A Travel Price Comparison for Italy Livorno vs. La Spezia for Food, Couples, Backpackers, and Nightlife

Should you visit Livorno or La Spezia?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Livorno or La Spezia, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Livorno

Livorno is a waterfront, friendly, and down-to-earth port city. It's a large city, so you'll find plenty of things to do around town. Visitors also love the food, shopping, and nightlife.

La Spezia

La Spezia is a lively, convenient, and cultural town. It's also popular because of the shopping, nightlife, and food.

Livorno and La Spezia: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Livorno or La Spezia?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Livorno than La Spezia, as it is bigger with more sights, attractions, and activities for visitors. Livorno is more popular for its big city activities, while La Spezia is known for its food, beaches, and historical sights. La Spezia is more touristy than Livorno and is known for being the gateway to Cinque Terre. Livorno is popular for its large port and its great seafood. It is also home to The Waterfront Promenade.

How is Livorno different from La Spezia?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

You'll find a number of decent museums and attractions in both La Spezia and Livorno.

While most people don't head to Livorno specifically for the museums and attractions, it does offer a few options. The waterfront promenade and New Venice are nice to explore. There's an aquarium in town as well as a fun central market.

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

La Spezia is great for its local flavors and cuisine. Also, Livorno is not as popular, but is still a nice port city for its local cuisine and restaurants.

La Spezia has a number of nationally recognized food spots and 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.

Livorno offers number of good local restaurants to choose from. As a port city, this is the place to try seafood. Many dishes include calamari, shrimp, or freshly caught fish. The city is less touristy than most in Italy, so even the food has an authentic and down-to-earth vibe.

Is Livorno or La Spezia Better for Nightlife?

The vibe at night is good in both Livorno and La Spezia.

If you're looking for night time activities Livorno has a few options to choose from. Most visitors arrive by cruise ship, and depart in the evening, but the city is large and for those that stay the night, there are a number of bars and clubs around town.

There's a variety of activities in the evening 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.

Is Livorno or La Spezia Better for Beaches?

La Spezia is a nice place to visit for the beach. However, Livorno is not a good destination for its beaches.

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

Livorno is a good spot to see the beach. The beaches are pebbly or rocky, so you won't really find a long stretch of sandy beach where you can relax. They can also stay very crowded.

Is Livorno or La Spezia Better for its Old Town?

La Spezia is a nice place to visit for its historic old town charm. However, Livorno 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.

Livorno does not have a historic old town.

Is the Shopping Better in Livorno or La Spezia?

If you're looking to go shopping, Livorno and La Spezia both offer plenty of good spots.

Livorno has a variety of shopping areas worth visiting. The main shopping street in town is Via Grande. It's generally filled with major chain stores and familiar brands.

La Spezia is a great destination for shopping. There's a morning market at Piazza del Mercato as well as many clothing and souvenir shops around town.

Is Livorno or La Spezia Better for Families?

Livorno and La Spezia are both good destinations for the whole family.

Livorno offers lots of family activities. The city has a nice aquarium as well as outdoor recreational activities like cycling and boating. There's a beach and parks where kids can stretch their legs and run around as well.

La Spezia is a family-friendly place to visit. 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 Livorno or La Spezia Better for Couples?

La Spezia is great for couples. Also, Livorno is not as popular, but is still a nice port city for romance.

La Spezia is a great town if you're traveling as a couple. It makes a nice base for visiting nearby sights if the more popular Cinque Terre area is too overwhelming.

Livorno is a nice destination for couples. There are some nice museums as well as parks and boat rides that couples can enjoy. There's also an aquarium and a beach.

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

La Spezia is great for backpackers and budget travelers. However, Livorno is not a good destination for backpackers.

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

Livorno is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. Most backpackers skip this city, so you won't find many hostels around town. It's a relatively affordable place to stay with some fun entertainment options if you do pass through.

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

Livorno and La Spezia both offer good public transit to get you around.

While Livorno offers some public transit options, it might not be your first choice. There are buses around town including lines that run from the central train station to the port.

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

Is Livorno or La Spezia a more walkable city?

La Spezia is great for its ease of walking around. Also, Livorno is not as popular, but is still a nice port city 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.

Livorno is somewhat walkable. Parts of the city are walkable, but if you're arriving by cruise ship, you'll want to take a shuttle bus from the port.

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

Should I spend more time in La Spezia or Livorno?

How long in Livorno or La Spezia?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Livorno and La Spezia. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in La Spezia than in Livorno. Usually, 1-2 days is a good amount of time for Livorno, and 2-3 days is enough time in La Spezia.

Families should spend more time in La Spezia than Livorno. 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 Livorno. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in La Spezia 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 Livorno 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 Livorno or La Spezia?

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

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.

A weekend in Livorno or La Spezia?

You'll find shopping and nightlife around the down-to-earth destination of Livorno. This is a popular place to visit for a weekend.A weekend should give you a good understanding of everything this port city has to offer. This port city offers a variety of activities to choose from.

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.

Five days in Livorno or La Spezia?

Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the down-to-earth port city of Livorno. 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.

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.

A week in Livorno or La Spezia?

Livorno 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.

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.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Italy, The Best Budget Tours to Italy, The Best Tours for Seniors to Italy, and The Best Contiki Tours to Italy.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Livorno or La Spezia?

Livorno has a larger population, and is about 71% larger than the population of La Spezia. When comparing the sizes of Livorno and La Spezia, 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.