A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Santander vs. La Spezia for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Santander or La Spezia?

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

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Santander and La Spezia can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Santander or La Spezia?

Santander

Santander is the capital of the Cantabria Region which runs along the northern coast of Spain. Located right on the bay, it is a place of many historic churches and a handful of interesting museums that range from archaeological discoveries of the region, to maritime history, and cultural features like bullfighting. There is also a large selection of beaches for those looking for a more relaxing getaway in the sun and sand.

La Spezia

Located on the coast beside the Ligurian Sea, La Spezia is known for its military and commercial harbors hosting the arsenal of the Italian Navy. It is also well connected by rail and by boat to Cinque Terre National Park - a unique collection of five medieval villages along the coastline - as well as other coastal towns of the region. Other attractions include a number of museums as well as an annual boat race called Palio de Golfo.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours from Madrid, The Best 10-Day Tours from Barcelona, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Italy, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Italy.


Which place is cheaper, La Spezia or Santander?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Santander is €108, 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 Santander and La Spezia in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Santander 51
    La Spezia 113
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Santander 102
    La Spezia 226
Compare Hotels in Santander and La Spezia

Looking for a hotel in Santander 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 Santander


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: Santander Hotel Prices and La Spezia Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Santander 24
    La Spezia 41

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santander

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santander:

  • Santander Private Transfer from the city centre to Santander Airport: $44
  • Santander Private Transfer from Santander Airport to City centre: $44
  • Santander Private Departure Transfer: $35
  • Santander Private Arrival Transfer: $35
  • Private Transfer from Santander city to Bilbao Airport: $252
  • Private Transfer from Santander city to Bilbao: $252
  • Private Transfer from Santander Port to Bilbao Airport: $252
  • One-way Private Transfer From/To Santander Airport: $41

Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Spezia

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

  • Arrival Private Transfer from La Spezia to Porto Venere or Lerici: $91
  • La Spezia Cruise Port to Florence - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $260
  • La Spezia Cruise Port to La Spezia hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $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
  • Private Transfer from La Spezia Cruise Port to Pisa Airport (PSA): $92
  • Private Transfer from La Spezia Port to La Spezia Hotels: $22
  • Private Transfer from La Spezia to Cinque Terre by car or van: $142

Is it cheaper to fly into Santander or La Spezia?

Prices for flights to both La Spezia and Santander 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
    Santander 41
    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
  • Cesarine: Dining & Cooking Demo at Local's Home in La Spezia: $115
  • 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
  • Private Pizza & Tiramisu Class at a Cesarina's home with tasting in La Spezia: $158

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Santander 18
    La Spezia 37

Tours and Activities in Santander

Here are a few actual costs in Santander for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • City Sightseeing Santander Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $23
  • From Cantabria Private Tour: $492
  • From Gastronomic Tour: $128
  • From Potes, Santillana and Altamira Day Tour: $42
  • From Santillana del Mar & Altamira Museum Tour: $64
  • Full Day Self Guided Tour in Santillana del Mar and Comillas: $55
  • Full Day Tour Lakes of Covadonga and Santillana from Santander: $46
  • Gastronomy tour: $120
  • Obregón: Parque de la Naturaleza de Cabárceno Entry Ticket: $26
  • Picos de Europa and Potes Guided Tour from Santander : $84
  • Private Puente Viesgo Caves Full-Day Tour from Santander: $213
  • 1-Hour City Cruise Around the Bay: $14

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
  • 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
  • Portovenere & the 3 Islands: Sunset Boat Tour from La Spezia: $58
  • From Florence & Pisa Cruise Shore Excursion: $58
  • Boat Tour of the 3 Islands & Portovenere: $66
  • Cinque Terre Tour by Boat: $68
  • Sunset Boat Tour with drinks and Snacks: $75
  • Sunset Boat Tour with Aperitivo and Snacks: $75
  • Kayak Tour Levanto Exploration and Nature: $81

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Santander 14
    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 Santander and La Spezia, we can see that La Spezia is more expensive. And not only is Santander much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Santander would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Santander 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 Santander.

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


Which is Bigger, Santander or La Spezia?

Santander has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of La Spezia. When comparing the sizes of Santander 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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