A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Cannes vs. La Spezia for Food, Couples, Nightlife, and Beaches

Should you visit Cannes or La Spezia?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Cannes and La Spezia can help you decide which place is right for you.

Cannes

Cannes is a lavish, glitzy, and opulent resort city. The beauty of this spot is also one of the main reasons why visitors come. Visitors also love the live music, food, and scuba diving and snorkeling.

La Spezia

La Spezia is a lively, convenient, and cultural town. Other popular activities here include nightlife, food, and beaches.

Cannes and La Spezia: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Cannes or La Spezia?

Travelers will generally find more things to do in Cannes than La Spezia. While La Spezia is larger than Cannes, Cannes has more sights and attractions for tourists. Cannes is more popular for its food, nightlife, music, resorts, scuba diving & snorkeling, beaches, historical sights, shopping, and impressive beauty, while La Spezia is known for its museums. Cannes is more touristy than La Spezia and is popular for its popularity with celebrities and its role as host for the international film festival. It is also home to Boulevard de la Croisette. La Spezia is popular for being the gateway to Cinque Terre.

How is Cannes different from La Spezia?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between La Spezia and Cannes. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Cannes or La Spezia?

La Spezia is a moderate town for its sights and museums. However, Cannes does not have museums and landmarks.

La Spezia offers a handful of options for museums and historical sights. The highlight of the area is the surrounding natural beauty, but in town you can visit the Maritime Museum, The castle of San Giorgio, and The Amedeo Lia Art Museum.

Cannes does not have museums and landmarks.

Is the Food Better in Cannes or La Spezia? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Cannes is very popular for its restaurants. Also, La Spezia is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its restaurant scene.

Eat your way through Cannes, as it has many local or world renowned restaurants to choose from. The city is known for its fresh seafood and produce, local markets, and innovative chefs. There are also a number of traditional dishes that you should try in town including bouillabaisse, daube, and farcis niçois.

Dining out in La Spezia is an experience not to be missed. The town has many local flavors that incorporate seafood and other local ingredients. Focaccia is popular, as is Farinata, which is a chickpea flour pancake. Anchovies and mussels are also common ingredients.

Is Cannes or La Spezia Better for Nightlife?

Cannes is a very popular place for nightlife and partying. Also, La Spezia is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its evening party scene.

Cannes has a large number of nightlife venues. The nightlife scene is all about the glamour and prestige that this city is known for. There are exclusive nightclubs and luxury cocktail bars where the goal is to see and be seen. Parties last late into the night and the glitz and glamour fill the streets.

La Spezia has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. You'll find more bars and clubs around town than you do in the smaller nearby towns. Some people head into La Spezia for the evening to grab a drink and socialize.

Is Cannes or La Spezia Better for Music?

Cannes is very popular for its live music scene. However, La Spezia is not a live music destination.

With so many music venues, you're guaranteed a show any night of the week in Cannes. The city is famous for its music festivals, but there are also many bands, DJs, and performers who visit year round.

La Spezia is not a live music destination.

Is Cannes or La Spezia Better for Resorts?

Cannes is very popular for its luxury resorts. However, La Spezia is not a resort destination.

Vacationers flock to Cannes for its luxury resorts. The city is filled with luxury resorts and elegant hotels. Among the best are Hôtel Martinez, Hôtel Barrière Le Majestic, and Five Seas Hotel.

La Spezia is not a resort destination.

Is Cannes or La Spezia Better for Scuba Diving and Snorkeling?

Cannes is a good destination for its diving and snorkeling. However, La Spezia is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Grab a mask and fins and explore the underwater scenery in Cannes. You can arrange scuba diving and snorkeling trips from a few vendors in town. You might see sponges, sea slugs octopus, cuttlefish, lobsters and even stingrays.

La Spezia is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Is Cannes or La Spezia Better for Beaches?

Cannes is a very popular place for the beache. Also, La Spezia is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for the beach.

Many people visit Cannes for it's beautiful beaches. You can choose from both public and private beaches in the area. You'll find more amenities and convenience at the private beaches which are closer to La Croisette (the main promenade in town). These beaches also come with a price tag attached. The public beaches have a more relaxed and natural vibe but are a little less convenient to get to.

La Spezia is a good option for a beach vacation. The beaches in the area tend to be rocky and pebbly. For the best beaches, head out of town to nearby areas.

Is Cannes or La Spezia Better for its Old Town?

Cannes is a very popular place for its old town. Also, La Spezia is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its historic old town charm.

There are many historical things to see in the old town of Cannes. Known as Le Suquet, the old town has many historic landmarks including the the Château de la Castre. There are also cobblestone streets and many great restaurants around town.

