Camogli and Santa margherita Ligure

Flying in and out of Milan makes it quicker and easier to go to Genoa, if you can do that.

We have been to these wonderful towns several times and fly in and out of Milan. We rent a car to drive there. Look at Hotel Continental in SML, directly on waterfront. Also Grand Hotel Miramare.
In Camogli, Cenobio dei Doge.
From Rome, fly or train.

I stayed at the Hotel Metropole in SML. A five minute walk from the train station and a ten minute walk into town.

I'd stay there again.

I fly home on the 3 pm ish flight from FCO after enjoying those towns.
The best plan seems to be train it to Genoa and fly from Genoa to FCO
the morning of my departure . Do you all agree?

This would make me very nervous. Stuff happens.
I'd be in my departure city the night before- even if flight is 3 pm which mean at the airport by 12.

We stayed at Hotel Continental. If your budget allows get a room with a terrace. Super nice.

We were headed to Rome after SML-took train from Rapallo- it was either a fast train or an iC- can't remember. But it was direct.

I stayed in Camogli in 2017 at what was then called the Hotel Casmona (since renovated and now called Sublimis Boutique Hotel). I can speak only of the location, which was great - spectacular views down on the beach with a view of sunset into the ocean.

Camogli was wonderful - delightful little town. Santa Margherita Ligure, which I visited on this same trip and a return trip a few years later, is also really nice - bigger than Camogli, a little less quaint, maybe. Not a mistake to stay in either town. For what it's worth, both towns get train service, but I think fewer trains stop in Camogli. This wasn't a problem for me, though. There is plenty of train service to both towns.

If you are up for hiking, there are some nice hikes in the area, though one that I did was a challenging hike I wasn't really prepared for, the hike from San Rocco to San Fruttuoso (it's more of a walk from Camogli up a zillion steps to San Rocco but easy if you take your time). There are two hiking paths; the one I picked, via Batterie, does not have a trail with solid footing everywhere - some parts require scaling along the hill by holding on to chains that are hammered into the rocks! It was nerve-wracking, but I made it, and the views were pretty nice. The alternate path not via Batterie is apparently easier but not as scenic.

You can also do the easy hike from Santa Margherita Ligure to Portofino. You can hike from there to the abbey at San Fruttuoso (haven't hiked that, no idea how difficult). At San Fruttuoso there's also a cove where you can go swimming. A ferry connects Rapallo, SML, San Fruttuoso, and Camogli I believe - I used it between San Fruttuoso and SML.

Thank you all for your suggestions.

I will already have been be in Naples preceding Camogli and SML.
my long haul US - FCO flights are already booked.

I understand the concern to play it very safe in prep for the long haul return flight home. How about if I take the 650 am flight out of Genoa to give more time to catch my 3 pm ish flight home?

Big question- do you think my bag and I are more likely to successfully make my connection in Rome to fly home, if I take the train or fly to Rome ?

Decisions decisions

Thanks for the travel camaraderie

J

You would need to be at Genova airport by 5ish
Would you spend the night before in Genova?

You are adding train trip and a flight, either could be delayed

Are you willing to take the risk of missing your flight?

If you must I would take early train to Rome then to airport

If you stay is Santa Margherita Ligure, you can take a bus to Portofino.
The highlight of our day trip to Portofino was walking the trail up to Castello Brown for the spectacular views.

I agree with ChristineH. I’d not want to risk missing my (expensive) transatlantic flight back to the U.S., thus the recommendation to spend your last night in Rome.

Enjoy your trip!

Edited to add:
I almost forgot. When we visited SML (we stayed in Rapallo) we enjoyed the guided tour of Villa Durazzo. Don’t forget to check out the beautiful patio & gardens

The easiest way to me would be to take the train from Santa Margherita to Rome the day before. It looks to me like you can travel by train from Santa Margherita to Rome in about 5 hours if you plan ahead. I doubt you will train and fly from Genoa any faster. I would not leave it for the day of, not only do you risk missing your flight, but it would be a very long travel day. Instead have a relaxing last evening in Rome.

I love Santa Margherita. Camogli is a wonderful town but harder to get around, less shops and restaurants and lot of stairs and hills. Santa Margherita Ligure is much easier to get around. Just take a quick 4 min train to visit Camogli.
I agree with Rome. From my home in Miami, it is the only non-stop flight. I take the train. There are 1 or 2 fast direct trains from Rapallo to Rome in 3.5 hours! I just catch a cab from Santa to Rapallo to catch the train. You can also take the train but then you have to drag your bags with you. Definitely download trenitalia app. Make scheduling and ticketing a breeze.
I also go to Rome the day before my flight home and always have a few destinations to visit and eat that night.
I always have bad luck at Milano.
And last thing: both Rome and MIlano the train comes in to the center of the town. Both cases you have to take a train or cab to get to airports. I have the hotel schedule me a ride in the morning before my flight.
R

I agree that staying in SML makes more sense, and visiting Camogli from there - but take the bus. That ride is exhilarating! I love Camogli but was just there in September and everything was closed in the middle of the day.