A Travel Price Comparison for Italy Piazza Armerina vs. La Spezia for Attractions, Food, Old Town, and Couples

Should you visit Piazza Armerina or La Spezia?

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 Piazza Armerina and La Spezia. 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.

Piazza Armerina

Piazza Armerina is a historic, charming, and authentic town. Visitors also love the food and museums.

La Spezia

La Spezia is a cultural, lively, and convenient town. And you can't forget about the nightlife, food, and beaches.

Piazza Armerina and La Spezia: Pros and Cons

Pros
  • Popular museums and historical sights
  • Good for couples and romance
Things to Consider
  • Less popular for nightlife
  • Less family-friendly
  • Less popular with backpackers
Pros
  • Active nightlife
  • Popular beach
  • Fun shopping
  • Family-friendly
  • Good for couples and romance
  • Good for backpackers and budget travelers
Things to Consider
  • Less museums and historical sights


Is there more to do in Piazza Armerina or La Spezia?

Visitors will usually find more to do in La Spezia than Piazza Armerina, as it offers more sights, attractions, and activities. La Spezia is better known for its food, nightlife, beaches, and shopping, while Piazza Armerina is more popular for its museums and historical sights. La Spezia is more touristy than Piazza Armerina and is popular for being the gateway to Cinque Terre. Also, La Spezia is famous for The Maritime Museum. Piazza Armerina is well known for it's local atmosphere and its premiere historic sight - the Villa Romana del Casale.

How is Piazza Armerina different from La Spezia?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

Piazza Armerina
La Spezia

Piazza Armerina 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 Piazza Armerina. Most people head to town specifically to visit Villa Romana del Casale, which is a few kilometers away. It's a beautiful Roman villa that can be explored in a few hours. Also in town is an Aragonese Castle and an 18th century Duomo.

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 Piazza Armerina or La Spezia? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Piazza Armerina
La Spezia

La Spezia is notable for its local cuisine and restaurants. Also, Piazza Armerina is not as famous, but is still a good town to visit for its restaurants.

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.

Piazza Armerina is becoming an appealing option for foodies. Most visitors pass through town, stopping to visit Villa Romana del Casale. There are some pizzerias and other casual restaurants where you can grab a bite to eat.

Is Piazza Armerina or La Spezia Better for Nightlife?

Piazza Armerina
La Spezia

La Spezia is a good destination for nightlife and partying. However, Piazza Armerina is a mediocre town for its evening party scene.

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.

Piazza Armerina doesn't offer many options. While many tourists pass through town with the intent of visiting the Villa Romana del Casale, most don't linger long enough appreciate the town at night.

Is Piazza Armerina or La Spezia Better for Beaches?

Piazza Armerina
La Spezia

La Spezia is a good destination for the beache. However, Piazza Armerina is not a beach destination.

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

Piazza Armerina is not a beach destination.


Is Piazza Armerina or La Spezia Better for its Old Town?

Piazza Armerina
La Spezia

Piazza Armerina 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 Piazza Armerina. The old town has a bit of authenticity that is missing from some of the more popular Sicilian cities. While it may feel a little worn to some people, those who like to get away from the souvenir shops will appreciate a visit.

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 Piazza Armerina or La Spezia?

Piazza Armerina
La Spezia

La Spezia is a good destination for its shopping opportunities. However, Piazza Armerina 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.

Piazza Armerina is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

Is Piazza Armerina or La Spezia Better for Families?

Piazza Armerina
La Spezia

La Spezia is a good destination for its family-friendly activities. However, Piazza Armerina is a mediocre town for its kid-friendly activities.

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.

Piazza Armerina is not always a place people visit with their families. Most people head to the town to explore the Villa Romana del Casale. The beauty and history may not thrill all kids, but if your kids enjoy a bit of history they will likely appreciate a visit. The town also has an Aragonese Castle that you can visit.


Is Piazza Armerina or La Spezia Better for Couples?

Piazza Armerina
La Spezia

La Spezia is notable for its romantic activities. Also, Piazza Armerina is not as famous, but is still a good town to visit for couples.

La Spezia is a very popular place to visit for couples. It makes a nice base for visiting nearby sights if the more popular Cinque Terre area is too overwhelming.

Piazza Armerina is a good town for couples to visit. For history enthusiasts, this is a popular place to visit. Like most visitors, couples will appreciate a visit to the town's main attraction Villa Romana del Casale.

Is Piazza Armerina or La Spezia Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Piazza Armerina
La Spezia

La Spezia is notable for backpackers. However, Piazza Armerina is a mediocre town 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.

Piazza Armerina is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. Although it's a popular tourist destination, there are a limited number of hostels in town.

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

Piazza Armerina
La Spezia

Both Piazza Armerina and La Spezia offer notable public transit options.

Piazza Armerina has a few public transit options. You can reach the town by bus and once there it's possible to explore on foot.

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


Is Piazza Armerina or La Spezia a more walkable city?

Piazza Armerina
La Spezia

Piazza Armerina and La Spezia both are excellent when exploring on foot.

Piazza Armerina is a very walkable town. You can explore most of the old and new towns 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 Piazza Armerina Worth Visiting? and Is La Spezia Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in La Spezia or Piazza Armerina?

How long in Piazza Armerina or La Spezia?

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

Families should spend more time in La Spezia than Piazza Armerina. 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 Piazza Armerina. 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 Piazza Armerina 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.


