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

Should you visit Fez 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 Fez 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.

Fez

Fez is a winding, busy, and colorful city. Travelers will also find plenty of sights and attractions here, as it's a big city that attracts lots of visitors. It's considered by many to be an absolutely beautiful destination, too. Visitors also love the shopping, museums, and food.

La Spezia

La Spezia is a cultural, lively, and convenient town. Visitors also love the food, beaches, and shopping.

Fez and La Spezia: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Fez or La Spezia?

You'll generally find more things to do in Fez than La Spezia. Fez is bigger than La Spezia, and it also has more attractions and activities for travelers. Fez is better known for its museums, food, historical sights, shopping, big city activities, and impressive beauty, while La Spezia is more popular for its nightlife and beaches. La Spezia is more touristy than Fez and is known for being the gateway to Cinque Terre. Fez is well known for its ancient medina, gorgeous riads, and amazing local dishes. Also, Fez is famous for the Chouara Tannery.

The Chouara Tannery

How is Fez different from La Spezia?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

Fez 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 Fez are world-renowned. Tucked into the medina are ancient mosques, historic universities, and beautiful gardens. Highlights of the city include Al Quaraouiyine Mosque, Dar Batha (a palace and museum), and Medersa Bou Inania (a former theological college). Another not to be missed sight is the tanneries. You'll likely smell them before you see them, but the history is truly impressive.

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

Fez 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 Fez, as it has many local or world renowned restaurants to choose from. Some of the best food in Morocco can be found in Fez. Head away from the main gates and the major tourist routes to find more local restaurants. Every visitor must try tagine. It's not actually a recipe but instead a cooking pot and technique. If you order a tagine, you'll enjoy a stew like dish that's slow cooked and usually made with lamb or chicken although vegetarian options are often available. Other dishes to try include couscous and pastilla. Pastilla is a pastry covered chicken dish that is seasoned with cinnamon and sugar.

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 Fez or La Spezia Better for Nightlife?

La Spezia is a town with good options for nightlife and partying. However, Fez is lacking in options for its evening party scene.

With a handful of venues, visitors can find a fairly lively vibe in La Spezia. 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.

Things get quiet in the evenings in Fez. It's a conservative city and the nightlife reflects that. You'll find some bars in the major hotel chains and you can often find alcohol at the more expensive restaurants.

Is Fez or La Spezia Better for Beaches?

La Spezia is a town with good options for the beache. However, Fez 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.

Fez is not a beach destination.

Is Fez or La Spezia Better for its Old Town?

Fez 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.

Fez has a world-famous historical area. The walled medina offers a maze of streets that are lined with shops selling perfume, spices, street food, and trinkets.

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 Fez or La Spezia?

Fez 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, Fez draws large crowds to its stores. Head to the medina and try your hand at negotiating. There are impressive art shops and hidden gems spread between more touristy shops selling souvenir trinkets.

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 Fez or La Spezia Better for Families?

Both Fez and La Spezia are notable to visit with kids.

Fez is a family-friendly city. Kids will enjoy wandering the medina, sampling Moroccan dishes, and trying their hand at bartering for a good price. There are several gardens that offer a quiet oasis from the chaotic streets. There's also baklava and other sweet treats that kids can taste. Many kids enjoy taking a tour to the nearby countryside where they can feed monkeys, hike, and visit local villages.

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 Fez or La Spezia Better for Couples?

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

Fez makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Couples who like an adventure will enjoy soaking up the medina, visiting the gardens, and taking a trip into the countryside.

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 Fez or La Spezia Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Fez is very popular for backpackers and budget travelers. Also, La Spezia is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for backpackers.

With so many budget-friendly offerings, Fez is extremely popular for backpackers. Prices are very affordable and there are riads that range in price and style. Many restaurants cater to different budgets and most of the entertainment involves wandering around and soaking up the atmosphere.

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

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

La Spezia is a town with good options for times when you don't have a car. However, Fez is lacking in options for its public transit.

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

Public transit is generally limited in Fez. There's a basic public transportation system with buses and a train station, but you'll likely need to take taxis if you can't walk to a destination. Taxis are affordable and abundant.

Is Fez or La Spezia a more walkable city?

Fez and La Spezia are very good when it comes to walkability.

Fez is a very walkable city. The medina can be explored on foot, but it's easy to get lost so allow a lot of time. There are several walking routes through the medina that are marked with colors but you'll likely find yourself wandering on and off the routes as you explore. Outside of the medina, you'll likely want to take a taxi.

La Spezia is a very walkable destination. 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 Fez Worth Visiting? and Is La Spezia Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in La Spezia or Fez?

How long in Fez or La Spezia?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Fez and La Spezia. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Fez than in La Spezia. Usually, 3-5 days is a good amount of time for Fez, and 2-3 days is enough time in La Spezia.

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

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

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

One day in Fez or La Spezia?

People visit Fez because there is so much to do. Visiting the old town is also a must. 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.

With food and shopping around the convenient destination of La Spezia, there's plenty to do. One day is usually not enough time for a trip here as there is plenty to do. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel.

A weekend in Fez or La Spezia?

People visit Fez because there is so much to do. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. 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.

Many people visit La Spezia for a weekend. With shopping and nightlife around the lively town of La Spezia, there's plenty to do. Because of this, a weekend is usually enough time for a trip here.

Five days in Fez or La Spezia?

People visit Fez because there is so much to do. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. If you have five days, this city makes for a great vacation. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. Five days should give you a good understanding of everything this city has to offer.

The destination of La Spezia offers nightlife and food. It offers something for everyone. Five days 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.

A week in Fez or La Spezia?

Fez 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.

La Spezia, a popular town, is full of activities for travelers. Your budget might influence how long you stay. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Morocco, The Best 10-Day Tours in Morocco, 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 Fez and La Spezia, we can see that La Spezia is more expensive. And not only is Fez much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Fez is in Africa and La Spezia is in Europe, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Fez would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Fez 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 Fez.

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

Which is Bigger, Fez or La Spezia?

Fez has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of La Spezia. When comparing the sizes of Fez 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.