Whale watching excursion with certified operators

The itineraries drawn on the map are indicative and the ports of embarkation and disembarkation indicated in red can change at the discretion of the whale-watching operators. Sighting, being free animals in their natural environment, is not guaranteed. The tourist offer and duration of the excursions vary depending on the individual operators who are to be contacted before booking.

Raise public awareness

Collaborate with research institutions

Respect the environment

Sperm whale

Dimension: max 18m
Colour pattern: dark grey, margins of the mouth and throat are often white
Behaviour: when it dives it shows its tail
Diet: Squids
Curiosity: Dives up to 3000m

Striped dolphin

Dimension: max 2,5m
Colour pattern: characteristic diagonal, light-coloured chevron on the side
Behaviour: does often bow riding
Diet: small fishes and squids
Curiosity: Social species, often in numerous groups

Common bottlenose dolphin

Dimension: max 3,5m
Colour pattern: Dark gray, lighter on the belly
Behaviour: coould be seen from the coast
Diet: fishes, shrimps, cuttlefishes or squids
Curiosity: Each one has a characteristic whistle

The sighting, being free animals in their natural environment, is not guaranteed. Click here for more information on the species that can be seen.

For further information, contact the Tourist Information and Reception Offices of the relevant Municipalities.

Comune Porto Venere
atm@parconaturaleportovenere.it
www.portovenere.com

Comune La Spezia
infocenterlia@comune.sp.it
www.comune.laspezia.it

The High Quality Whale-Watching® label

The “High Quality Whale-Watching®” (HQWW®) brand is a tool that aims to ensure the quality and sustainability of whale-watching activities. It is a registered trademark of the ACCOBAMS Agreement and developed in collaboration with the Pelagos Agreementand in consultation with industry operators. The label is intended for businesses that organize cetacean observation excursions in their natural environment. These operators undertake to respect the code of good conduct for observing animals and to raise public awareness by disseminating information on cetaceans, marine biodiversity, the activities of the two Agreements and environmental conservation.

CIMA Foundation is the only Body, Partner of ACCOBAMS, which has been distributing the brand on the Italian territory since 2019.

Click here to find out more about the brand.

The High Quality Whale-Watching® kit

  • The certificate
    The annual certificate with the name of the company and the qualified staff.
  • ILogWhales
     An ILogWhales App (ilogwhales – Google Play) was created, available on Android, to support the collection of data relating to sightings of both cetaceans and marine biodiversity. The data collected will be shared with the secretariats of ACCOBAMS and the Pelagos Sanctuary.
  • Flag
     The flag with the “High Quality Whale-Watching®” brand logo is displayed on board.
  • Whale Risk
    To effectively support customer awareness, operators received Whale Risk, a communication tool consisting of a deck of cards on the issue of threats to cetaceans and the marine environment.

Best Practices

To approach the cetaceans in their natural environment it is recommended to follow the Code of Good Conduct, both inside the cetacean sanctuary and outside. The rules apply equally to boaters, fishermen, whale watching operators or any other user. If practiced incorrectly, the observation of animals can cause disturbance, it is advisable to respect their tranquility. If disturbing behavior is noted, the sighting must be stopped immediately.

The information on the panel is only an indication of the behaviors to be respected during sightings, for completeness consult the official code of the Pelagos Sanctuary

Follow in parallel course
Maximum speed 5 knots
Maximum 30 minutes with the animals if only one boat

Don’t swim with animals

Do not feed the animals

Don’t touch the animals

Under the patronage of

Comune di Porto Venere