  • How many days in Piazza Armerina or La Spezia? Ideal Length of Stay
    Piazza Armerina 1-2 
    La Spezia 2-3

One day in Piazza Armerina or La Spezia?

You'll find food and museums around the town of Piazza Armerina. Visiting the old town is also a must. One day is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Piazza Armerina has to offer. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

The lively destination of La Spezia offers food and shopping. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One day is usually not enough time for a trip here as there is plenty to do.

A weekend in Piazza Armerina or La Spezia?

You'll find museums and food around the authentic destination of Piazza Armerina. 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 town has to offer. This town offers a variety of activities to choose from.

The town of La Spezia offers shopping and nightlife. A weekend here is typical. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything. A weekend is often enough time to do most activities.


Five days in Piazza Armerina or La Spezia?

Travelers enjoy the food and museums when visiting the charming town of Piazza Armerina. 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. This town offers something for everyone. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything.

A week in Piazza Armerina or La Spezia?

Piazza Armerina 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.

Many people enjoy the food and shopping when visiting La Spezia. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. One week is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.


For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Bicycle Tours in Italy, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Italy, The Best Coach Bus Tours in Italy, and The Best Adventure Tours to Italy.


Which place is cheaper, La Spezia or Piazza Armerina?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Piazza Armerina is €93, while the average daily cost in La Spezia is €198. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Piazza Armerina and La Spezia in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Piazza Armerina 56
    La Spezia 113
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Piazza Armerina 112
    La Spezia 226
Compare Hotels in Piazza Armerina and La Spezia

Looking for a hotel in Piazza Armerina or La Spezia? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Piazza Armerina


Hotels in La Spezia


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Piazza Armerina Hotel Prices and La Spezia Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Piazza Armerina 4.29
    La Spezia 41

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Piazza Armerina

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Piazza Armerina:

  • From Catania: Return Transfer to Piazza Armerina & Agrigento: $106

Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Spezia

Also for La Spezia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Transfer from La Spezia Hotels to La Spezia Cruise Port: $22
  • Private Transfer from La Spezia Cruise Port to La Spezia hotels: $22
  • Private Transfer from La Spezia Port to La Spezia Hotels: $22
  • La Spezia Cruise Port to La Spezia hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $44
  • Private Transfer Porto Venere or Lerici to La Spezia by car / van: $91
  • Arrival Private Transfer from La Spezia to Porto Venere or Lerici: $91
  • La Spezia Cruise Port to Florence - Arrival Private Transfer: $130
  • Private Transfer from La Spezia to Cinque Terre by car or van: $141
  • Private Transfer La Spezia to Pisa by Business or Luxury Vehicle: $202
  • Private Transfer from La Spezia to Florence : $242
  • Arrival Private Transfer La Spezia to Genoa by Business or Luxury Vehicle: $253
  • La Spezia Cruise Port to Florence - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $260

Is it cheaper to fly into Piazza Armerina or La Spezia?

Prices for flights to both La Spezia and Piazza Armerina change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Piazza Armerina 33
    La Spezia 56

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in La Spezia

For La Spezia, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • La Spezia Cinque Terre Food Tour: $91
  • Small-Group Street Food Tour: $95
  • Tour of Apericena at Sunset and Dinner on Boat: $96
  • Portovenere: Sunset Cruise with Aperitif and Dinner: $96
  • La Spezia Cinque Terre Food Tour - Do Eat Better Experience: $97
  • Small-group Street food tour in La Spezia: $97
  • Cesarine: Dining & Cooking Demo at Local's Home in La Spezia: $114
  • Porto Venere & Islands Sunset Boat Tour w/ Dinner: $138
  • Market Tour & Lunch/Dinner at a Cesarina's Home: $149
  • Private Cooking Class in an Italian Home: $155
  • Market Visit and Seafood Cooking Class with Lunch: $156
  • Cesarine: Home Cooking Class & Meal with a Local in La Spezia: $158

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Piazza Armerina 4.29
    La Spezia 37

Tours and Activities in Piazza Armerina

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Piazza Armerina are as follows:

  • From Catania: Agrigento-Piazza Armerina Audio-guided Tour: $128
  • Roman Villa del Casale Mosaics Tour: $241
  • Villa Romana del Casale Guided Tour: $42
  • Private Tour of Villa Romana del Casale & Valley of Temples: $225

Tours and Activities in La Spezia

For La Spezia, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Hop-On Hop-Off Open-Top Bus City Tour Ticket: $27
  • La Spezia Walking Tour: $39
  • From Round-Trip to Pisa Cruise Shore Excursion: $42
  • Guided Walking Tour with Italian-Inspired Music: $43
  • From La Spezia to Pisa with optional Leaning Tower Ticket: $49
  • The Sunset Tour: $54
  • 4-Hour E-Bike Guided Tour of the Tellaro and Montemarcello Villages: $55
  • Pisa Tour by bus: $55
  • From Florence & Pisa Cruise Shore Excursion: $58
  • Portovenere & the 3 Islands: Sunset Boat Tour from La Spezia: $58
  • Boat Tour of the 3 Islands & Portovenere: $65
  • Cinque Terre Tour by Boat: $68

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Piazza Armerina 13
    La Spezia 35

Sample the Local Flavors in La Spezia

Also in La Spezia, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • boat tour with seafood and wine tasting: $214
  • Lucca city tour and Pisa tower + wine tasting from La Spezia Port: $217


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

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


Which is Bigger, Piazza Armerina or La Spezia?

La Spezia has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Piazza Armerina. When comparing the sizes of Piazza Armerina 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.

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