A Travel Price Comparison for Italy La Spezia vs. Amalfi for Food, Couples, Nightlife, and Old Town

Should you visit La Spezia or Amalfi?

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

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for La Spezia and Amalfi. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

La Spezia

La Spezia is a cultural, lively, and convenient town. And you can't forget about the beaches, shopping, and nightlife.

Amalfi

Amalfi is a dramatic, charming, and picturesque town. It's considered by many to be an absolutely beautiful destination, too. Visitors also love the nightlife, food, and scuba diving and snorkeling.

La Spezia and Amalfi: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in La Spezia or Amalfi?

Visitors will usually find more to do in Amalfi than La Spezia, as it offers more sights, attractions, and activities. Amalfi is more touristy than La Spezia and is popular for its dramatic views, charming character, and excellent limoncello. Also, Amalfi is famous for the dramatic coastline. La Spezia is well known for being the gateway to Cinque Terre.

How is La Spezia different from Amalfi?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

Amalfi is a good destination for its museums and history. However, La Spezia is lacking in good options for its museums and landmarks.

Amalfi offers a variety of museums and landmarks to choose from. The town is an attraction in and off itself. It's filled with charm and character and visitors spend much of their time simply walking around and soaking up the atmosphere.

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

Amalfi 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 Amalfi, as it has many local or world renowned restaurants to choose from. The town's access to the beautiful sea means that many dishes use a variety of seafood. Eggplant is also a common ingredient and you'll find everything from pastas to elegant desserts around town.

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 La Spezia or Amalfi Better for Nightlife?

Amalfi 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.

Amalfi has a large number of nightlife venues. There's a good number of bars and clubs in town that often have live music or DJs. Alternatively, there are also clubs that dot the entire coastline.

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 La Spezia or Amalfi Better for Scuba Diving and Snorkeling?

Amalfi 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 Amalfi. You'll find snorkeling trips that take you along the coastline and stop at several places so you can take a peak at the underwater world.

La Spezia is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Is La Spezia or Amalfi Better for Beaches?

La Spezia and Amalfi both offer notable beaches.

La Spezia offers a nice beach destination. The beaches in the area tend to be rocky and pebbly. For the best beaches, head out of town to nearby areas.

Amalfi is a good option for a beach vacation. The beaches tend to be pebbly and rocky. During the summer months they can get very crowded, but taking a swim is a great way to escape the heat for a bit.

Is La Spezia or Amalfi Better for its Old Town?

Amalfi 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 Amalfi. The town is charming and filled with great shops and restaurants. It's the perfect place to soak up the atmosphere of the Amalfi Coast.

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 La Spezia or Amalfi Better for Hiking?

Amalfi 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 Amalfi. The coastline is filled with great trails that offer stunning views. Hiking is a top way to see the natural beauty of the Amalfi Coast and catch a glimpse at some of the best beaches.

La Spezia is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in La Spezia or Amalfi?

Shoppers can find a variety of notable stores in both La Spezia and Amalfi.

Shopping is a popular activity when visiting La Spezia. There's a morning market at Piazza del Mercato as well as many clothing and souvenir shops around town.

Many visitors go to Amalfi to go shopping. You'll find many great shops that sell everything from clothing to fine wine, local foods, or limoncello.

Is La Spezia or Amalfi Better for Families?

Both La Spezia and Amalfi are notable family-friendly destinations.

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.

You'll find plenty of kid-friendly things to do in Amalfi. The town is positioned in the middle of the Amalfi Coast, making it a great base for exploring the area. It's also one of the larger towns so you'll find more energy and things to do with kids, including the Museum of Paper.

Is La Spezia or Amalfi Better for Couples?

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

Amalfi is fantastic couple's destination with fun and romantic activities. The Amalfi Coast is a world class honeymoon destination and couples will enjoy staying in the lively town of Amalfi. It's a quaint and beautiful town in the middle of everything, so you'll have access to all that the area has to offer.

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 La Spezia or Amalfi Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

La Spezia is well known for backpackers. However, Amalfi is not particularly known for backpackers and budget travelers.

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

Amalfi is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. The area has a couple of hostels around, but in general this is a difficult place to visit as a backpacker. There are SITA buses that offer transportation, and because the town is in the middle of the coastline, it offers decent access to everything.

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

Visitors will find notable public transit in both La Spezia and Amalfi.

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

You'll find some public transit in Amalfi, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. The SITA buses offer transit between many of the towns along the Amalfi Coast.

Is La Spezia or Amalfi a more walkable city?

Amalfi is very popular for its high level of walkability. Also, La Spezia is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its ease of walking around.

It's very easy to get around on foot in Amalfi. It's a compact and charming town that is a bit flatter than some nearby villages so it's easy to explore on foot.

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

Should I spend more time in Amalfi or La Spezia?

How long in La Spezia or Amalfi?

Both La Spezia and Amalfi have a number of activities to choose from. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Amalfi than in La Spezia. Usually, 2-3 days is a good amount of time for La Spezia, and 2-7 days is enough time in Amalfi.

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

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

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

One day in La Spezia or Amalfi?

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.

You'll find nightlife and food around the town of Amalfi. 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.

A weekend in La Spezia or Amalfi?

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.

You'll find food and scuba diving and snorkeling around the charming destination of Amalfi. 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 town has to offer. This town offers a variety of activities to choose from.

Five days in La Spezia or Amalfi?

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.

You'll find scuba diving and snorkeling and shopping around the charming town of Amalfi. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. If you have five days, this town makes for a great vacation. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. Most people head to the area for the food. Five days should give you a good understanding of everything this town has to offer.

A week in La Spezia or Amalfi?

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.

Amalfi is a popular choice for travelers. One week here is typical. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Amalfi, one week is sufficent for most. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Italy, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Italy, The Best Historical Tours in Italy, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Italy.

When comparing the travel costs between La Spezia and Amalfi, we can see that Amalfi is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Europe, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

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

Which is Bigger, La Spezia or Amalfi?

La Spezia has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Amalfi. When comparing the sizes of La Spezia and Amalfi, 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.