Camogli with kids: all you need to know to plan a visit to this adorable coastal town in Liguria

All you need to know to visit Camogli with kids: what to expect, best things to do, where to eat, where to stay, practical tips from a mama.

Camogli is a charming, colorful small town on the Italian Riviera Ligure, and one of the prettiest coastal villages in the country.

The town develops along a beautiful stretch of coast, on the two sides of a rocky promontory overlooked by a tall church and bell tower: one one side of it, you have the small town harbor, with boats bobbing on the water and waterfront tavernas.

On the other, you find a pretty stretch of coast, dotted by the umbrellas of beach clubs and lined by traditional Italian colorful houses looking out to the Ligurian sea.

Camogli is an adorable town and well known to tourism both local and international.

The town has all you may be looking for in a pretty coastal Italian town: houses wit vibrant colors, a walkable center, stunning food, options for day trip and a mellow, slow pace atmosphere, mixed with all the comforts you expect from a tourist- friendly seaside town.

I love Camogli.

I love its quiet main street, its pretty shops and the port restaurants.

I also love that the town manage to stay more local in feel than nearby Portofino or Santa Margherita, and that it has ferries and trains for exploring.

Last but not least, I love that Camogli has a nice, albeit pebbly, beach, perfect for swimming in summer.

Camogli is a lovely town both for a day trip or a longer stay. On this page, I share our experience of Camogli and what you need to know if planning a stay in Camogli with kids.

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Why visit Camogli with kids

I recommend visiting Camogli with kids if you want:

A coastal town with a walkable, pretty city center with restaurants and shops

A seaside town with easy swimming

A seaside town you can reach without a car

A traditional Italian town with a mix of locals and foreign visitors.

Why not to visit Camogli with kids

Camogli has a pebbly beach and is therefore not suited to sand castle making or for those looking for soft sand

Camogli is kid friendly but the beach tends to degrade rapidly and water gets deep rather fast as you leave the shore (think: above waist level for an average height adult), so you’ll need extra attention with toddlers and small kids.

Camogli has a playground but doesn’t have the same number of street games than Sestri Levante or Rapallo. It is therefore best suited to families who do not need much of that type of entertainment and are content with a beautiful beach and day trips.

Camogli is popular so you should expect crowds in July and August.

This is inevitable in Italy and a common occurrence in all pretty seaside locations yet it important to know.

The fact that Camogli is less popular with overseas visitors than Cinque Terre or Portofino doesn’t make it a hidden gem: it is a gem, but a well known and busy one!

The best things to do in Camogli with kids

The best things to do in Camogli with kids are enjoying the pretty beach and taking a stroll around the town center.

The town of Camogli develops along the coast and you can think of it as made of two main streets: the waterfront, with is a flat and lined by the colorful houses typical of this area, and a main street that runs parallel to it and that works as the main pedestrian and commercial street of the town.

The two are just beside one another and stretch between the train station and the port, which mark the two outer edges of the town: the walk between the two takes less than fifteen minutes.

Since the coastline is high here, you will find that the walk between the station and the port is on a slight incline (the station is a little further up, although nothing strenuous) and the beach is at a slightly lower level, so you find yourself going downhill or taking a few steps down to access it.

Go to the beach

The best thing to do in Camogli with kids in summer is going to the beach.

Camogli has a lovely, pebbly beach which you find along the little cove that goes from the Camogli promontory with the church to the station.

The beach small pebbles, so watershoes for kids come in handy, and is organized with some lidos and a free stretch, one beside the other.

You access the beach by a set of stairs and, depending on your preference and budget, you can just lay your towel on the free stretch or pay-as-you-go for an umbrella and loungers from one of the beach clubs.

If you opt for the free beach, you’ll have access to a basic shower and facilities.

Like everywhere in Italy, you can also use bathrooms of cafes and restaurants, as long as you make a purchase and are therefore a patron.

Need to know: the beach in Camogli slopes into the sea quite rapidly so a few steps in you already have water well above waist level (for an average height adult). This means that if you have toddlers running in and out of it you need extra attention. Despite this, the beach is kid friendly and you’ll see many families with kids – my two adored it!

