A Travel Price Comparison for Italy La Spezia vs. Imperia for Food, Couples, Backpackers, and Attractions

Should you visit La Spezia or Imperia?

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 Imperia. 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. Other popular activities here include nightlife, food, and beaches.

Imperia

Imperia is a charming, undiscovered, and authentic town. It's a beautiful place to visit, too. Visitors also love the food, shopping, and museums.

La Spezia and Imperia: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in La Spezia or Imperia?

Tourists will generally find more to do in La Spezia. Although La Spezia and Imperia are both popular with visitors, La Spezia has more sights, activities, and attractions for travelers. La Spezia is more popular for its food, beaches, and historical sights, while Imperia is known for its museums and impressive beauty. La Spezia is more touristy than Imperia and is popular for being the gateway to Cinque Terre. It is also home to The Maritime Museum. Imperia is popular for its access to the Ligurian coastline.

How is La Spezia different from Imperia?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

Imperia offers a variety of museums and landmarks to choose from. There are several interesting buildings of importance around town.

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 Imperia? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

La Spezia is notable for its local cuisine and restaurants. Also, Imperia is not as famous, but is still a good town to visit for its restaurants.

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.

There are plenty of up and coming restaurants around Imperia. Food ranges from typical Italian dishes to local recipes that use local ingredients. Unique ingredients in the area include trumpet zucchini, flat breads, and anchovies.

Is La Spezia or Imperia Better for Nightlife?

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

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.

Imperia has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. There are some bars and lively restaurants around town where you can spend an enjoyable evening.

Is La Spezia or Imperia Better for Beaches?

La Spezia is a popular place for the beach. However, Imperia 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.

Imperia is not a beach destination.

Is La Spezia or Imperia Better for its Old Town?

La Spezia is a popular place for its historic old town charm. However, Imperia does not have a historic old town.

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.

Imperia does not have a historic old town.

Is the Shopping Better in La Spezia or Imperia?

Shoppers can find a variety of good stores in both La Spezia and Imperia.

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 Imperia to go shopping. There are some shopping streets in town that have a mix of local brands and standard clothing shops.

Is La Spezia or Imperia Better for Families?

Both La Spezia and Imperia are good 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 Imperia. There's some nice walking trails in the countryside that the kids will enjoy.

Is La Spezia or Imperia Better for Couples?

La Spezia is notable for couples. Also, Imperia is not as famous, but is still a good town to visit for romance.

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

Imperia is a nice destination for couples. It's a beautiful town with a nice atmosphere that offers a nice break from the tourist crowds.

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

La Spezia is notable for backpackers. Also, Imperia is not as famous, but is still a good town to visit for backpackers and budget travelers.

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

Imperia is popular with backpackers and budget travelers. Accommodation tends to be affordable and there's an off-the-beaten-path vibe that some backpackers will appreciate.

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

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

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 Imperia, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. There are buses that connect the city to different areas.

Is La Spezia or Imperia a more walkable city?

La Spezia is notable for its ease of walking around. Also, Imperia is not as famous, but is still a good town to visit for its walkability.

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.

Imperia is somewhat walkable. Parts of the town are convenient to walk around.

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

Should I spend more time in Imperia or La Spezia?

How long in La Spezia or Imperia?

You'll be able to find lots of things to do in La Spezia or Imperia to fill your time. Many travelers usually spend more of their time in La Spezia than Imperia because of the number of activities and things to do in the area. Usually, 2-3 days is a good amount of time for La Spezia, and 1-2 days is enough time in Imperia.

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in La Spezia than Imperia 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 La Spezia.

One day in La Spezia or Imperia?

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.

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

A weekend in La Spezia or Imperia?

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.

You'll find museums and nightlife around the undiscovered destination of Imperia. 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 Imperia?

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.

Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the authentic town of Imperia. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

A week in La Spezia or Imperia?

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.

Imperia is a popular choice for travelers. 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 we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between La Spezia and Imperia, we can see that La Spezia is more expensive. And not only is Imperia much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Imperia would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Imperia 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 Imperia.

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 Imperia Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, La Spezia or Imperia?

La Spezia has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Imperia. When comparing the sizes of La Spezia and Imperia, 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.