Punta Chiappa is a slender tongue of rock that juts some fifty metres into the open sea of the Golfo Paradiso, on the western flank of the Portofino promontory, in the municipality of Camogli. Lying barely above the waterline and polished smooth by the waves, it is one of those places that stay with you: no road reaches it, and to set foot here you must walk down hundreds of steps or arrive by boat. Together with nearby Camogli and San Fruttuoso, it is one of the most beloved destinations on this stretch of the eastern Riviera.
A spur of conglomerate on the sea
What makes Punta Chiappa instantly recognisable is its geology. The headland is not made of ordinary rock: it is a spur of puddinga, the conglomerate that forms the whole Portofino massif. This is a sedimentary rock made of rounded pebbles cemented in a finer matrix — literally a “conglomerate”, which in traditional Ligurian usage is called puddinga. It is this hard, wave-smoothed stone that shapes the characteristic flat, sloping slabs where people stretch out to sunbathe and slip into the water.
Its form is unmistakable: a low, broad tongue, only a few metres above sea level at its tip, pushing into the blue like the prow of a ship. There is no beach around it, only rock plunging into deep, clear water. For this reason Punta Chiappa is not a sandy lido but a great natural platform of stone, ideal for those seeking open-water swimming, snorkelling and the feeling of being suspended between sky and sea.
Its natural setting is remarkable. The headland lies within the Portofino Regional Natural Park and faces the protected waters of the Portofino Marine Protected Area, which safeguards the seabed and marine biodiversity around the promontory. The Mediterranean scrub — holm oaks, pines, broom — drops steeply almost to the water’s edge, and the deep blue of the Golfo Paradiso frames a landscape that changes colour with the hours of the day.
The Stella Maris altar
On the point, facing the open sea, stands the small monument dedicated to Stella Maris, the Madonna venerated as protector of seafarers. It is not a church but a devotional altar overlooking the water, decorated with a mosaic and bearing the image of the Madonna. It is a simple, intimate place, deeply tied to Camogli’s seafaring identity: for generations the prayers of fishermen and of the families of those lost at sea have passed before this altar.
The authorship of the monument is uncertain in the accessible sources: the name of the painter Francesco Dal Pozzo circulates in some local descriptions, but it is not confirmed by official documentation and so, in fairness, should be reported with caution. What matters, beyond the attribution, is the symbolic value of the place: a point where the gaze comes to rest, where popular devotion and the sea meet.
The Stella Maris festival
It is around this altar that one of Camogli’s most evocative traditions revolves: the Festa della Stella Maris, held on the first Sunday of August. In the late afternoon a procession of boats sets out from Camogli towards Punta Chiappa, forming a cortège on the water that accompanies the image of the Madonna along the coast. As evening falls, a great number of small floating candles are lit and laid upon the sea: the flames trace a luminous path that commemorates the sailors and fishermen lost among the waves.
It is a ceremony with ancient roots, deeply felt by the community: not an event staged for tourists, but a collective rite in which Camogli renews its bond with its own sea. Those who witness it — from the shore, from the boats or from the point itself — carry home the memory of those candles swaying in the dark. The date may shift slightly in case of bad weather, so it is worth checking the year’s programme with local sources before planning a visit.
Getting there: on foot or by sea
Punta Chiappa can be reached only on foot or by boat: no road comes this far, and that relative difficulty of access is part of its appeal. The classic walking route starts from Camogli and climbs towards the hamlet of San Rocco along an old mule track, a long flight of steps through olive groves and terraced gardens to the panoramic square of the church of San Rocco di Camogli, about 220 metres above the sea. This first uphill stretch takes around half an hour at an average pace.
From San Rocco you take the panoramic lane running along the western side of the promontory and, after a few hundred metres, begin to descend towards the sea. Along the way stands the small medieval church of San Nicolò di Capodimonte, of fourteenth-century origin, looking out over the gulf. From here the steps lead down to the shore, passing through the picturesque settlement of Porto Pidocchio, a tiny fishing hamlet tucked into a cove. The descent to Punta Chiappa takes another half-hour or so: in all, from San Rocco to the sea, you can reckon on about an hour with stops. Bear in mind that the climb back up is demanding, since it means hundreds of steps uphill.
