A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Valletta vs. La Spezia for Attractions, Food, Old Town, and Couples

Should you visit Valletta 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 Valletta 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.

Valletta

Valletta is a charming, cultural, and waterfront town. The beauty of this spot is also one of the main reasons why visitors come. Visitors also love the food, shopping, and museums.

La Spezia

La Spezia is a lively, convenient, and cultural town. It's also popular because of the food, beaches, and shopping.

Valletta and La Spezia: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Valletta or La Spezia?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Valletta. Although Valletta and La Spezia are both popular with visitors, Valletta has more sights, activities, and attractions for travelers. Valletta is more popular for its museums, food, historical sights, shopping, and impressive beauty, while La Spezia is known for its beaches. La Spezia is more touristy than Valletta and is known for being the gateway to Cinque Terre. Valletta is popular for its ancient fortifications, Baroque palaces, and beautiful gardens. It is also home to The Grand Masters Palace.

How is Valletta different from La Spezia?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

Valletta is very popular for its museums and history. However, La Spezia is lacking in good options for its museums and landmarks.

The museums and tourist attractions in Valletta are world-renowned. With its rich culture and compact old town, there are countless museums, sights, and monuments that are worth visiting. Some options include Saint John's Co-Cathedral, the Grandmaster's Palace and Armory, the National Museum of Archaeology, Manoel Theater, and the Upper Barrakka Gardens.

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

Valletta is very popular for its restaurants. Also, La Spezia is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its restaurant scene.

Eat your way through Valletta, as it has many local or world renowned restaurants to choose from. The town's culinary scene has a long history with many traditional flavors. You really must experience a meal in one of the traditional stone cellar restaurants, which often serve local meze. Head to Republic Street for a stretch of longstanding restaurants in town. Local dishes include stuffat tal-fenek (rabbit stew), bragioli (rolled meat covered in sauce), and lampuki pie (fish pie).

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 Valletta or La Spezia Better for Nightlife?

The good nightlife scene is relatively similar in Valletta and La Spezia.

With a handful of venues, visitors can find a fairly lively vibe in Valletta. It wasn't long ago that the town went quiet in the evenings, but recent years have brought a surge in bars and clubs around town. You'll find the liveliest nightlife in areas around Strait Street and the Valletta Waterfront. If you're looking for a true clubbing scene, you'll want to head north out of town to Paceville.

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 Valletta or La Spezia Better for Beaches?

La Spezia is a town with good options for the beach. However, Valletta is lacking in good options for its beaches.

Plenty of visitors enjoy relaxing on the beach in La Spezia. The beaches in the area tend to be rocky and pebbly. For the best beaches, head out of town to nearby areas.

Valletta is a good spot to see the beach. There aren't any beaches in town, but if you head north to St. George’s Bay you'll find some nice beaches with a variety of resorts to choose from.

Is Valletta or La Spezia Better for its Old Town?

Valletta is very popular for its old town. Also, La Spezia is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its historic old town charm.

Valletta has a world-famous historical area. The old town is laid out with a uniform grid and the streets are lined with hundreds of historic buildings. At the heart of old town is Republic Street, which divides the area in half and is where you'll find a large concentration of restaurants.

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 Valletta or La Spezia?

Valletta 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.

Valletta is well-known for its shopping. For the best shopping head to Republic Street and Merchants Street where you'll find craft shops, boutiques, and other local souvenirs. Many visitors enjoy picking up blown glass, a locally made miniature, or cactus liquor. Lace is also a common local item that you'll find around town.

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 Valletta or La Spezia Better for Families?

Both Valletta and La Spezia are good to visit with kids.

Valletta is a family-friendly town. This charming town has nearby beaches as well as a few museums that kids will enjoy, including a toy museum. There are also several multi-media shows that educate visitors on the area's history. Make sure you check out Malta 5D and the Malta Experience.

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 Valletta or La Spezia Better for Couples?

Valletta is very popular for its romantic activities. Also, La Spezia is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for couples.

Valletta is fantastic couple's destination with fun and romantic activities. The town offers beautiful walks, luxury spa experiences, and evening sunset cruises that are seeped in romance. During the evening you can enjoy a cocktail hour and then dine in one of the town's many unique restaurants.

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 Valletta or La Spezia Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Valletta and La Spezia are both very good destinations for backpackers.

Plenty of budget travelers and backpackers visit Valletta. The island has grown in popularity with backpackers, particularly those coming from Europe, as there are affordable flights and easy accessibility. You'll also find some nice hostels around town where you can stay on a budget.

Backpackers come from all over to visit La Spezia. It's more affordable than the nearby towns in Cinque Terre, but they're still easily accessible from town.

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

Visitors will find good public transit in both Valletta and La Spezia.

Valletta has some public transit options. If you're not up for walking up and down the hills, there are some buses around town.

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 Valletta or La Spezia a more walkable city?

Valletta is very popular for its high level of walkability. Also, La Spezia is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its ease of walking around.

It's very easy to get around on foot in Valletta. The town is compact and easy to walk around with many sights within a short distance of each other. There's also very little street traffic.

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 Valletta Worth Visiting? and Is La Spezia Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in La Spezia or Valletta?

How long in Valletta or La Spezia?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Valletta and La Spezia. In our opinion, Valletta has more to see and do, so we recommend that you spend more time in Valletta than La Spezia. In general, 1-3 days is a good amount of time for Valletta, and 2-3 days is enough time in La Spezia.

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Valletta 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 Valletta.

One day in Valletta or La Spezia?

You'll find shopping and museums around the town of Valletta. Visiting the old town is also a must. One day is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Valletta has to offer. 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 Valletta or La Spezia?

You'll find museums and nightlife around the waterfront destination of Valletta. 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.

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 Valletta or La Spezia?

Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the cultural town of Valletta. 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 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 Valletta or La Spezia?

Valletta 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.

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 Historical Tours in Malta, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Malta, 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 Valletta and La Spezia, we can see that La Spezia is more expensive. And not only is Valletta much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Valletta would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Valletta 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 Valletta.

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

Which is Bigger, Valletta or La Spezia?

La Spezia has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Valletta. When comparing the sizes of Valletta 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.