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

Should you visit La Spezia or Korcula?

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 Korcula. 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.

Korcula

Korcula is a scenic, laid back, and historic island. The beauty of this spot is also one of the main reasons why visitors come. Visitors also love the scuba diving and snorkeling, beaches, and hiking.

La Spezia and Korcula: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in La Spezia or Korcula?

Visitors will usually find more to do in Korcula than La Spezia, as it offers more sights, attractions, and activities. Korcula is better known for its museums, scuba diving & snorkeling, beaches, historical sights, hiking, and impressive beauty, while La Spezia is more popular for its nightlife. La Spezia is well known for being the gateway to Cinque Terre. Korcula is well known for its small old town and its beautiful natural setting. Also, Korcula is famous for St Mark's Cathedral.

How is La Spezia different from Korcula?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

Korcula offers a variety of museums and landmarks to choose from. Most of the sights are concentrated in Korcula Town, which has a charming old town that is filled with stone houses. In the center of the old town is St Mark's Cathedral. Other points of interest include Abbey Treasury and Marco Polo's House.

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 Korcula? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Both La Spezia and Korcula offer very good local cuisine and restaurants.

La Spezia has a huge number of terrific restaurants. 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.

Dining out in Korcula is an experience not to be missed. Food is a way of life on the island, and you'll likely enjoy bread, salad, soup, and grilled meat or seafood at most meals. The ingredients are locally produced and fresh.

Is La Spezia or Korcula Better for Nightlife?

La Spezia is a town with good options for nightlife and partying. However, Korcula is a island with minimal options for its evening party scene.

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.

Korcula doesn't have the most active nightlife scene. The party scene is lacking in the old town, so this isn't the place to visit for nightlife. Many of the restaurants become cocktail bars at night, and there is a club or two that has opened in recent years.

Is La Spezia or Korcula Better for Scuba Diving and Snorkeling?

Korcula 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 Korcula. There are a few snorkeling tours that leave from the island.

La Spezia is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Is La Spezia or Korcula Better for Beaches?

Korcula is a very popular place for the beache. Also, La Spezia is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for the beach.

Many people visit Korcula for it's beautiful beaches. There are a number of beautiful beaches around the island. Head south for the sandier beaches and north for the pebbly, shallower beaches. Many people think that Lumbarda has the best beaches on the island.

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.

Is La Spezia or Korcula Better for its Old Town?

Korcula 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 Korcula. The charming old town is filled with interesting buildings and historic streets that you can explore.

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 Korcula Better for Hiking?

Korcula 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 Korcula. There are many natural and hiking areas on the island so you can enjoy a full day hike or a shorter stroll through the area.

La Spezia is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in La Spezia or Korcula?

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

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 Korcula to go shopping. You'll find boutiques, small retail shops, or stores selling knick knacks around town.

Is La Spezia or Korcula Better for Families?

Korcula 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, Korcula is very family-friendly. The island has many great hikes that are appropriate for all ages. There are also pebbly beaches where the kids can play in the water and explore.

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 Korcula Better for Couples?

La Spezia and Korcula both very good destinations for a couple.

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

Couples visit Korcula frequently as it offers plenty of romantic activities. The beautiful old town, striking coastline, and wonderful natural beauty make for a great honeymoon or romantic escape. There are many nice hikes in the area and the beaches are nice for cooling off.

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

La Spezia is a great destination for backpackers. Also, Korcula is still popular, but not quite as popular 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.

Plenty of backpackers visit Korcula. You'll find enough hostels around the island to choose from and there are usually plenty of backpackers hanging out.

Is La Spezia or Korcula Better for Students?

Korcula is a good destination for its student-friendly activities. However, La Spezia is not popular with students.

Plenty of students visit Korcula. More students have been moving to the island, and you'll find a growing student population.

La Spezia is not popular with students.

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

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

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 Korcula, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. There are buses around the island but not all routes are very frequent.

Is La Spezia or Korcula a more walkable city?

La Spezia is a great destination for its high level of walkability. Also, Korcula is still popular, but not quite as popular for its ease of walking around.

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.

Korcula is a somewhat walkable town. There are foot paths and trails all over the island but you'll want to rent a bike if you're going long distances.

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

Should I spend more time in Korcula or La Spezia?

How long in La Spezia or Korcula?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both La Spezia and Korcula. In our opinion, Korcula has more to see and do, so we recommend spending more time in Korcula than La Spezia. However, 2-3 days is a good amount of time to spend in either destination.

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

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

One day in La Spezia or Korcula?

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 island of Korcula. Many visitors spend time at the beach while visiting the area. 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 Korcula?

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 food around the scenic destination of Korcula. 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 island has to offer. This island offers a variety of activities to choose from.

Five days in La Spezia or Korcula?

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 food and scuba diving and snorkeling when visiting the laid back island of Korcula. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. It's also a great beach destination, too. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

A week in La Spezia or Korcula?

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.

Korcula is a popular choice for travelers. It's a great spot for a beach vacation. 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 2-Week Tours from Dubrovnik, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Split.

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

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 Korcula Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, La Spezia or Korcula?

La Spezia has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Korcula. When comparing the sizes of La Spezia and Korcula, 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.