There are no games or playgrounds on the beach but many shops in town sell sand toys and beach balls kids can use here. It is a fantastic beach if you have kids who love to swim as the sligthly deeper water makes it excellent for it!

Stroll around the city center

One of the most pleasant things to do in Camogli with kids is to take a stroll in the city center and live the simple summer life: head out for a stroll, have gelato, have a bite of focaccia and let the kids run along the traffic free main street.

Camogli has nice houses and a lovely round tower overlooking the sea, but it is not a big landmark type of place so you can immerse yourself in the local atmosphere and take it easy! Bliss!

For kids in need of a playgrounds stop, we found a playground in Camogli in Piazza Don Minzoni.

Enjoy the restaurants and shops at the port

Camogli has a plethora of restaurant, many of which are casual hangouts you can enjoy with the kids.

We loved just coming here for aperitivo and watch the boats go by and we also found lovely shops with qa mix of souvenir and fashion that were perfect for little gifts and mementos to bring home.

Go explore by ferry and train

Camogli is well connected with the rest of Liguria by ferry and train. From Camogli’ you can easily visit:

Genoa – by ferry or train. We came to Camogli by train from Genoa and went back by ferry, which I highly recommend! try get a seat on the right side of the dock for the best coastal views.

Porto Pidocchio – by ferry

Punta Chiappa, San Fruttuoso, Portofino

You can find here info about the Portofino line.

By train you can very much visit all of Liguria. For us, Rapallo, Santa Margherita and Cinque Terre are highlights.

Where to eat in Camogli

In Camogli, you can taste all the best food liguria has to offer, including pesto, seafood and focaccia, of course!

Some addresses you may enjoy are:

Sâ – delicious, family restaurant in Camogli with options for everyone (pasta, seafood, meat).

Address: Via Piero Schiaffino 5, 16032 Camogli

Izoa – excellent, refined restaurant with stunning views. The dishes are delicious and very well presented and the atmosphere romantic but the menu is varied enough to also offer good options for kids.

Address: Via Giuseppe Garibaldi 99, 16032 Camogli

Pizzeria del Duca – you don’t go to Liguria for pizza but kids are kids so if they fancy one, Camogli delivers! Pizzeria del Duca has nice, thin crust pizza and is a great budget, family friendly option for pizza dinner in Camogli with kids.

Address: Via G.B. Ferrari, near Hotel Cenobio, 16032 Camogli

Best focaccia in Camogli: Revello Focacceria, Via Giuseppe Garibaldi 183, 16032 Camogli

Where to stay in Camogli with kids

Like in most localities in this area, accommodation for families is mostly apartments, with a handful of good hotels with family rooms.

Family accommodation you may like in Camogli includes:

Soffio di Mare (click for photos and prices) – close to the station and the beach, Soffio di Mare has lovely, clean family rooms with free wifi, a nice garden and air conditioning. A lovely, well placed home base for a short stay.

Hotel Cenobio dei Dogi (click for photos and prices)- great 4 star hotel in Camogli with family rooms, pool, restaurant on site, close to the station and the beach. Ideal especially for families with one child.

How to get to Camogli

Camogli is easy to reach by train, car or ferry.

By train – the station of Camogli is called “Camogli San Fruttuoso” and it is served by regular trains from/ to Genova and La Spezia. The station is in town and allows easy access to the rest of Camogli in foot.

By Ferry – Camogli is connected by ferry to Genoa, Recco and Portofino

By Car – due to the limited parking availability in Camogli, if driving here I recommend you find a place with private parking and then explore locally by public transport.

The best time to visit Camogli with kids

The best time to visit Camogli with kids is late spring to September, when you can enjoy the beach and the trips by ferry.

Please be advised that the months of July and August are the best for enjoying the sea but they are hot and very crowded. Air conditioning at your accommodation in summer is a must.

While there is local life in Camogli in winter, due to to coastal nature of the small town you may find a visit in winter more limiting in terms of services. I only recommend visiting in winter if looking for a quiet hideaway.

I hope you enjoyed this travel guide to Camogli with kids and it helped you plan your stay!

Camogli with kids – pin this!