A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Thessaloniki vs. La Spezia for Attractions, Food, Nightlife, and Couples

Should you visit Thessaloniki or La Spezia?

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

Should I visit Thessaloniki or La Spezia? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki is a high energy, bustling, and historic city. It's a large city, so you'll find plenty of things to do around town. 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.

Thessaloniki and La Spezia: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Thessaloniki or La Spezia?

You'll generally find more things to do in Thessaloniki than La Spezia. Thessaloniki is bigger than La Spezia, and it also has more attractions and activities for travelers. Thessaloniki is better known for its museums, nightlife, shopping, and big city activities, while La Spezia is more popular for its beaches and historical sights. Thessaloniki is well known for its many archeological sights, its large young population, and its great transportation connections. Also, Thessaloniki is famous for The Monument of Rotonda. La Spezia is well known for being the gateway to Cinque Terre.

How is Thessaloniki different from La Spezia?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

Thessaloniki 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 Thessaloniki. There are a huge number of historic and archeological sights in the city. These include the Rotunda of Galerius, the White Tower, the Church of Agios Dimitrios, and the Arch of Galerius.

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

Foodies will find both Thessaloniki and La Spezia both to be superb destinations.

Thessaloniki has a huge number of terrific restaurants. There's a huge culinary scene in the city, and you'll find everything from fun street food options to traditional tavernas and even some great international restaurants.

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 Thessaloniki or La Spezia Better for Nightlife?

Thessaloniki 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.

Thessaloniki has a large number of nightlife venues. It's the second largest city in Greece, and it has large student and tourist populations, so the nightlife scene is among the best in Greece. There are clubs, bars, and lounges that stay busy late into the night.

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 Thessaloniki or La Spezia Better for Beaches?

La Spezia is a popular place for the beache. However, Thessaloniki is lacking in options for the beach.

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.

The beach in Thessaloniki is worth checking out. Although the city's not known for its beaches, there are some places where you can relax by the water, particularly if you're willing to get a bit out of town.

Is Thessaloniki or La Spezia Better for its Old Town?

La Spezia is a popular place for its old town. However, Thessaloniki 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.

Thessaloniki does not have a historic old town.

Is the Shopping Better in Thessaloniki or La Spezia?

Thessaloniki is a very popular place for its shopping opportunities. Also, La Spezia is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its shopping areas.

Thessaloniki is well-known for its shopping. There are shopping streets as well as large malls and shopping centers. You'll find everything from fashion, jewelry, and handicrafts to most European and international brands.

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 Thessaloniki or La Spezia Better for Families?

Kids will enjoy a visit to either Thessaloniki or La Spezia.

Thessaloniki is a family-friendly city. The port city has a number of museums and attractions for kids including Dinosaur Park, the Noesis Science and Technology Museum, and the water park known as Waterland. There's also the fascinating Kapani Market that is fun to explore.

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 Thessaloniki or La Spezia Better for Couples?

La Spezia is an excellent place to visit for its romantic activities. Also, Thessaloniki is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for couples.

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.

Thessaloniki is a good city for couples to visit. It's a bustling city that is filled with history and excellent restaurants. Couples who enjoy history and fun cities will appreciate a visit here.

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

Thessaloniki and La Spezia are both superb destinations for backpackers.

Many backpackers visit Thessaloniki. There's no shortage of hostels in this city, and you'll find plenty of backpackers to hang out with.

La Spezia is a very popular city for backpackers and budget travelers. It's more affordable than the nearby towns in Cinque Terre, but they're still easily accessible from town.

Is Thessaloniki or La Spezia Better for Students?

Thessaloniki is a very popular place for its student-friendly activities. However, La Spezia is not popular with students.

Many students visit Thessaloniki. There's a large student population in the city and you'll find a vibrant nightlife scene, easy transportation options, and a reasonable cost of living.

La Spezia is not popular with students.

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

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

Thessaloniki has some public transit options. There is a comprehensive bus system that connects most of the city and its suburbs.

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 Thessaloniki or La Spezia a more walkable city?

La Spezia is an excellent place to visit for its high level of walkability. Also, Thessaloniki is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its ease of walking around.

La Spezia is a very walkable town. The town is easy to walk around and you'll find a pedestrian-only area downhill from the train station.

Thessaloniki is a somewhat walkable city. You can explore much of the city center on foot.

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

Should I spend more time in La Spezia or Thessaloniki?

How long in Thessaloniki or La Spezia?

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

Families should spend more time in La Spezia than Thessaloniki. 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 Thessaloniki. 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 Thessaloniki 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 Thessaloniki.

One day in Thessaloniki or La Spezia?

You'll find shopping and museums around the city of Thessaloniki. 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.

In La Spezia, many people enjoy the food and shopping that this cultural town offers. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. With so much to do, one day is probably not enough time to see everything.

A weekend in Thessaloniki or La Spezia?

You'll find museums and nightlife around the historic destination of Thessaloniki. This is a popular place to visit for a weekend.A weekend should give you a good understanding of everything this city has to offer. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from.

La Spezia is a fun place to experience. If you have a weekend, this is a great place to go. It will give you the chance to have new experiences. So, a weekend is just the right amount of time to spend here.

Five days in Thessaloniki or La Spezia?

Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the bustling city of Thessaloniki. 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.

You'll find nightlife and food around the convenient destination of La Spezia. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. 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 Thessaloniki or La Spezia?

Thessaloniki 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.

La Spezia is a popular place to visit. One week may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours for Seniors to Greece, The Best Contiki Tours to Greece, 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 Thessaloniki and La Spezia, we can see that La Spezia is more expensive. And not only is Thessaloniki much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Thessaloniki would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Thessaloniki 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 Thessaloniki.

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

Which is Bigger, Thessaloniki or La Spezia?

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