A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Chania vs. La Spezia for Food, Beaches, Attractions, and Old Town

Should you visit Chania or La Spezia?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Chania or La Spezia, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Chania

Chania is a idyllic, charming, and picturesque city. It's a large city, so you'll find plenty of things to do around town. Visitors also love the nightlife, food, and scuba diving and snorkeling.

La Spezia

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

Chania and La Spezia: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Chania or La Spezia?

Travelers will generally find more things to do in Chania than La Spezia. While La Spezia is larger than Chania, Chania has more sights and attractions for tourists. Chania is popular for its beautiful beaches, impressive historic sights, and diverse local cuisine. It is also home to The Venetian Harbor. La Spezia is popular for being the gateway to Cinque Terre.

How is Chania different from La Spezia?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

Chania is a very popular place for its museums and history. However, La Spezia is lacking in good options for its museums and landmarks.

Visitors can fill many days exploring the museums and attractions around Chania. The city is filled with historic sights such as the Venetian Lighthouse, the Castle of Gramvoussa, the Ottoman Baths, and the Clock Tower. There's also the Archeological Museum, where you can learn about the history of the area.

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.

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

Chania 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 Chania, as it has many local or world renowned restaurants to choose from. The city is filled with traditional and modern restaurants that serve fresh and delicious dishes. The local cuisine is heavily influenced by the many invaders of the island. You'll note culinary influences from the Venetians, Egyptians, and Ottomans. The island also traded with the Jewish, Arab, and European populations, so they have also influenced the cuisine.

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 Chania or La Spezia Better for Nightlife?

Party-goers will find similar levels of energy in Chania and La Spezia.

Chania has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. The town is more known for its relaxed vibe in the evening than its all-night parties. Many visitors enjoy a laid back night in one of the town's many local pubs. You'll find the most charming places tucked away down side alleys in the old town.

If you're looking for night time activities La Spezia has a few options to choose from. 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 Chania or La Spezia Better for Scuba Diving and Snorkeling?

Chania 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 Chania. There are snorkeling trips from town that take you to some of the better snorkeling sights in the area.

La Spezia is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Is Chania or La Spezia Better for Beaches?

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

Chania offers stunning beaches that attract visitors from around the world. You'll find picturesque beaches near town that have white sand or colored pebbles. The beaches range from urban and crowded to hidden gems, but each has striking blue water and the atmosphere of paradise. Favorite beaches in the area include Balos, Falassarna, and Elafonissi.

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 Chania or La Spezia Better for its Old Town?

Chania 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 Chania. Surrounding the Venetian Harbor is the town's old town. It's filled with restaurants, shops, and cafes that offer a quaint atmosphere for visitors.

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 Chania or La Spezia Better for Hiking?

Chania is a very popular place for its hiking trails. However, La Spezia is not a hiking destination.

Many visitors explore the nearby hiking trails while visiting Chania. Outside of town there are many hikes that take you through beautiful gorges, along the scenic coastline, or through the unique countryside.

La Spezia is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Chania or La Spezia?

Shopping is a popular activity in both La Spezia and Chania.

Many visitors go to Chania to go shopping. Head to the old town to browse shops selling local favorites such as traditional island knives and locally made ceramics. There are also jewelry boutiques and other clothing shops around town.

Plenty of visitors enjoy shopping while in La Spezia. There's a morning market at Piazza del Mercato as well as many clothing and souvenir shops around town.

Is Chania or La Spezia Better for Families?

Chania is a very popular place for its kid-friendly activities. Also, La Spezia is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its family-friendly activities.

Because of its large number of kid-friendly activities, Chania is very family-friendly. Kids will enjoy exploring the old town, with its many markets and shops. Wandering around the harbor is also a highlight for many families. There are also several kid-friendly museums such as the Minoan's World 3D Museum and 9D Cinema, the Maritime Museum, and the Archaeological Museum of Chania. There are also kid-friendly activities just outside of town like a visit to Lake Kournas or any of the nearby archeological sites.

You'll find plenty of kid-friendly things to do in La Spezia. 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 Chania or La Spezia Better for Couples?

Chania and La Spezia are both great to visit as a couple.

Couples visit Chania frequently as it offers plenty of romantic activities. The old town, waterfront harbor, and outstanding restaurants make this a great place to stop on any romantic trip.

La Spezia is a great city if you're traveling as a couple. It makes a nice base for visiting nearby sights if the more popular Cinque Terre area is too overwhelming.

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

Chania and La Spezia are great places to visit for backpackers and budget travelers.

Chania is a very popular city for backpackers and budget travelers. There is no shortage of hostels around town that make this an affordable place to stay for backpackers.

La Spezia is very popular with the backpacker crowd. It's more affordable than the nearby towns in Cinque Terre, but they're still easily accessible from town.

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

You'll find somewhat comparable public transit options in both Chania and La Spezia.

You'll find some public transit in Chania, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. KTEL bus service operates routes both within town and to nearby localities.

While La Spezia offers some public transit options, it might not be your first choice. Buses, trains, and ferry boats offer the main forms of transportation in the area.

Is Chania or La Spezia a more walkable city?

Chania and La Spezia both are great when exploring on foot.

Chania is a very walkable destination. The historic center and harbor areas are compact and walkable. There are some beaches outside of town that can be walked to as well if necessary.

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 Chania Worth Visiting? and Is La Spezia Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in La Spezia or Chania?

How long in Chania or La Spezia?

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

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Chania 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 Chania.

One day in Chania or La Spezia?

You'll find nightlife and food around the city of Chania. Many visitors spend time at the beach while visiting the area. 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 Chania or La Spezia?

You'll find food and scuba diving and snorkeling around the charming destination of Chania. Hikers are also drawn to this area. A weekend is usually not enough time for a trip here as there is plenty to do. This 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 Chania or La Spezia?

Travelers enjoy the scuba diving and snorkeling and shopping when visiting the picturesque city of Chania. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. It's also a great beach destination, too. 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 Chania or La Spezia?

Chania is a popular choice for travelers. It's a great spot for a beach vacation. 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 convenient 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 Adventure Tours to Greece, The Best Cruise Tours and Packages in Greece, 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 Chania and La Spezia, we can see that La Spezia is more expensive. And not only is Chania much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Chania would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Chania 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 Chania.

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

Which is Bigger, Chania or La Spezia?

La Spezia has a larger population, and is about 67% larger than the population of Chania. When comparing the sizes of Chania 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.