The more comfortable alternative is the ferry boat. Connections leave from Camogli’s little harbour and, in under twenty minutes, land passengers at Porto Pidocchio, at the foot of Punta Chiappa; in season there are also lines linking the point to San Fruttuoso and Portofino. It is the ideal solution for those who want to reach the place without tackling the steps, or who prefer to see the promontory from the water, where the tongue of rock appears in all its singularity.
The hamlet, swimming and seafaring traditions
Once down at sea level, a walkway along the rock skirts the water, linking the point to the cove of Porto Pidocchio, where a few small restaurants overlook the sea. Here Punta Chiappa shows its most authentic face: a handful of fishermen’s houses, boats hauled ashore, the smell of brine and the constant sound of waves on stone. In summer the slabs of puddinga become the realm of those seeking sun and a swim in deep, crystal-clear water, far from the crowds of the equipped beaches.
This whole stretch of coast belongs to the maritime territory of Camogli, a town whose identity has always been tied to fishing: to the wooden gozzi and to the famous tonnarella, the ancient fixed net used to catch tuna in the waters off Camogli. The tonnarella is one of the historic symbols of the local fishing tradition; its roots and those of Punta Chiappa reach down into the same world of sea, toil and devotion that the Festa della Stella Maris celebrates each summer.
The Batterie and the inland trails
For those who love walking, Punta Chiappa is also a gateway to the trails of the Portofino Park. A little before the point, a signpost marks the steep path that climbs to the Batterie, the remains of coastal gun emplacements dating from the Second World War, now in ruins but reachable along a route fitted with steps and sections equipped with chains. From up there the trails continue towards the Semaforo Nuovo and the interior of the promontory, allowing for long circular hikes between Camogli, San Rocco and the heights of Portofino.
It is this combination — sea and rock, devotion and effort, fishing hamlet and forgotten trenches — that makes Punta Chiappa a place that cannot be reduced to a single photograph. You arrive by walking or by stepping off a boat, and you leave with the sense of having touched a cape of land where Liguria shows its barest, truest character.
The landscape and the light of the Golfo Paradiso
Part of Punta Chiappa’s charm lies in the constant interplay between stone and light. Facing west, the point catches the full afternoon and sunset sun: in the last hours of the day the puddinga glows with warm tones, while the sea shifts from turquoise to deep blue and the dark outline of the promontory stands out against the sky. From the tongue of rock the view takes in a wide stretch of coast: towards the north-west the profile of Camogli and the curve of the Golfo Paradiso as far as Genoa, towards the south-east the steep wooded slopes plunging down to San Fruttuoso.
It is a panorama that has drawn generations of walkers, photographers and bathers, and that explains why this small cape, however hard to reach, has remained in the imagination of all who know the eastern Riviera. The feeling, once you reach the bottom of the steps, is of standing on an outpost: behind you the green mountain, before you nothing but the open sea, and beneath your feet the smooth rock worn by centuries of waves. On rough-sea days the waves break against the slabs with great force, and it is wise to keep away from the edge; on calm days, by contrast, the clear water invites swimming and snorkelling over the rocky seabed.
When to go and tips for your visit
The busiest season runs from late spring to early autumn, when the sea is warm and the ferries from Camogli run more frequently. Summer offers the ideal climate for swimming but also the greatest crowds, especially at weekends and during the Festa della Stella Maris; those seeking more quiet may prefer weekdays or the shoulder seasons, when the trails are less crowded and the light is especially clear. The rock slabs offer no shade, so it is best to bring a hat, sunscreen and plenty of water.
For those choosing the walking route, the most natural combination is the climb to San Rocco, the descent to Punta Chiappa and an optional loop towards the Batterie: an itinerary that, in half a day or a full day, brings together the sea, the fishing hamlet and the trails of the Portofino Park. Those who prefer the boat can devote their visit solely to the point, to swimming and to a stop at the small eateries of Porto Pidocchio, leaving to the ferry the last glimpse of the tongue of rock as it recedes.
Practical information
Punta Chiappa is an open-air, public and free site: there are no opening hours and no entrance ticket. Access is only on foot (hundreds of steps from San Rocco di Camogli) or by sea aboard the ferries from Camogli. Suitable shoes and a supply of water are advisable for those tackling the trails, and care should be taken on the climb back up during the hottest hours. Half a day makes for an ideal visit, perhaps combined with a swim, a stop at the small restaurants of Porto Pidocchio or the hike up to the Batterie. Ferry timetables and the programme of the Festa della Stella Maris should be checked locally each time.
