Fancy a taste of summer? Book now 15% off experiences and tours in Early Bird!

Enter the code EARLYBIRD at checkout to claim your discount. Valid until 30 April 2026.

GIFT OP
HISTORY

Behind the scenes of our brand

From a passion for nature to an outdoor community

Outdoor Portofino was born out of a desire to share the beauty of Portofino’s sea and nature through authentic experiences. Over time, this passion has evolved into a business that helps people discover the coast and its extraordinary natural environment every day.

  • 2003

The origins of Outdoor Portofino go back a long way in time. Already in 2003 at the age of 16, during high school in a period of environmental militancy and hermitage on the park of Portofino, Luca received his inspiration. He understands that his job will be to bring people into nature

  • 2005

Two years later, in 2005, together with his friend Stefano Bellotti (founder of BlackWave), Luca founded River’s Gipsy, a traveling kayaking school – an embryo of what Outdoor Portofino will be.

  • 2011

It was already in 2011 that the first version of Outdoor Portofino was born: based in Covo di Nord Est and in collaboration with the diving center “Il Grande Blu”, KayakTrAmp (Kayak Tours in AMP) comes to life. The project develops quickly thanks to the sponsorship of Exo Kayaks and Cressi Sub and the support of the Protected Marine Area and Park of Portofino. We participate with great results in a great edition of ArteMareScienza Festival; we organize the first Clean Up event between Portofino and Camogli with a record of participants!

  • 2012

Two major transformations took place in 2012: KayakTramp changes its name and becomes Outdoor Portofino; the headquarters moves to Niasca in the bay of Paraggi (currently still our summer base). In addition to kayaking, we also organize Snorkeling, Sup and Windsurfing activities and courses.

  • 2013

A date to remember is February 6, 2013: the company (SSD a r.l.) Outdoor Portofino was born from the partners Luca, Alessandra, Sara and Angelo.
This year the first edition of the Blue Mile of Portofino will be held – an amateur swimming competition that over the years has assumed international significance – starting from Niasca and arriving at Covo di Nord Est.

  • 2014

Nature is unpredictable! It was November 2014 when a landslide hit the access to Niasca beach. Part of the beach and our base become inaccessible!
Despite the complications, our wills do not stop. For one summer we move most of the activities to Punta Pedale Beach; we still manage to maintain access to Niasca and keep some activities starting from here.

  • 2015

In the same year – 2015 – the SNS project “Sport and Nature in the Schools” and the OP Sailing School in Portofino were born; we begin to organize the first Kayak Tours with daily departures from Monterosso (Cinque Terre) and to carry out the first Orienteering activities.

  • From 2016 to 2019

We have been sponsored by Slam from 2016 to 2019: this allows us to carry out the AMP Clean UP project, cleaning the sea and the coasts of the Marine Protected Area of ​​Portofino and environmental education.
In the same year, in April 2016, the Outdoor Portofino kayak polo team made its debut in the national championship (serie B). Two years later, on June 24, 2018, the team was promoted to Serie A!

Also in 2018 we start a project that will unfortunately have a short life: trekking with donkeys in the park of Portofino begins.

And then again nature is unpredictable and ferocious. The night between 29 and 30 October 2018 the Ligurian coasts are hit by the storm Vaia, a very violent storm with waves up to 10 meters. The road between Santa Margherita and Portofino collapses at the height of Cervara, effectively isolating Portofino (and therefore also our headquarters in Niasca).

From a difficulty, we try not to break down and seize the opportunities that present themselves. Hence the idea of ​​opening the HUB of Santa Margherita Ligure: the center from which the activities unfold and from where it is possible to rent electric and normal bicycles to discover the Ligurian Riviera in a sustainable way. We inaugurate the Santa Margherita HUB in spring 2019; in addition to bicycles, we enrich our proposals with survival and yoga activities.

  • 2020-2021

2020 is coming: a tragic year for the whole world; a year of further changes and transformations. We adapt; two projects are therefore born: coasteering, a new proposal to experience the sea (after a training started in 2018) and the idea of ​​giving life to a new sector that we will call OP Science Projects.

The CRABS project comes to life from this new branch thanks to the sponsorship of “The North Face”.

  • 2022-2024

2022 is the year where we give birth to a renewed team! We want to dare the opportunity for new, promptly trained figures to grow and consolidate in the professional world fielding their personal skills.

In this two-year period, the ties between Outdoor Portofino and OutBe, the start-up founded by Luca and Alessandra in 2021, have been strengthened. The two companies and their respective teams collaborate to aim for the same objective: to increase people’s awareness and lead them to live experiences in nature.

  • 2025-2026

Outdoor Portofino is establishing itself as the outdoor center where sports, tourism, and nature come together with environmental education. We are guides, biologists, instructors, and dreamers: a team that has chosen to dedicate our lives to a simple yet powerful idea—that nature, when truly experienced, changes everything. We work in the field to test new technologies for monitoring and restoring ecosystems, collaborate with researchers and local communities, and engage citizens and outdoor enthusiasts in citizen science activities. Our goal is simple: to make a real impact, to experience the environment firsthand, to learn about it, and to work together to protect it.

and the story goes on...