Rapallo Taxi Boat & Tours

The service desk sits at the eastern end of Calata Andrea Doria, a stone's throw from the bronze statue of Columbus and the medieval Castello sul Mare. Rapallo taxi boat & tours handles both scheduled group departures and private charters, with vessels ranging from six-seat ribs to enclosed cabin boats that seat twelve. The fleet is maintained by a family-run operator that has worked the Tigullio coastline since the early 1990s, and every captain holds commercial maritime certification issued by the Guardia Costiera. Most visitors book the Portofino route, a twenty-minute crossing that skirts the cliffs of Monte di Portofino and enters the harbor beneath the Castello Brown. The San Fruttuoso run takes forty minutes and requires a minimum group size during off-peak months. Private charters leave on demand and follow custom itineraries—common requests include sunset circuits of the gulf, swimming stops at Punta Chiappa, and photo runs along the Cinque Terre shoreline. Every tour departs from the same floating dock, marked by blue-and-white striped mooring posts. The operation is weather-dependent. On days when the Libeccio wind exceeds force four, departures are delayed or canceled, and the service desk posts real-time updates on a chalkboard outside the ticket window. Seas are calmest between May and September, and morning departures benefit from glassy water and easterly sun angles that illuminate the cliffs without glare. The harbor itself is free to access—visitors can walk the docks, photograph the boats, and speak with captains before committing to a booking. Payment is handled in person or by phone reservation, and no advance ticket purchase is required for group tours unless traveling in July or August. The Rapallo boat tour service integrates with the regional ferry network operated by Golfo Paradiso and Cooperativa Battellieri, but the taxi boats offer faster crossings and flexible schedules that adapt to tide tables and passenger counts. The operation is licensed by the municipality of Rapallo and listed on the harbor's official watercraft registry, which is updated each season by the port authority.