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

Should you visit Granada or La Spezia?

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

Should I visit Granada or La Spezia? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Granada

Granada is a beautiful, charming, and cultural city. It's considered by many to be an absolutely beautiful destination, too. Visitors also love the food, hiking, and shopping.

La Spezia

La Spezia is a convenient, cultural, and lively town. Other reasons to visit include food, beaches, and shopping.

Granada and La Spezia: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Granada or La Spezia?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Granada than La Spezia. It is bigger and it has more sights, attractions, and activities for travelers. Granada is very popular for its museums, nightlife, historical sights, hiking, and impressive beauty, while La Spezia attracts visitors for its food and beaches. Granada is famous for its Islamic architecture, charming old town, and the stunningly impressive Alhambra. It is also well known for The Alhambra. La Spezia is famous for being the gateway to Cinque Terre.

How is Granada different from La Spezia?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

Granada 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 Granada are world-renowned. Many visitors head to Granada specifically to visit the famed Alhambra. The palace and fortress complex will not disappoint. The gardens are beautifully maintained and the palace is filled with intricate details. It's easy to spend hours wandering around. In addition to The Alhambra, the Granada Cathedral is also impressive to visit. If you have kids or extra time to fill, head to Parque de las Ciencias, which is the city's Science Park.

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

La Spezia is an excellent place to visit for its restaurants. Also, Granada is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its restaurant scene.

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.

Visitors will find a budding food and restaurant scene in Granada. It's a very touristy city so restaurants can be hit or miss. There are some amazing local eateries, but you'll also find a number of places with lower quality, overpriced food. Classic local dishes include Churros, Plato Alpujarreño, and Habas con Jamón. Tapas are very popular and many restaurants provide free tapas with drink orders. There are also a number of Moroccan restaurants around town.

Is Granada or La Spezia Better for Nightlife?

Granada 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.

Granada has a large number of nightlife venues. The nightlife scene kicks off around 11 pm, when most people have finished up a late dinner. There's a laid-back atmosphere with pubs, live music, and dance clubs that stay open late into the night. There are several popular streets at night including Calle Elvira, Calle Reyes Católicos, and the Realejo District.

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 Granada or La Spezia Better for Beaches?

La Spezia is a popular place for its beaches. However, Granada is not a beach destination.

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.

Granada is not a beach destination.

Is Granada or La Spezia Better for its Old Town?

Granada 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.

Granada has a world-famous historical area. The Old Town spills out around the Granada Cathedral and is filled with charming pedestrian streets, lively plazas, and many great shops.

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 Granada or La Spezia Better for Hiking?

Granada 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 Granada. Ruta de Los Cahorros is a great hike about 25 minutes outside of Granada that begins in the town of Monochil. It crosses many bridges and weaves through dramatic canyons. There are places where you can wade in the water or check out a hidden waterfall. It's well worth the time and can be reached by taxi or public bus.

La Spezia is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Granada or La Spezia?

Shoppers can find a variety of nice stores in both Granada and La Spezia.

Plenty of visitors enjoy shopping while in Granada. The town is filled with souvenir shops and places to buy local items. It's fun to wander through the old town and pop into the many different shops.

La Spezia offers some nice shopping areas. There's a morning market at Piazza del Mercato as well as many clothing and souvenir shops around town.

Is Granada or La Spezia Better for Families?

Kids will enjoy a visit to either Granada or La Spezia.

Granada is a family-friendly city. While the highlight of the city is the Alhambra, kids will likely enjoy exploring the shops or seeing a Flamenco show a bit more. Just outside of town is a wonderful hike, Ruta de Los Cahorros. It begins near the town of Monachil which is easily accessible by taxi or public bus. The hike goes through canyons and across bridges and its a wonderful activity for the whole family.

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 Granada or La Spezia Better for Couples?

With fun activities for couples, both Granada and La Spezia make for a superb place to visit.

Granada makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. It is a beautiful city that is filled with charm and history. Couples will enjoy exploring the Alhambra, taking in a Flamenco show, or sipping Sangria with tapas. The city is incredibly beautiful with stunning views and many great restaurants.

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 Granada or La Spezia Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Granada and La Spezia are both superb destinations for backpackers.

Granada is very popular with the backpacker crowd. It's a touristy city and it's a popular destination for backpackers as well. There are plenty of hostels around town and the city has social atmosphere with many opportunities to meet other travelers.

La Spezia is a great city to visit for backpackers. It's more affordable than the nearby towns in Cinque Terre, but they're still easily accessible from town.

Is Granada or La Spezia Better for Students?

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

Many students visit Granada. It's a popular study abroad destination. Accommodation for students is usually affordable and this is also a great city for integrating into the local culture. You may even end up with a Spanish roommate.

La Spezia is not popular with students.

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

Visitors will find nice public transit in both Granada and La Spezia.

Granada has some public transit options. There is a comprehensive bus system around town that many tourists take advantage of. Taxis are also very affordable, so for many visitors, that is an easy option.

You'll find some public transit in La Spezia, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. Buses, trains, and ferry boats offer the main forms of transportation in the area.

Is Granada or La Spezia a more walkable city?

Granada and La Spezia are superb when it comes to walkability.

Granada is very walkable. Most of the touristy areas are easy to explore on foot, but there are some steep hills so put on your walking shoes.

La Spezia is a very walkable city. 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 Granada Worth Visiting? and Is La Spezia Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in La Spezia or Granada?

How long in Granada or La Spezia?

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

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

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

One day in Granada or La Spezia?

You'll find shopping and museums around the city of Granada. 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.

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 Granada or La Spezia?

You'll find museums and nightlife around the cultural destination of Granada. Hikers are also drawn to this area. This is a popular place to visit for a weekend.A weekend should give you a good understanding of everything this city has to offer. This city 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 Granada or La Spezia?

Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the historic city of Granada. 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 Granada or La Spezia?

Granada 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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Madrid, The Best One-Week (7-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 Granada and La Spezia, we can see that La Spezia is more expensive. And not only is Granada much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Granada would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Granada 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 Granada.

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

Which is Bigger, Granada or La Spezia?

Granada has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of La Spezia. When comparing the sizes of Granada 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.