A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Palma de Mallorca vs. La Spezia for Nightlife, Beaches, Food, and Families

Should you visit Palma de Mallorca or La Spezia?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Palma de Mallorca 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.

Palma de Mallorca

Palma de Mallorca is a stunning, cultural, and historic island. The beauty of this spot is also one of the main reasons why visitors come. Visitors also love the nightlife, live music, and food.

La Spezia

La Spezia is a convenient, cultural, and lively town. Other reasons to visit include food, beaches, and shopping.

Palma de Mallorca and La Spezia: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Palma de Mallorca or La Spezia?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Palma de Mallorca than La Spezia. It is bigger and it has more sights, attractions, and activities for travelers. Palma de Mallorca is very popular for its nightlife, music, resorts, scuba diving & snorkeling, beaches, hiking, and impressive beauty, while La Spezia attracts visitors for its museums. Palma de Mallorca is more touristy than La Spezia and is known for its strikingly blue waters, sandy beaches, all-inclusive resorts, and vibrant towns. It is also well known for the turquoise water and white sand beaches. La Spezia is famous for being the gateway to Cinque Terre.

The turquoise water and white sand beaches

How is Palma de Mallorca different from La Spezia?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Palma de Mallorca or La Spezia?

La Spezia is a decent place to visit for its museums and history. However, Palma de Mallorca does not have museums and landmarks.

While most people don't head to La Spezia specifically for the museums and attractions, it does offer a few options. 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.

Palma de Mallorca does not have museums and landmarks.

Is the Food Better in Palma de Mallorca or La Spezia? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Both Palma de Mallorca and La Spezia offer a number of great restaurants to choose from.

The food selection at local restaurants is excellent in Palma de Mallorca. Food here is centered around pork, fish, and vegetables. It is flavored with garlic and olive oil and it offers that feeling of comfort that comes with home cooking.

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.

Is Palma de Mallorca or La Spezia Better for Nightlife?

Palma de Mallorca is very popular for nightlife and partying. Also, La Spezia is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its evening party scene.

Palma de Mallorca is a party destination, and you'll find plenty of activity all night long. Head to Magaluf and Palma for the most popular places.

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 Palma de Mallorca or La Spezia Better for Music?

Palma de Mallorca is a very popular place for its live music scene. However, La Spezia is not a live music destination.

It's worth checking out the music scene in Palma de Mallorca while you're in town. Live concerts, international DJs, and a diverse range of styles have put the island's music scene on the map.

La Spezia is not a live music destination.

Is Palma de Mallorca or La Spezia Better for Resorts?

Palma de Mallorca is a very popular place for its luxury resorts. However, La Spezia is not a resort destination.

There are plenty of resorts in Palma de Mallorca to choose from. Top resorts on the island include The St Regis Mardavall, Viva Cala Mesquida Resort and Spa, and Nixe Palace Hotel.

La Spezia is not a resort destination.

Is Palma de Mallorca or La Spezia Better for Scuba Diving and Snorkeling?

Palma de Mallorca 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 Palma de Mallorca. Head to Cala Santanyi on the south side of the island for the best snorkeling. For scuba diving, National Park of Cabrera is one of the most popular spots.

La Spezia is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Is Palma de Mallorca or La Spezia Better for Beaches?

Palma de Mallorca is very popular for the beache. Also, La Spezia is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for the beach.

Palma de Mallorca offers stunning beaches that attract visitors from around the world. The island is lined with sandy beaches and rocky coves, which have contributed to it becoming one of Europe's most popular beach destinations.

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 Palma de Mallorca or La Spezia Better for its Old Town?

Palma de Mallorca and La Spezia both have nice historical old towns that attract visitors.

Palma de Mallorca is a good destination for visiting its old town. Alcudia is the best old town on the island. It has cobblestone streets and historic walls that give it charm and history.

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.

Is Palma de Mallorca or La Spezia Better for Hiking?

