The location and view of the bay of poets is as unbelievable as it looks on the pics on VRBO. Truly a one of a kind experience staying at a villa carved into the walls of a medieval castle. So, yes it is perched at the top of a medieval village (steep climb with many cobblestone steps) but oh so worth the climb. The small village itself carved into the rocks is so well preserved and inviting. All the people in the shops and homes are happy and welcoming. The entire experience is like a dream. Paola, the villa owner is very accomodating and set up the villa nicely so it is modern inside and with airconditioning but the realy show stopper is sitting outside overlooking the bay of poets. Higly recommend this palce to anyone and everyone...even if you are concerned about the steps...It is worth it!

Paola is an unbelievable host. She met us immediately upon arriving. The property is amazing. There are three ways to reach it - all on foot. We took the medium and hard ways and made it with relatively heavy suitcases. If you have trouble lifting your bag I would suggest taking the easy route. That said, everything was provided. The property has staggering views and is secluded. Portovenere is better, in my opinion, than any of the Cinque Terre as a base. We loved the experience and will be back.

This unique stay in porto venere is such an incredible place. I ditto so many of the previous reviews. The property is gorgeous with the most amazing views. It is a hike to get there and we traveled with back packs, but the hike was worth it, no question. We loved the town of porto venere as well. Our favorite restaurant was portivene. It is easy to take the ferry to the towns of cinque terre. And the local hiking is also great. Honestly this stay will be something we never forgot.

There aren’t enough words to describe how much we enjoined this rental. We knew about the stairs, so we packed light. The views are incredible, the location is perfect. The apartment is well appointed-we had everything we needed, including WiFi. Paola is very responsive and prompt. She met us at the bottom of the castle, escorted us up to the apartment, and showed us how to work everything from the appliances to the outdoor lighting to the cable TV. We loved this place and the town of Portovenere so much that we decided to skip Cinque Terre. The sunrise over the harbor is something I won’t soon forget. The apartment is surrounded by olive trees, shade vines and a vegetable garden. I still done understand how this place is real. Easily one of the most unique and beautiful places I’ve ever seen. The only trouble was parking. Paola reserved us a spot in the public deck but it was incredibly chaotic and frustrating.

Beautiful views of the sea and area. Town is quaint and quiet. The property was very peaceful and relaxing

We had a wonderful visit in CastelloPortovenere! The 10 min hike up medieval stone steps, is not for “the faint of heart” we chose to leave in the mornings & do day trips. Eat a wonderful, relaxing lunch, and stay in for the evening, to avoid the climb at night. Paola met us in town & reviewed all in the house. She responded to all contacts swiftly. It was a magical property! The windows are amazing and the house is quiet & comfortable.

There are places and experiences in your life that you know you will return to in your memory time & again. For us Villa Castello Portovenere was one. Paola manages the property and is extremely responsive and helpful. Upon arrival, she will meet you and take you on a journey to the green door. When you walk through that threshold, you are transported to another time and place. The beauty of the views over The Gulf of Poets, treasures from a garden bursting with fresh, ripe, fruits and vegetables, a peaceful setting allowing lucky guests to experience Italy as it was in a time long ago. A time, without the crush of crowds from cruise ships. A time when you could make a meal from the garden, watch a sunset while sipping a negroni at a small marble table under a canopy of century old grapevines, listening to the serenade of seabirds, ocean waves and the hourly chimes of the Church of San Lorenzo. All of this, within walking distance to Byron’s Grotto & the small but iconic Church of San Pietro. Villa Castello is a beautiful, peaceful setting that you will never forget. The Villa itself is simple and unpretentious with all the amenities necessary for a sound sleep, preparation of a fabulous homemade meal with fresh ingredients from the garden and/or the Ligurian Coast. The Villa has excellent air conditioning, comfortable beds, bathroom with rain-shower, washing machine, dishwasher, grill, indoor & outdoor dining areas, TV and internet. There is one grocery in town with excellent local ingredients. There are also wine shops with bottles unique to the region. Villa guests need to be fit and traveling light because It is a challenging hike up 365 steps to arrive at the green door. But, it is an experience well worth the effort. Here’s an insiders tip: During your stay, avoid the crowds, swim in secret coves and tour the Cinque Terre on a private boat tour with Antonio (Crazyboat Cinque Terre). Truly a don’t miss addition to your stay in Portovenere.

Once you get there, climbing at least 165 stairs and a little bit exhausted, you realize is worthy. After, you won't mind to go up and down during your stay. The view, the garden, facilities, kindness of Paola, the town itself, simply everything is perfect. We are traveling this time in a “cultural” trip with 2 of our grandchildren, those who have 10 yo. The property is attached, and it feels part of, a beautiful medieval castle and they felt and enjoy the atmosphere. Portovenere is the right place to visit cinque Terre and also Portofino. This is the best rating we have ever made in our several trip using Homeaway

Everything about our experience exceeded our expectations. Paola was incredibly communicative - she answered all questions promptly, arranged for a parking space for us in town, and met us at the parking lot to take us to the property. The property is a spectacular and unusual spot - the dwelling has everything you need and Paola directed us to help ourselves to vegetables in her garden. We ended up having a friend vacationing nearby and we had him over for dinner. He was amazed at our special spot. The views and outside areas are really incredible and unusual. We felt like we “lived there” and were only sorry that we weren’t able to stay longer. I will highly recommend Paola and her property to all of my friends and I hope we can return someday. Gracie mille!

