A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers La Spezia vs. Mont-Saint-Michel for Attractions, Couples, Food, and Backpackers

Should you visit La Spezia or Mont-Saint-Michel?

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 Mont-Saint-Michel. 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.

Mont-Saint-Michel

Mont-Saint-Michel is a religious, historic, and breathtaking island. It's considered by many to be an absolutely beautiful destination, too. Visitors also love the hiking, museums, and food.

La Spezia and Mont-Saint-Michel: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in La Spezia or Mont-Saint-Michel?

Visitors will usually find more to do in La Spezia than Mont-Saint-Michel, as it offers more sights, attractions, and activities. La Spezia is better known for its food, nightlife, beaches, historical sights, and shopping, while Mont-Saint-Michel is more popular for its museums, hiking, and impressive beauty. Mont-Saint-Michel is more touristy than La Spezia and is popular for its Gothic-style abbey and its medieval village that stands at its base. La Spezia is well known for being the gateway to Cinque Terre. Also, La Spezia is famous for The Maritime Museum.

How is La Spezia different from Mont-Saint-Michel?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Mont-Saint-Michel 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 Mont-Saint-Michel?

Mont-Saint-Michel 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 Mont-Saint-Michel are world-renowned. Visitors come to see the iconic Abbaye du Mont Saint-Michel which has been the inspiration for tourists and religious pilgrims for centuries. Make sure you see the Ramparts and La Grande Rue.

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 Mont-Saint-Michel? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

La Spezia is a great destination for its restaurant scene. Also, Mont-Saint-Michel is still popular, but not quite as popular for its local flavors and cuisine.

Eating is part of the travel experience when you visit 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.

Mont-Saint-Michel is becoming an appealing option for foodies. There are a number of local restaurants to choose from that serve authentic French cuisine including the pre-salted sheep, which is a local specialty.

Is La Spezia or Mont-Saint-Michel Better for Nightlife?

La Spezia is very good for nightlife and partying. However, Mont-Saint-Michel 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.

The nightlife scene is quiet in Mont-Saint-Michel Most people visit the island as a daytrip and nightlife is essentially nonexistent.

Is La Spezia or Mont-Saint-Michel Better for Beaches?

La Spezia is very good for the beache. However, Mont-Saint-Michel is not a beach destination.

Many people head to La Spezia to enjoy the beach. The beaches in the area tend to be rocky and pebbly. For the best beaches, head out of town to nearby areas.

Mont-Saint-Michel is not a beach destination.

Is La Spezia or Mont-Saint-Michel Better for its Old Town?

La Spezia is very good for its old town. However, Mont-Saint-Michel does not have a historic old town.

Many people head to La Spezia to see the old town. The old town runs between the streets of Corso Cavour and Via Prione and is best explored on foot.

Mont-Saint-Michel does not have a historic old town.

Is La Spezia or Mont-Saint-Michel Better for Hiking?

Mont-Saint-Michel is a good destination for its hiking trails. However, La Spezia is not a hiking destination.

Mont-Saint-Michel offers some nice hiking trails. There's a 4.2 mile out and back trail that can be walked in about 1.5 hours.

La Spezia is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in La Spezia or Mont-Saint-Michel?

La Spezia is very good for its shopping opportunities. However, Mont-Saint-Michel is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

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.

Mont-Saint-Michel is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

Is La Spezia or Mont-Saint-Michel Better for Families?

La Spezia is very good for its family-friendly activities. However, Mont-Saint-Michel is a island with minimal options for its kid-friendly activities.

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.

For families, Mont-Saint-Michel is not always the best place to visit. Kids may enjoy a horse drawn carriage ride or exploring the grounds, but it can make for a long day for kids with short attention spans.

Is La Spezia or Mont-Saint-Michel Better for Couples?

Mont-Saint-Michel is very popular for its romantic activities. Also, La Spezia is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for couples.

Mont-Saint-Michel is fantastic couple's destination with fun and romantic activities. It's a stunning setting and makes a romantic backdrop for a couples holiday, whether it's part of a longer trip to France or a short weekend away.

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 Mont-Saint-Michel Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

La Spezia is a great destination for backpackers. Also, Mont-Saint-Michel 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.

It's common for backpackers to visit Mont-Saint-Michel. You'll find a couple of hostels an cheap hotels in the area.

Is La Spezia or Mont-Saint-Michel Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Visitors will find notable public transit in both La Spezia and Mont-Saint-Michel.

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 Mont-Saint-Michel, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. There's a free shuttle bus that connects Mont-Saint-Michel to the mainland.

Is La Spezia or Mont-Saint-Michel a more walkable city?

La Spezia and Mont-Saint-Michel are high quality 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.

Mont-Saint-Michel is a very walkable destination. There are many stunning walks in the area.

For even more information, also check out Is La Spezia Worth Visiting? and Is Mont-Saint-Michel Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Mont-Saint-Michel or La Spezia?

How long in La Spezia or Mont-Saint-Michel?

You'll be able to find lots of things to do in La Spezia or Mont-Saint-Michel to fill your time. Many travelers usually spend more of their time in La Spezia than Mont-Saint-Michel 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 Mont-Saint-Michel.

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in La Spezia than Mont-Saint-Michel 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 Mont-Saint-Michel?

With nightlife and food around the destination of La Spezia, there's plenty to do. Since there is so much to do in the area, one day is probably not enough for all of it. It offers something for everyone.

You'll find food and museums around the island of Mont-Saint-Michel. One day is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Mont-Saint-Michel has to offer. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

A weekend in La Spezia or Mont-Saint-Michel?

With food and shopping around the lively town of La Spezia, there's plenty to do. Your budget might influence how long you stay. This is a popular place to visit for a weekend. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here.

You'll find museums and food around the religious destination of Mont-Saint-Michel. 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 Mont-Saint-Michel?

Travelers enjoy the shopping and nightlife when visiting the lively destination of La Spezia. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do. Five days is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days.

Travelers enjoy the food and museums when visiting the inspiring island of Mont-Saint-Michel. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. Most people head to the area for the museums. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

A week in La Spezia or Mont-Saint-Michel?

La Spezia is a popular choice for travelers. This town offers a variety of activities to choose from. One week may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing.

Mont-Saint-Michel 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 River Cruises in France, and The Best Bicycle Tours in France.

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

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 Mont-Saint-Michel Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, La Spezia or Mont-Saint-Michel?

La Spezia has a larger population, and is about 1140 times larger than the population of Mont-Saint-Michel. When comparing the sizes of La Spezia and Mont-Saint-Michel, 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.