If you jump on the ferry line 4 from Santa Margherita it will take you down to the Cinque Terre with a 3 hour stop in Monterosso and 1 hour in Riomaggiore. It is a beautiful view from the water and both towns are worth a wonder around........ they are hilly though.
We all love Portofino and you can either put your walking shoes on and do the walk from Santa Margherita to Portofino or jump on ferry line 1 from Santa Margherita to Portofino via the water. Climb to the top of the castle where we originally got married & be rewarded with the best view on the whole coastline. Have lunch and a walk around town and then either walk or ferry back.
Along the coastline there are so many beautiful villages. So if you are feeling a little more adventurous than the ferry, we recommend hiring a private smaller boat and getting out on the water. This company is located in the marina at Santa Margherita and hire out the boats. There are a few companies along the marina that offer private boat hire.