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

Should you visit Cordoba or La Spezia?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Cordoba and La Spezia can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Cordoba

Cordoba is a beautiful, colorful, and flower-filled town. The beauty of this spot is also one of the main reasons why visitors come. Visitors also love the food, shopping, and museums.

La Spezia

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

Cordoba and La Spezia: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Cordoba or La Spezia?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Cordoba than La Spezia, as it is bigger with more sights, attractions, and activities for visitors. Cordoba is more popular for its museums, nightlife, historical sights, and impressive beauty, while La Spezia is known for its beaches. Cordoba is more touristy than La Spezia and is popular for its mix of Roman, Islamic, and Spanish architecture, its whitewashed buildings and streets filled with flowers, and its handcrafted leatherwork. It is also home to La Mezquita. La Spezia is popular for being the gateway to Cinque Terre.

How is Cordoba different from La Spezia?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

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

The museums and tourist attractions in Cordoba are world-renowned. The city is filled with monuments that reflect its past. The Great Mosque (La Mezquita) is one of the most iconic sights. You can also visit Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos, Palacio de Viana, and Puente Romano.

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 Cordoba or La Spezia? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Both Cordoba and La Spezia offer a number of very good restaurants to choose from.

Dining out in Cordoba is an experience not to be missed. Like much of Spain, international travelers will have to adjust to the shifted meal schedule which means most meals are served are later than they are in other parts of Europe. The ingredients are fresh and popular dishes include Salmorejo (a tomato based soup), Rabo De Toro (stewed oxtail), and Flamenquín (deep-fried pork roll).

The food selection at local restaurants is excellent in La Spezia. 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 Cordoba or La Spezia Better for Nightlife?

Cordoba 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.

Cordoba has a large number of nightlife venues. There are cocktail bars, Flamenco shows, tapas tours, and local pubs that make for a great night out. The city offers something for everyone, whatever your style.

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 Cordoba or La Spezia Better for Beaches?

La Spezia is a town with good options for the beach. However, Cordoba is not a beach destination.

Plenty of visitors enjoy relaxing on the beach in La Spezia. The beaches in the area tend to be rocky and pebbly. For the best beaches, head out of town to nearby areas.

Cordoba is not a beach destination.

Is Cordoba or La Spezia Better for its Old Town?

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

Cordoba has a world-famous historical area. It's old town is one of the most enchanting in Andalusia. There are whitewashed houses that line flower-filled streets and its compact enough to take a leisurely stroll.

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 Cordoba or La Spezia?

Both Cordoba and La Spezia are good shopping destinations.

Many visitors go to Cordoba to go shopping. You'll find souvenir shops selling local pottery, traditional jewelry, and handcrafted leatherwork, so this is a nice place to pick up something to remember your trip.

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 Cordoba or La Spezia Better for Families?

Both Cordoba and La Spezia are good to visit with kids.

Cordoba is a family-friendly place to visit. Horse-drawn carriage rides and then a visit to the Royal Stables of Cordoba is a great option for horse-lovers. The city also has a zoo and an impressive park - Ciudad de Los Niños. If you're willing to head out of town, about 10 kilometers away you'll find Aquasierra Waterpark.

La Spezia is a family-friendly town. 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 Cordoba or La Spezia Better for Couples?

Both Cordoba and La Spezia are very good destinations for a couple's getaway.

Cordoba is a very popular place to visit for couples. Beautifully lit up at night, this is a truly romantic city. There are horse-drawn carriage rides, nice parks, and an impressive botanical garden. There are also many great restaurants that couples can explore.

La Spezia makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. It makes a nice base for visiting nearby sights if the more popular Cinque Terre area is too overwhelming.

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

Both Cordoba and La Spezia are very good destinations for backpackers.

Cordoba is a very popular town for backpackers and budget travelers. It's well-established on the backpacker circuit, so you'll find plenty of hostels around town and many opportunities to meet up with other travelers.

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 Cordoba or La Spezia Better for Students?

Cordoba is very popular for its student-friendly activities. However, La Spezia is not popular with students.

Cordoba is a very popular place to visit for students. It's a top study abroad destination for international students. The university is excellent and the city is easy to navigate. It's a cultural city with a great student-friendly atmosphere.

La Spezia is not popular with students.

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

Both Cordoba and La Spezia offer good public transit options.

Cordoba has a few public transit options. There are 15 bus lines that are operated by Aucorsa.

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

Is Cordoba or La Spezia a more walkable city?

Cordoba and La Spezia both are very good when exploring on foot.

Cordoba is a very walkable destination. It's small and compact enough to explore on foot.

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

Should I spend more time in La Spezia or Cordoba?

How long in Cordoba or La Spezia?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Cordoba and La Spezia. In our opinion, Cordoba has more to see and do, so we recommend that you spend more time in Cordoba than La Spezia. In general, 1-3 days is a good amount of time for Cordoba, and 2-3 days is enough time in La Spezia.

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

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

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

One day in Cordoba or La Spezia?

You'll find shopping and museums around the town of Cordoba. Visiting the old town is also a must. One day is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Cordoba has to offer. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

In La Spezia, you'll find shopping and nightlife. This town offers something for everyone. One day is usually not enough time for a trip here as there is plenty to do.

A weekend in Cordoba or La Spezia?

You'll find museums and nightlife around the beautiful destination of Cordoba. 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 town has to offer. This town offers a variety of activities to choose from.

In La Spezia, you'll find nightlife and food. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. A weekend here is typical. A weekend is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that La Spezia has to offer.

Five days in Cordoba or La Spezia?

Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the colorful town of Cordoba. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. Most people head to the area for the museums. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

La Spezia is a great place to explore. Five days is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. Anyone can find something fun to do here.

A week in Cordoba or La Spezia?

Cordoba is a popular choice for travelers. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. 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.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in La Spezia. Many people enjoy the shopping and nightlife when visiting La Spezia. One week may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours from Madrid, The Best 10-Day Tours from Barcelona, 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 Cordoba and La Spezia, we can see that La Spezia is more expensive. And not only is Cordoba much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Cordoba would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Cordoba 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 Cordoba.

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

Which is Bigger, Cordoba or La Spezia?

Cordoba has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of La Spezia. When comparing the sizes of Cordoba 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.