Very helpful

What a lovely magical place to spend a few days in the summer - a lovely apartment in the grounds of a castle with a spectacular view only a stone’s throw away from the town with its shops, restaurants and quaint streets. The property itself was very clean and well equipped and Paola was so helpful and hospitable and encouraged us to help ourselves to fresh vegetables from the garden. Thanks for a lovely stay.

Yes, there is a steep uphill walk to the villa, but the view, the expansive private grounds with garden and olive trees, and the villa itself are amazing and, in my opinion, even better than advertised. We thoroughly enjoyed are memorable stay.

We rent a lot of VRBO properties across the US and Europe and this, by far, tops the list! It is in the most incredibly special and private location., is immaculate inside and out, and has wonderful property management! Pro tip: pack light...it's 167 cobblestone steps to the villa. Worth every penny and worth the climb! We will be back! Thank you, Paola!

We had an absolutely perfect 5 days in this lovely villa. The view is without a doubt the best part of this villa, but we found the villa to be quite charming, with two very nice bedrooms (with very nice linens), a queen bed nook, and a well appointed kitchen for preparing meals (including a gas grill). The private outside grounds are lovely and expansive. As others have mentioned, the steps up to the villa can be daunting, but the owner provided someone to help us with our luggage when we arrived, and there is a less strenuous route up to the villa if you choose. Personally, we enjoyed the adventure of finding new routes up to the villa each day! I found the outdoor furniture adequate, but the indoor living area could use a couple more seating options. We improvised by bringing in the outdoor furniture so that our family of four could sit together in the living area. The villa is lacking some decorative embellishments, but it didn't detract from it's charm. Be aware that there is only one bathroom and there is no internet service in the villa. We thoroughly enjoyed our time in the villa and in Portovenere, and I would return in a heartbeat!

We had a fabulous stay in this beautiful villa. The views were extraordinary, as it is right next to Doria Castle, facing the Gulf of Poets. Because of this villa, we decided to stay in Porto Venere, using it as our home base to visit all five towns of La Cinque Terre. We are so glad that we made this decision. Paola was such a delight, helping us move into the villa and getting settled, and then helping us depart and continue our travels. She is a marvelous host, and this was an perfect vacation.

We have stayed in many wonderful and amazing homes and apartments around the world, but this one stood out because it was so unique and captivating. To stay in a historical castle with its own manicured gardens with a view to die for...just incredible. The house is cute and has everything you might possibly need. Yes, there are steps (165 to be precise) that you need to climb, but it's a nice workout and well worth it given the reward at the top. Paola was fantastic to deal with, and very understanding when we were delayed and arrived at the house a little later than expected. There's not much to add about the property that hasn't been said before - everything was just great. The revelation for us was the town of Portovenere. We booked the house based on its proximity to Cinque Terre thinking that was where we would spend much of our time, but we all fell in love with Portovenere. The town has much of the charm and character of Cinque Terre without the massive crowds of tourists. There's plenty of fine restaurants, there's beaches for swimming, islands to explore and the people are friendly. Best of all? No crowds! We rode the ferry, rented a boat and even cruised around in a submarine ("semi-submersible", actually). We spent two weeks traveling around northern Italy, and this property and this town was a highlight. I can't say enough good things about it. Just...magical.

We loved our stay in the Villa at Portovenere. only a couple tiny things kept it from being a 5 star review What we loved: the view, the view, the view. the grounds are massive. In fact, perhaps more could be done with all the property that this place has. the Garden was a nice treat, I wish we would have used it more. We sat on the chaise lounges for hours a day. (the comfort of those chairs was not good- I encourage an upgrade) The inside of the home is lovely. Its not huge. 3 queen/king beds. We were only 3 so we underutilized the place. The lounge area is inadequate. We spent no time there. I agree with another reviewer that it needs a rug and another comfortable chair. Beds were super comfy. The challenge: 174 steps to the top. this place is for hearty, healthy travelers,. I would recommend a porter (to be included in the price) to bring up your bags and bring them down at the end. We were lucky that a German tourist helped carry my daughters suitcase up while I carried mine and my wifes. You don't want to be going up and down 3 times a day (we averaged 2 x) Paola was super sweet. This is an epic, once in a lifetime place. Its adjacent to the freaking castle!!! Right next to the church. it is a must-do and I recommend highly.

