A Travel Price Comparison for Italy Taormina vs. La Spezia for Food, Nightlife, Couples, and Attractions

Should you visit Taormina or La Spezia?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Taormina and La Spezia can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Taormina

Taormina is a opulent, historic, and beautiful town. It offers plenty of small town charm along with sights and activities, too. 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 shopping, nightlife, and food.

Taormina and La Spezia: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Taormina or La Spezia?

Tourists will generally find more to do in La Spezia. Although Taormina and La Spezia are both popular with visitors, La Spezia has more sights, activities, and attractions for travelers. La Spezia is more popular for its historical sights, while Taormina is known for its museums, nightlife, resorts, small town charm, and impressive beauty. Taormina is popular for its long history as a seaside resort town with luxury accommodation and beautiful views. La Spezia is popular for being the gateway to Cinque Terre. It is also home to The Maritime Museum.

How is Taormina different from La Spezia?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

Taormina is a good destination for its museums and history. However, La Spezia is lacking in good options for its museums and landmarks.

Taormina offers a variety of museums and landmarks to choose from. The main landmark in town is the Greek Theater which dates back to the 3rd century BC. Also visit Madonna della Rocca as well as Castello di Taormina, which is perched above the sea.

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

Both Taormina and La Spezia offer very good local cuisine and restaurants.

Taormina has a number of nationally recognized food spots and restaurants. The local dishes draw on traditional Italian flavors such as pasta, tomato sauce, and vegetables, but they're also heavily influenced by the island's many historical invaders. You'll find a variety of ingredients in recipes including red chilies, tuna, swordfish, sardines, pine nuts, capers, and olives.

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 Taormina or La Spezia Better for Nightlife?

Taormina 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.

Taormina has a large number of nightlife venues. The town has a bit of an exclusive vibe and that's felt in the nightlife scene as well. There are lounges and exclusive clubs that serve fine wine and cocktails. You'll also find some late night dance clubs around town.

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 Taormina or La Spezia Better for Resorts?

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

There are plenty of resorts in Taormina to choose from. There are a number of high end resorts and hotels in and near town that have pools and five star facilities.

La Spezia is not a resort destination.

Is Taormina or La Spezia Better for Beaches?

Both Taormina and La Spezia are considered to be good beach destinations.

Plenty of visitors enjoy relaxing on the beach in Taormina. The easiest beaches to access from town are Mazzaro Beach and Isola Bella Beach. The beaches are near hotels and there are restaurants as well as beach umbrellas and chairs that you can rent.

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.

Is Taormina or La Spezia Better for its Old Town?

La Spezia is a town with good options for its historic old town charm. However, Taormina does not have a historic old town.

La Spezia has an old town worth visiting. The old town runs between the streets of Corso Cavour and Via Prione and is best explored on foot.

Taormina does not have a historic old town.

Is the Shopping Better in Taormina or La Spezia?

If you're looking to go shopping, Taormina and La Spezia both offer plenty of good spots.

Taormina has a variety of shopping areas worth visiting. It's a fashion-conscious town and you'll find boutiques and shops that carry high end Italian brands. There are also shops that sell local pottery and other items.

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 Taormina or La Spezia Better for Families?

La Spezia is a town with good options for its kid-friendly activities. However, Taormina is not known for its family-friendly activities.

La Spezia offers lots of family activities. 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.

Taormina is not the most family-friendly destination. Kids may not appreciate everything that the adults enjoy about this town, but they will likely have fun taking a ride on the cable car and visiting the Greek Theater. There are also wonderful desserts that kids will enjoy.

Is Taormina or La Spezia Better for Couples?

Both Taormina and La Spezia are very good destinations for a couple's getaway.

Taormina is a great town if you're traveling as a couple. It's a truly beautiful town with impressive views and a great atmosphere. It makes a wonderful stop off for couples or honeymooners who want to soak up the region's beauty.

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.

Is Taormina or La Spezia Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

La Spezia is a great town for backpackers and budget travelers. However, Taormina is not known 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.

Taormina is not the best destination for backpackers and budget travelers due to its high prices. There aren't many hostels around town and you won't find a large backpacker crowd here. The town has the feel of an exclusive resort community with high end resorts more common than anything else.

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

Taormina and La Spezia both offer good public transit to get you around.

While Taormina offers some public transit options, it might not be your first choice. There are minibuses that travel to the more far-reaching parts of the town.

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

Is Taormina or La Spezia a more walkable city?

Taormina and La Spezia are very good when it comes to walkability.

Taormina is a very walkable destination. Walking is one of the best ways to explore the town.

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.

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

Should I spend more time in La Spezia or Taormina?

How long in Taormina or La Spezia?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Taormina and La Spezia. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Taormina than in La Spezia. Usually, 2-4 days is a good amount of time for Taormina, and 2-3 days is enough time in La Spezia.

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in La Spezia than Taormina 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 Taormina or La Spezia?

Even though Taormina is a small town, it has plenty of activities to choose from. 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.

The town of La Spezia offers nightlife and food. With so much to do, one day is probably not enough time to see everything. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

A weekend in Taormina or La Spezia?

Taormina is a small town where visitors enjoy the museums and nightlife. You can also relax and pamper yourself at one of the resorts. 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.

La Spezia is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. If you have a weekend, this town makes for a great vacation. While some people choose to spend more or less time in La Spezia, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

Five days in Taormina or La Spezia?

Taormina 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. It's also a relaxing resort destination. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

La Spezia is a popular choice for travelers. Five days 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. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

A week in Taormina or La Spezia?

Taormina 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 great place to explore. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. This town offers something for everyone.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Italy, The Best Walking Tours in Italy, The Best Luxury Tours to Italy, and The Best Budget Tours to Italy.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Taormina or La Spezia?

La Spezia has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Taormina. When comparing the sizes of Taormina 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.