A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Marrakech vs. La Spezia for Old Town, Couples, Backpackers, and Attractions

Should you visit Marrakech or La Spezia?

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

Should I visit Marrakech or La Spezia? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Marrakech

Marrakech is a cultural, high-energy, and fascinating city. Travelers will also find plenty of sights and attractions here, as it's a big city that attracts lots of visitors. The beauty of this spot is also one of the main reasons why visitors come. Visitors also love the food, shopping, and museums.

La Spezia

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

Marrakech and La Spezia: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Marrakech or La Spezia?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Marrakech than La Spezia, as it is bigger with more sights, attractions, and activities for visitors. Marrakech is more popular for its museums, historical sights, shopping, big city activities, and impressive beauty, while La Spezia is known for its beaches. Marrakech is more touristy than La Spezia and is known for its colorful medina, festive night market, and beautiful palaces. It is also home to Jemaa el-Fnaa Square. La Spezia is popular for being the gateway to Cinque Terre.

How is Marrakech different from La Spezia?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

Marrakech is a very popular place for its museums and history. However, La Spezia is lacking in good options for its museums and landmarks.

Visitors can fill many days exploring the museums and attractions around Marrakech. While wandering the medina is an attraction in and of itself, there are also several sights that you should specifically check out. The iconic Djemaa el-Fnaa, or the city's main square, is best visited as the sun goes down. Other notable landmarks include Koutoubia Mosque, Majorelle Gardens, and Medersa Ben Youssef.

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

Dining out at restaurants in both Marrakech and La Spezia can be an enjoyable experience.

Marrakech has a number of nationally recognized food spots and restaurants. Moroccan food is amazing and you'll enjoy grilled meats, tagines, couscous, and more. The city is more touristy than some parts of Morocco so you'll find the quality of the food can vary a bit, but it's still a culinary delight. Marrakesh is also a great city for taking a cooking class.

With its innovative style combined with traditional elements, La Spezia makes for a great culinary experience. 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 Marrakech or La Spezia Better for Nightlife?

Both Marrakech and La Spezia have good vibes after the sun sets.

With a handful of venues, visitors can find a fairly lively vibe in Marrakech. Although alcohol is hard to come by, you'll find it in most western style restaurants and high end hotel chains. The city has more bars and nightclubs than you'd expect. There's also a great nighttime energy with many locals heading outside in the evening. Jemaa el-Fnaa, the main square, comes to life with street vendors, performers, and people during the nighttime hours.

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.

Is Marrakech or La Spezia Better for Beaches?

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

Marrakech is not a beach destination.

Is Marrakech or La Spezia Better for its Old Town?

Marrakech is very popular for its old town. Also, La Spezia is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its historic old town charm.

Marrakech has a world-famous historical area. The historic medina is filled with spices, antiques, art, and pottery. The culture and experience of wandering the medina will have you feeling like you stepped back in time.

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 the Shopping Better in Marrakech or La Spezia?

Marrakech 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, Marrakech draws large crowds to its stores. Shop your way through the street stalls and sample perfumes, spices, produce, and more. You'll find everything from souvenir trinkets to local items and authentic antiques.

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 Marrakech or La Spezia Better for Families?

Marrakech 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, Marrakech is very family-friendly. Kids will enjoy exploring a new culture and wandering through the medina. The food is very kid-friendly and during the evening the main square, Jemaa el-Fnaa, comes to life with street performers, vendors, and entertainment. Families can also take cooking classes or head into the desert for a camel trek.

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 Marrakech or La Spezia Better for Couples?

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

Marrakech is fantastic couple's destination with fun and romantic activities. There are many wonderful restaurants and fascinating places for couples to explores. Wandering the medina or visiting the gardens make for a romantic and adventurous getaway.

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 Marrakech or La Spezia Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Marrakech is very popular for backpackers and budget travelers. Also, La Spezia is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for backpackers.

With so many budget-friendly offerings, Marrakech is extremely popular for backpackers. The city is very affordable and there are countless riads that are budget-friendly. There are enough backpackers around town that it's not hard to meet fellow travelers.

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

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

La Spezia is a popular place for times when you don't have a car. However, Marrakech is lacking in options for its public transit.

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

Public transit is limited or non-existant in Marrakech. While there are local buses, most people take taxis around town when they can't walk. Taxis are affordable and convenient.

Is Marrakech or La Spezia a more walkable city?

Marrakech and La Spezia are superb when it comes to walkability.

Marrakech is a very walkable destination. The medina is the best area to walk around but it's very easy to get lost. Outside of the medina you'll want to keep your eyes open for motorbikes and the occasional donkey.

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

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

Should I spend more time in La Spezia or Marrakech?

How long in Marrakech or La Spezia?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Marrakech and La Spezia. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Marrakech than in La Spezia. Usually, 3-7 days is a good amount of time for Marrakech, and 2-3 days is enough time in La Spezia.

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

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

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

One day in Marrakech or La Spezia?

People visit Marrakech because there is so much to do. Visiting the old town is also a must. 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.

You'll find food and shopping around the town of La Spezia. 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 Marrakech or La Spezia?

People visit Marrakech because there is so much to do. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. A weekend is usually not enough time for a trip here as there is plenty to do. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from.

You'll find shopping and nightlife around the cultural destination of La Spezia. 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 Marrakech or La Spezia?

People visit Marrakech because there is so much to do. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. If you have five days, this city makes for a great vacation. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. Most people head to the area for the shopping. Five days should give you a good understanding of everything this city has to offer.

Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the cultural town of La Spezia. 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 Marrakech or La Spezia?

Marrakech is a popular choice for travelers. One week here is typical. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Marrakech, one week is sufficent for most. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

La Spezia 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 10-Day Tours in Morocco, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Morocco, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Italy, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Italy.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Marrakech and La Spezia, we can see that La Spezia is more expensive. And not only is Marrakech much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Marrakech is in Africa and La Spezia is in Europe, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Marrakech would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Marrakech 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 Marrakech.

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

Which is Bigger, Marrakech or La Spezia?

Marrakech has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of La Spezia. When comparing the sizes of Marrakech 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.