Palma de Mallorca is a good destination for its hiking trails. However, La Spezia is not a hiking destination.

Palma de Mallorca offers some nice hiking trails. There are many beautiful hikes along the water and through the countryside that offer beautiful views and pass by quaint towns.

La Spezia is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Palma de Mallorca or La Spezia?

Shoppers can find a variety of nice stores in both Palma de Mallorca and La Spezia.

Plenty of visitors enjoy shopping while in Palma de Mallorca. Head to Palma for some of the areas best shopping.

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.

Is Palma de Mallorca or La Spezia Better for Families?

Palma de Mallorca 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, Palma de Mallorca is very family-friendly. The beaches are large and sandy with beautiful blue waters. There's also many activities that both adults and kids can enjoy around the island including waterparks, aquariums, and amusement areas.

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 Palma de Mallorca or La Spezia Better for Couples?

La Spezia is an excellent place to visit for romance. Also, Palma de Mallorca is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its romantic activities.

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.

Palma de Mallorca makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. With beautiful beaches and a fun Spanish flare, Mallorca makes for a memorable honeymoon.

Is Palma de Mallorca or La Spezia Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Palma de Mallorca and La Spezia are both great destinations for backpackers.

Palma de Mallorca is very popular with the backpacker crowd. There is no shortage of hostels in Mallorca so it's easy to find an affordable place to stay and a young crowd to hang out with.

La Spezia is a great island to visit for backpackers. It's more affordable than the nearby towns in Cinque Terre, but they're still easily accessible from town.

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

Visitors will find nice public transit in both Palma de Mallorca and La Spezia.

Palma de Mallorca has some public transit options. There is an efficient bus system that can get you around the island, but trips are less frequent on weekends. Pick up the Intermodal Card which can get you from town to town.

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 Palma de Mallorca or La Spezia a more walkable city?

La Spezia is an excellent place to visit for its walkability. Also, Palma de Mallorca is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its high level of walkability.

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.

Palma de Mallorca is a somewhat walkable place. It is a larger island that is not walkable, but Palma is generally a walkable area. If you stay in the central area you should be fine to explore on foot but if you want to get out into more rural areas, you'll need access to some type of transportation.

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

Should I spend more time in La Spezia or Palma de Mallorca?

How long in Palma de Mallorca or La Spezia?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Palma de Mallorca and La Spezia. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Palma de Mallorca than in La Spezia. Usually, 3-5 days is a good amount of time for Palma de Mallorca, and 2-3 days is enough time in La Spezia.

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Palma de Mallorca 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 Palma de Mallorca.

One day in Palma de Mallorca or La Spezia?

You'll find nightlife and live music around the island of Palma de Mallorca. People often spend their time relaxing at one of the resorts. 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.

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.

A weekend in Palma de Mallorca or La Spezia?

You'll find live music and food around the historic destination of Palma de Mallorca. People usually spend lots of time at the beach. A weekend is usually not enough time for a trip here as there is plenty to do. This island offers a variety of activities to choose from.

With food and shopping around the cultural 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.

Five days in Palma de Mallorca or La Spezia?

You'll find food and scuba diving and snorkeling around the cultural island of Palma de Mallorca. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. If you have five days, this island makes for a great vacation. It's also a relaxing resort destination. Five days should give you a good understanding of everything this island has to offer.

Travelers enjoy the shopping and nightlife when visiting the cultural 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.

A week in Palma de Mallorca or La Spezia?

Palma de Mallorca is a popular choice for travelers. People enjoy relaxing at one of the resorts. 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.

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.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Spain, The Best 3-Week Tours in Spain, 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 Palma de Mallorca and La Spezia, we can see that La Spezia is more expensive. And not only is Palma de Mallorca much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Palma de Mallorca would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Palma de Mallorca 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 Palma de Mallorca.

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

Which is Bigger, Palma de Mallorca or La Spezia?

Palma de Mallorca has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of La Spezia. When comparing the sizes of Palma de Mallorca 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.