Castello Brown

The best place to enjoy Portofino's stunning views is from here. It's a 15-20 minute uphill walk. Entry costs 8 euros per person. There's also a small cafe inside. You can reach it by following the pier or the church.

Insta: @planterik If you’re visiting Portofino and want to escape the touristy crowds for a bit, climbing up to Castello Brown is an absolute must. Once you make it up the steps, you’re greeted by a charming historic castle with incredible panoramic views of the harbor and the open sea. And the best part? It’s only €5 to enter, and totally worth it. We went before noon and it was surprisingly quiet—even on a weekend. No queues, no crowds—just peace and beautiful scenery. The castle itself is cool inside (literally—air conditioning in summer is a win), and there’s a lovely little café with a terrace offering amazing views. Prices were super reasonable too: €2 for a croissant and €4 for an iced latte. There are no discounted tickets for students, kids, or seniors, but honestly, the views alone make it a great value. Every corner offers a new breathtaking photo op. Highly recommend this spot if you’re in Portofino. It’s a peaceful break from the bustle and gives you a fresh perspective—literally and figuratively.

This place was better then expected. My wife and I were on a cruise and did not book an excursion. We got off and walked over, paid 16 euros and were delighted with the views. It’s a little hike that would be difficult for people with mobility issues but it’s worth the effort!

Bit of a climb, but an amazing view! You can go inside, but nothing special. Just right for 8 euros entrance. We also sat on the terrace, witch had some Black Eyed Peas ambiance. Very fitting, haha.

Very nice place to visit, wonderful view on sea and Portofino town. The castle is a silent witness to famous visitors from the world of cinema of the 60s and 70s and you will find numerous photographs of them in the halls of the permanent exhibition organized here.

The views are nice and the castle history is interesting. It's also a nice walk through a nature area. A walk to the lighthouse from there is ok, and there's a basic café.

We arrived early 10am and walked up and entered easily but 30 minutes later it was getting extremely busy and the house is quite small .. the views are spectacular from the top .. it is not suitable for anyone who is not capable of walking up a steep hillside

Absolutely magical place! Castello Brown offers the most stunning views over Portofino and the sea. A truly unforgettable experience. The historical building is well preserved and the atmosphere is very romantic. A must-visit when in Portofino! 🌊✨

This is worth the walk up for the wonderful views of the marina. The home has some amazing history along with a cafe inside. The garden area has plenty of seating and it was an area with a cool breeze. Glad we made the trip for the tour. Enjoy!

The views alone are worth the trek up to the castle! Take heed though, there is an easy way and a hard way up. We just got lucky and came up the easy way, went down the other way. The entire way down, all we could say was, "Thank goodness we didn't come up this way!" So, the easy way starts up a side street off the main square, where the boats dock. You'll head uphill on a cobbled road past a gelato shop on your right and a souvenir shop on your left, toward the San Giorgio Church. Follow that road on up until it forks. To get to the castle, head left at the fork. Although, I'd recommend detouring right to see the church before continuing on to the castle. Once you take the fork towards the left, you will see ample signs pointing you to the castle. Follow those. The other route leaves from the port and is a steep, rocky, winding trail uphill the entire way. Avoid, avoid, avoid! Unless you're coming down of course, then it's a nice, pleasant, downhill stroll with killer views the whole way.

Honestly one of the coolest places I have ever been. So I have to re-research the entire history but basically this castle belonged to a wealthy German woman who saved the entire town from being bombed by Hitler. She also adopted a daughter and only left her this castle when she died; the daughter didn't marry and got her own ap't in Rome which is when this castle opened I am guessing. I will update later with better info. Maybe it's because it was less busy than my other major stops with very few Americans and zero Canadians (mostly German, Austrian and English tourists) but this was one of my most memorable stops in all of Italy. The hike was hot and grueling in flip flops and 33 degree heat but so worth it. And there is a clean (single stall) bathroom at the top, plus the nicest views I had seen where I wasn't crawling over people. Win-win!!