My family and I LOVED staying at the Portovenere Castle Villa. It's literally a little home inside the bottom of an ancient castle with a huge private terrace, outdoor dining area and the most stunning view you've ever seen. The place was spotless, and had plenty of pillows, bedding and towels for the six of us. Paola was so helpful in making our arrival seemless, and even set up a taxi pick up for us from the train station. The hike up to the villa is intense (do not bring rolling suitcases here!) but so worth it when you're at the top. It's the best view in all of Portovenere. We loved the view so much that we made most of our meals at home and sat outside and ate on the terrace. You can buy fresh pastas, meats and cheeses in the town below, and the villa has everything you need to cook. We even made some fresh salads from the perfectly manicured garden on the property. In the mornings we would walk down the steps for cappuccinos and pastries (loved Moon Bar/Cafe at the bottom of the steps for both morning bites and then drinks at night- they're open until midnight). During the day we took the ferry to a few of the Cinque Terre towns (25 euros for an all day ferry pass), but honestly Portovenere was the best coastal town of them all. Less touristy, cleaner, very safe and seemed to have more authentic restaurants. On our last day we rented a small boat for the afternoon and explored the islands and caves off Portovenere. It was the perfect end to our magical trip! We would definitely stay at the Castle Villa again if we went back to Portovenere/Cinque Terre. Thank you Paola for a wonderful week! We hope to see you again soon!

We had a great time staying at this vrbo. It was a beautiful home and Paola was a great host. The pictures online looked great, but it 100 times better in person. Paola was very responsive and had good recommendations. Just as a heads up there are a lot of stairs up to the house, but it is well worth it. I would stay there again in a heartbeat.

Paola was wonderful from start to finish. She was great to communicate with (via text) and arranged transfers from La Spezia for us. Now on to the villa.... AMAZING! Pictures truly don't do it justice. It was stunning and impeccably clean. The renovations were well done and the outdoor space was perfect in every way. Three beds would sleep six comfortably. Things to note: - Bring mosquito repellant, I was bit throughout the the AM & PM - Steps.... there are A LOT of them to get to the top (but worth it). My 60+ were fine on the steps to the top, it was only challenging with the luggage. As most great places are in this area, steps are required for the rewarding spots. - She had 3 bottles of prosecco in the fridge (for purchase) this was a nice touch for our arrival - If you love boats, water, views, and comfort... this is your place!

Portovenere is a very busy town on the sea with lots of action. Beautiful, but busy. Rich with history and contemporary joys a hop skip and a jump from Cinque Terre and in our opinion more beautiful with its three islands a boat taxi away. Paola's villa has stunning views and is a first rate accommodation. A modern interior in an ancient location with grape vines, herbs, flowers and lawn. Picnic table, hammock and lounge chairs. A grill which we loved using and dining en plain air. The beds were great, the linens cozy, the shower with plentiful hot water, the sink water potable and excellent kitchen with everything we needed and more. We were there with our two twenty something daughters. We all had plenty of space to be alone and together. We highly recommend this vacation spot nestled quietly at the base of a beautiful historic castle fortress. We suggest that the living room have a small area rug and a couple of pillows on the couch to add to its comfort. We also suggest providing beach towels for swimming. We were hesitant to use the crisp white bath towels down to the quay and on the rocks. Otherwise all was extremely well thought out for comfort's sake. We had difficulty working the television, but really did not need to watch it. So much to do! We found the cleaning fee of 200 Euros very steep. Perhaps because we are so neat and orderly. Paola sent a wonderful man Faustus to meet us at the parking lot and lead us up the hundreds of stone steps from the sea port to the castle. This is a hike that requires that you travel with a small suitcase or backpack. If you have large suitcases this is not the place for you. You must have a strong heart, back and legs to lug your belongings up. That said, if you are hale and hearty this is a fantastic hideaway in a wonderfully busy and beautiful sea town. Thank you Paola.

Newly renovated house with stunning views in privileged location. Loved being there!

We just returned from our trip to Portovenere and could not have been happier with the Portovenere Castle villa! The pictures are great but do not do the villa justice as the actual views and villa are better than the pictures. Paola was prompt with her communications and very helpful with arranging our parking reservation and providing tips for local restaurants and activities as well. The villa was roomy and updated with the latest amenities. We had everything we needed and the walk up to the villa (literally at the top of Portovenere) is worth every step!

After touring Rome, Venice, and Florence and staying in 4 and 5 star holels, Villa Castlello Portovenere was truly amazing! First was the challenge to get to the Villa, 165 steps up a steep stairway (first clue, pack lightly)! But when we got there WOW, a spectacular view overlooking everything! The living quarters were very comfortable and the privacy superb. Paola was a wonderful host. We took the ferry to Cinque Terre and spent a very enjoyable day there. Shopping was fun, food, very good, but happy we stayed in Portovenere. Great experience and a wonderful relaxing environment. You can't go wrong!

We loved our time in Porto Venere. It was truly a magical and very beautiful place. Paola was fantastic and very helpful. The property is at the top of town, tucked under the Castle, and the views are breathtaking. Once you are there (and it is a bit of a hike), you are far from the tourists and the somewhat busy wharf. The home is lovely and beautifully designed with fluffy towels, good beds and great sheets. There is also a fantastic and well cared for vegetable garden. We ate the freshest and most beautiful salads every night. There are fresh herbs and lemons as well. We want to come back when the tomatoes are ripe! Thank you!