Santa Margherita is 30 km away from Genova, the capital of Liguria. From Genova, you can reach Santa Margherita by taking a local train from the main train stations Principe or Brignole. If you travel by car you can either take the A12 highway towards Livorno, get out at Rapallo and take directions to Santa Margherita from within Rapallo town, or take the eastbound Aurelia road along the coastline and through the Portofino Regional Park until Santa Margherita.

You can reach Genova in many different ways:


The Aeroporto di Genova - Cristoforo Colombo provides several daily flights from major European cities such as Rome, London, Munich, Paris and Madrid. From the airport it is fairly easy to rent a car or take a shuttle (bus no. 100, also called Volabus) to the city center of Genova.


Genova can be easily reached by train from Milano, Torino, Roma, Toscana (Pisa, Livorno and Firenze (changing train in Pisa or Viareggio)) and France (there is a direct train connecting with Nice). There are two main train stations in Genova, Brignole and Principe. Brignole serves most local routes and provides access to many bus lines. Principe serves local as well as long distance trains and many trains from Milan and beyond will only stop at this station.

Genova is an important port, and has many ferry services. Grandi Navi Veloci crosses from Barcelona weekly, and takes about eighteen hours. It also offers a weekly crossing to Tangiers, which takes around forty-six.
Other direct ferry routes from Genova are: Barcelona (Spain), Valletta (Malta), Bastia (Corsica), Olbia and Porto Torres (Sardinia), Palermo (Sicily), Tangier (Morocco) and Tunis (Tunisia).

Coming from Milano you can reach Genova via the A7-E62 (approx. 145 km). Mind though that the last part, from Serravalle to Genova, is incredibly twisty, making you wonder if you’re still on the highway or accidentally have taken a wrong turn into a motordrome. It is therefore advisable to take an alternative route, turning off the A7 at the deviation near Tortona and heading on the A26/A7, following Genova, Ventimiglia, Savona, Voltri; making it a longer (+20 km), but certainly safer and more comfortable trip, unless you want to spice up you journey and observe how (some) Italians drive. The same highway is less twisty northbound.
Coming from Turin you can either take the A6/E717 to Savona (137 km) and then go to Genova following the beautiful, but twisty A10 coast highway (an other 45 km) or follow the Genova Piacenza indications you'll find on the ringroad heading south. This latter is the shorter alternative (170 km total), but offers fewer sightseeing opportunities.
Coming from the French Riviera just follow the highway A10 and enjoy the sight (approx 160 km from the French border). If you're tempted to avoid the toll roads, be aware that it will take you at least three or four times as long although you might get better views.
Coming from Toscana you can take the A12 from Rosignano to Genova; mind that you must have snow chains on board between the gates of Carrodano and Sestri Levante when travelling from November 1st to March 31st, even though snow is seldom a problem here.


There are city buses (covering the city centre and the suburbs), car rentals, taxis and other characteristic means of transport such as lifts and funiculars that let the user admire the town from the hills above and help find shortcuts to leave the town's daily traffic and get to the desired destination faster.

Text excerpt from: Wikitravel