La Spezia offers a nice historic old town area. The old town runs between the streets of Corso Cavour and Via Prione and is best explored on foot.

Is the Shopping Better in Cannes or La Spezia?

Cannes is very popular for its shopping opportunities. Also, La Spezia is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its shopping areas.

Known for shopping, Cannes draws large crowds to its stores. With its many affluent visitors, the shopping scene in town is filled with luxury brands and posh boutiques. Perfume and porcelain are both popular things to buy in the area.

Many visitors go to La Spezia to go shopping. There's a morning market at Piazza del Mercato as well as many clothing and souvenir shops around town.

Is Cannes or La Spezia Better for Families?

You'll find good kid-friendly activities in either Cannes or La Spezia.

Cannes is a family-friendly place to visit. Most people associate the city with the film festival and late night partying, but there are also kid-friendly restaurants, fun beach activities, and plenty of kid-friendly entertainment along La Croisette Boulevard. Make sure you check out the Grand Carousel and the many playgrounds around town.

La Spezia is a family-friendly resort city. Visitors often use La Spezia as a base for visiting nearby Cinque Terre. The surrounding region has many kid-friendly activities like hiking, swimming, and beaches.

Is Cannes or La Spezia Better for Couples?

Cannes is very popular for its romantic activities. Also, La Spezia is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for couples.

Cannes is fantastic couple's destination with fun and romantic activities. It's grand hotels and luxury beach clubs make this a perfect romantic destination. There are world class restaurants, a vibrant nightlife scene, and many romantic spots around town that make for a memorable honeymoon or couple's getaway.

Couples visit La Spezia frequently as it offers plenty of romantic activities. It makes a nice base for visiting nearby sights if the more popular Cinque Terre area is too overwhelming.

Is Cannes or La Spezia Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

La Spezia is a well-known place for backpackers. However, Cannes is not a good resort city for backpackers and budget travelers.

La Spezia is a very popular town for backpackers and budget travelers. It's more affordable than the nearby towns in Cinque Terre, but they're still easily accessible from town.

Cannes is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. It's more famous for it's celebrity jetsetters than young budget travelers, but there are still several hostels and budget accommodation options tucked away in town.

Is Cannes or La Spezia Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Both Cannes and La Spezia offer good public transit options.

Cannes has a few public transit options. There are buses that travel around the city.

La Spezia has some public transit options. Buses, trains, and ferry boats offer the main forms of transportation in the area.

Is Cannes or La Spezia a more walkable city?

Cannes and La Spezia both are high quality when exploring on foot.

Cannes is a very walkable destination. Many areas are easily explored on foot including the historic areas and the coastline.

La Spezia is very walkable. The town is easy to walk around and you'll find a pedestrian-only area downhill from the train station.

For even more information, also check out Is Cannes Worth Visiting? and Is La Spezia Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in La Spezia or Cannes?

How long in Cannes or La Spezia?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Cannes and La Spezia. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Cannes than in La Spezia. Usually, 2-4 days is a good amount of time for Cannes, and 2-3 days is enough time in La Spezia.

Families should spend more time in Cannes than La Spezia. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Cannes, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Cannes than La Spezia. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Cannes that are great for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Cannes than La Spezia if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Cannes.

One day in Cannes or La Spezia?

You'll find nightlife and live music around the resort city of Cannes. People often spend their time relaxing at one of the resorts. Since there is so much to do in the area, one day is probably not enough for all of it. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

Many travelers enjoy the food and shopping when visiting the destination of La Spezia. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

A weekend in Cannes or La Spezia?

You'll find live music and food around the opulent destination of Cannes. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. This is a popular place to visit for a weekend.A weekend should give you a good understanding of everything this resort city has to offer. This resort city offers a variety of activities to choose from.

La Spezia is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Five days in Cannes or La Spezia?

Travelers enjoy the food and scuba diving and snorkeling when visiting the glitzy resort city of Cannes. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. It's also a relaxing resort destination. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in La Spezia. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

A week in Cannes or La Spezia?

Cannes is a popular choice for travelers. People enjoy relaxing at one of the resorts. One week is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

Travelers enjoy the food and shopping when visiting the lively destination of La Spezia. This town offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Bicycle Tours in France, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in France, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Italy, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Italy.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cannes and La Spezia, we can see that La Spezia is more expensive. And not only is Cannes much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Cannes would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cannes and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in La Spezia would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in La Spezia than you might in Cannes.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cannes Expensive? and Is La Spezia Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Cannes or La Spezia?

La Spezia has a larger population, and is about 31% larger than the population of Cannes. When comparing the sizes of Cannes and La Spezia, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.