A Travel Price Comparison for Italy Ravenna vs. La Spezia for Attractions, Food, Families, and Couples

Should you visit Ravenna 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 Ravenna 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.

Ravenna

Ravenna is a off-the-beaten-path, charming, and authentic town. It offers plenty of small town charm along with sights and activities, too. Visitors also love the food, shopping, and museums.

La Spezia

La Spezia is a cultural, lively, and convenient town. Visitors also love the food, beaches, and shopping.

Ravenna and La Spezia: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Ravenna or La Spezia?

Visitors will generally find more to do in La Spezia than Ravenna. While Ravenna is larger than La Spezia, La Spezia has more sights, attractions, and activities for tourists. La Spezia is better known for its beaches and historical sights, while Ravenna is more popular for its museums and small town charm. La Spezia is more touristy than Ravenna and is known for being the gateway to Cinque Terre. Also, La Spezia is famous for The Maritime Museum. Ravenna is well known for its many stunning mosaics which date back to the early Christian and Byzantine empires.

How is Ravenna different from La Spezia?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

Ravenna 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 Ravenna. Most sights in town are centered around the the beautiful mosaics. Neonian Baptistery is a good place to begin your visit. Other highlights include San Vitale, the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, and Sant'Apollinare Nuovo.

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

Both Ravenna and La Spezia offer a number of excellent restaurants to choose from.

Ravenna has a huge number of terrific restaurants. The region is most known for its first course dishes, so pasta lovers will enjoy dining on homemade egg pasta dishes that are served with meat or cheese sauces. You'll also find lots of grilled meats and many great desserts.

Dining out in La Spezia is an experience not to be missed. 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 Ravenna or La Spezia Better for Nightlife?

The notable nightlife scene is relatively similar in Ravenna and La Spezia.

With a handful of venues, visitors can find a fairly lively vibe in Ravenna. You'll find most of the pubs and clubs in town around Marina di Ravenna. There are a couple of places that attract a crowd, but many are open only during the summer months.

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 Ravenna or La Spezia Better for Beaches?

La Spezia is a good destination for the beache. However, Ravenna 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.

Ravenna is not a beach destination.

Is Ravenna or La Spezia Better for its Old Town?

La Spezia is a good destination for its old town. However, Ravenna does not have a historic old town.

Plenty of visitors enjoy exploring the old town in La Spezia. The old town runs between the streets of Corso Cavour and Via Prione and is best explored on foot.

Ravenna does not have a historic old town.

Is the Shopping Better in Ravenna or La Spezia?

Shoppers can find a variety of notable stores in both Ravenna and La Spezia.

Shopping is a popular activity when visiting Ravenna. There are some nice shopping streets in town where you can buy locally made mosaics. You'll also find art studios and artisan shops, as well as your typical souvenir shops and clothing stores. Via Cavour, via Diaz, and via Cairoli are some of the most popular shopping streets.

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 Ravenna or La Spezia Better for Families?

Ravenna 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, Ravenna is very family-friendly. In town you'll find mosaics, museums, and a charming town, and ten kilometers outside of town you'll find Italy's largest amusement park - Mirabilandia. The city is also filled with parks where kids can explore and learn, and the food, like any Italian city, is very kid-friendly.

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 Ravenna or La Spezia Better for Couples?

Ravenna and La Spezia both excellent destinations for a couple.

Ravenna makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Many visitors to Italy don't add this charming town to their itinerary, but for couples who want to experience a small town setting with beautiful art and architecture, then Ravenna is a great option. There are parks to explore and great restaurants to experience as well.

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 Ravenna or La Spezia Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

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

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

Plenty of budget travelers visit Ravenna. It's a bit off-the-beaten path, so you won't find a large number of hostels or a lot of backpackers to hang out with. That doesn't mean it won't make a great addition to your itinerary though.

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

Visitors will find notable public transit in both Ravenna and La Spezia.

Ravenna has some public transit options. Buses in and around town are managed by START ROMAGNA and offer access to many nearby towns.

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 Ravenna or La Spezia a more walkable city?

Ravenna and La Spezia are excellent when it comes to walkability.

Ravenna is a very walkable town. There are care-free areas to the town that can only be explored 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 Ravenna Worth Visiting? and Is La Spezia Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in La Spezia or Ravenna?

How long in Ravenna or La Spezia?

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

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

Couples should spend more time in La Spezia than Ravenna. 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 Ravenna 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 Ravenna or La Spezia?

Even though Ravenna is a small town, it has plenty of activities to choose from. One day is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Ravenna 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 Ravenna or La Spezia?

Ravenna is a small town where visitors enjoy the museums and nightlife. 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.

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 Ravenna or La Spezia?

Ravenna is a small town, so it's a great destination if you're short on time. 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 Ravenna or La Spezia?

Ravenna 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 Family-Friendly Tours to Italy, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Italy, The Best Historical Tours in Italy, and The Best 10-Day Tours in Italy.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Ravenna or La Spezia?

Ravenna has a larger population, and is about 47% larger than the population of La Spezia. When comparing the sizes of Ravenna 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.