min walk · 550 m
By boat from Camogli (service running all year) and, with a seasonal service, from Recco, Portofino, Santa Margherita Ligure, Rapallo, Sestri Levante, Lavagna, Chiavari and Genoa. By train to Camogli station, from which the embarkation point is about 550 metres away (7 minutes on foot).
By car
No on-site parking at the museum.
No parking is available for San Fruttuoso.
The site has no access road: it can only be reached by boat or on foot along the paths of the Portofino Natural Park. Timetables and boat information are published by the navigation companies (golfoparadiso.it, traghettiportofino.it, battellierigenova.it).
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
FAI shop with the organisation’s products. There are no other shops or services in the village.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Guided group tours (maximum 25 people, about one hour) by booking through the online form; visits for schools via the FAI Scuola website. Small dogs are admitted in a carrier or in arms; a dog-minding service is available at the entrance, by booking at least 48 hours in advance. Comfortable shoes are recommended. |
