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

Should you visit Nafplio or La Spezia?

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

Should I visit Nafplio 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.

Nafplio

Nafplio is a beautiful, picturesque, and romantic city. The beauty of this spot is also one of the main reasons why visitors come. Visitors also love the food, beaches, and shopping.

La Spezia

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

Nafplio and La Spezia: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Nafplio or La Spezia?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Nafplio. Although Nafplio and La Spezia are both popular with visitors, Nafplio has more sights, activities, and attractions for travelers. Nafplio is popular for its romantic atmosphere, beautiful architecture, and impressive Venetian castles. It is also home to Palamidi Castle. La Spezia is popular for being the gateway to Cinque Terre.

How is Nafplio different from La Spezia?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

Nafplio 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 Nafplio. There are a number of historic sights that are accessible from the town. One of the most iconic sights is the Palamidi Castle. You'll also find several fortresses in the area. There's also an archeological museum in town as well as the Folklore Museum.

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

Both Nafplio and La Spezia offer a number of superb restaurants to choose from.

Nafplio has a number of nationally recognized food spots and restaurants. The local restaurants serve up traditional Greek dishes that are local to the region and country. You'll find fresh seafood on most menus as well as moussaka, souvlaki, the famous Greek salad.

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 Nafplio or La Spezia Better for Nightlife?

Nafplio is a very popular place for nightlife and partying. Also, La Spezia is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its evening party scene.

Nafplio has a large number of nightlife venues. You'll find a good concentration of bars and clubs along the waterfront. There are also a number of smaller bars and cafes near Syntagma Square and the nearby streets. In the later hours, many bars turn up the music and turn into dance clubs.

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 Nafplio or La Spezia Better for Beaches?

For a relaxing beach holiday, both Nafplio and La Spezia are good choices.

Nafplio is a good option for a beach vacation. If you head outside of the city, you'll find some nice beaches where you can spend a day. The most notable beaches in the area are Tolo, Kandia, and Nea Kios.

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.

Is Nafplio or La Spezia Better for its Old Town?

Nafplio 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 Nafplio. The charming old town spreads out from Syntagma Square. It's a great place to start your day with many cafes spilling into the streets.

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 Nafplio or La Spezia?

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

Nafplio has a variety of shopping areas worth visiting. Shopping in the old town is charming, but for the best retail options, you'll actually want to visit the new town. There are a variety of clothing and fashion outlets, with some of the best shopping streets being Sidiras Merarchias, Argous, and Asklipiou.

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 Nafplio or La Spezia Better for Families?

Kids will enjoy a visit to either Nafplio or La Spezia.

Nafplio is a family-friendly city. The charming, car-free center is fun to explore for all ages. There are several archeological sights around town as well as playgrounds and a great castle.

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 Nafplio or La Spezia Better for Couples?

With fun activities for couples, both Nafplio and La Spezia make for a superb place to visit.

Nafplio makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Many people consider this to be one of the most romantic towns in Greece. You can explore the quaint village center and sample the cuisine at one of the many restaurants. It's easy to reach from Athens and the seaside setting is perfect any time of the year.

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 Nafplio or La Spezia Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

La Spezia is an excellent place to visit for backpackers and budget travelers. Also, Nafplio is not quite as popular, but is fairly good 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.

Nafplio is popular with backpackers and budget travelers. There are pensions and other affordable accommodation options around town, if you decide to spend a night here.

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

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

Nafplio has some public transit options. There are buses through the region that are operated by KTEL Argolidas. Most routes leave from the central bus station.

You'll find some public transit in La Spezia, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. Buses, trains, and ferry boats offer the main forms of transportation in the area.

Is Nafplio or La Spezia a more walkable city?

Nafplio is very popular for its high level of walkability. Also, La Spezia is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its ease of walking around.

It's very easy to get around on foot in Nafplio. There are parts of the center of town that are car-free and there are many great areas that you can explore on foot.

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.

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

Should I spend more time in La Spezia or Nafplio?

How long in Nafplio or La Spezia?

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

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

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

One day in Nafplio or La Spezia?

You'll find shopping and museums around the city of Nafplio. 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.

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 Nafplio or La Spezia?

You'll find museums and nightlife around the romantic destination of Nafplio. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. This is a popular place to visit for a weekend.A weekend should give you a good understanding of everything this city has to offer. This 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 Nafplio or La Spezia?

Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the picturesque city of Nafplio. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. 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 Nafplio or La Spezia?

Nafplio is a popular choice for travelers. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. 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 Greece, The Best Budget Tours to Greece, 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 Nafplio and La Spezia, we can see that La Spezia is more expensive. And not only is Nafplio much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Nafplio would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Nafplio 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 Nafplio.

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

Which is Bigger, Nafplio or La Spezia?

La Spezia has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Nafplio. When comparing the sizes of Nafplio 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.