A Travel Price Comparison for Italy La Spezia vs. Como for Food, Couples, Families, and Backpackers

Should you visit La Spezia or Como?

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 Como. 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 lively, convenient, and cultural town. It's also popular because of the food, beaches, and shopping.

Como

Como is a trendy, fun, and vibrant lake area. It's considered by many to be an absolutely beautiful destination, too. Visitors also love the food, beaches, and hiking.

La Spezia and Como: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in La Spezia or Como?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Como. Although La Spezia and Como are both popular with visitors, Como has more sights, activities, and attractions for travelers. Como is more popular for its food, hiking, shopping, and impressive beauty, while La Spezia is known for its historical sights. Como is more touristy than La Spezia and is known for its long-running history as a resort retreat for upscale travelers. It is also home to the lakeside setting. La Spezia is popular for being the gateway to Cinque Terre.

How is La Spezia different from Como?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Como 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 Como?

Visiting museums and landmarks is a fun activity in both La Spezia and Como.

While most people don't head to La Spezia specifically for the museums and attractions, it does offer a few options. 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.

Como offers a handful of options for museums and historical sights. Most people visit for the lakeside setting, but there's history throughout, with notable buildings including the Duomo, Museo Civico, and Basilica di Sant'Abbondio.

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

Como 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 Como, as it has many local or world renowned restaurants to choose from. The area has its own style of Italian food. Polenta is one of the most popular dishes and it's usually served with meat, fish, or cheese. You can also enjoy several different types of fish such as misultitt (dried fish), salmon trout, pike, bleak, lavarello, and perch.

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 Como Better for Nightlife?

The good nightlife scene is relatively similar in La Spezia and Como.

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.

Como has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. It is more known for its glamour and sophistication than its raging party scene. There are fine dining restaurants where you can sip wine and enjoy the view. There are also theaters and jazz clubs that offer a relaxing vibe and a nice night out.

Is La Spezia or Como Better for Beaches?

La Spezia and Como both offer good 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.

Como is a good option for a beach vacation. You'll find lakeside beaches where you can relax, sunbath, or swim. Many are affiliated with clubs and the atmosphere is often trendy and upscale. Don't expect a secluded and natural setting, but there are often nice restaurants nearby.

Is La Spezia or Como Better for its Old Town?

La Spezia is a nice place to visit for its historic old town charm. However, Como does not have a historic old town.

La Spezia has an old town worth visiting. The old town runs between the streets of Corso Cavour and Via Prione and is best explored on foot.

Como does not have a historic old town.

Is La Spezia or Como Better for Hiking?

Como 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 Como. There's a wide variety of hiking trails in the area that take you through the mountains or along the water's edge. One of the most popular trails is the Greenway del Lago di Como.

La Spezia is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in La Spezia or Como?

Como 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, Como draws large crowds to its stores. The shopping is comparable to major cities, with everything from high end boutiques to outlets and local markets. There are clothing shops, jewelry stores, and places to pick up local souvenirs. Shopping is a favorite activity for many visitors to Lake Como.

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 La Spezia or Como Better for Families?

Como 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, Como is very family-friendly. It has parks and gardens to explore, as well as Vezio Castle and many nice walking trails. A highlight for many kids is a visit to Lake Como Adventure Park.

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 La Spezia or Como Better for Couples?

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

Como is fantastic couple's destination with fun and romantic activities. Its beautiful walks, charming towns, and surrounding natural setting make this a great honeymoon and couple's getaway destination. Dine on Italian cuisine as you sip wine and look out on the pristine waters of Lake Como.

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 Como Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

La Spezia and Como are both great destinations for backpackers.

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

Como is a very popular town for backpackers and budget travelers. It's a popular destination with all types of travelers, so you'll find a decent selection of hostels to choose from, and a number of other backpackers around to hang out with.

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

Visitors will find good public transit in both La Spezia and Como.

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 Como, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. There are buses, ferries, and a funicular that travel to different towns around the lake.

Is La Spezia or Como a more walkable city?

La Spezia and Como are great when it comes to walkability.

La Spezia is a very walkable town. The town is easy to walk around and you'll find a pedestrian-only area downhill from the train station.

Como is a very walkable destination. The entire area is very walkable and you'll enjoy many great views during your stroll.

For even more information, also check out Is La Spezia Worth Visiting? and Is Como Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Como or La Spezia?

How long in La Spezia or Como?

It's fun to spend time in either La Spezia or Como. Generally, people tend to spend more time in Como due to the larger number of activities and things to do. Usually, 2-3 days is a good amount of time for La Spezia, and 2-4 days is enough time in Como.

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

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

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

One day in La Spezia or Como?

Visitors enjoy the shopping and nightlife when visiting the destination of La Spezia. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. With so much to do, one day is probably not enough time to see everything.

You'll find food and shopping around the lake area of Como. Hiking can easily take up a good amount of your time here, too. 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 Como?

La Spezia is a fun place to experience. If you have a weekend, this is a great place to go. A weekend is often enough time to do most activities. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

You'll find shopping and nightlife around the trendy destination of Como. 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 lake area has to offer. This lake area offers a variety of activities to choose from.

Five days in La Spezia or Como?

You'll find food and shopping around the lively destination of La Spezia. This town offers something for everyone. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the trendy lake area of Como. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. Many visitors also spend a good bit of time hiking. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

A week in La Spezia or Como?

The cultural town of La Spezia offers shopping and nightlife. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. 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.

Como is a popular choice for travelers. Make sure you spend some time hiking while you're in the area. 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.

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 Como, we can see that Como 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 Como Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, La Spezia or Como?

La Spezia has a larger population, and is about 16% larger than the population of Como. When comparing the sizes of La Spezia and Como, 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.