Which place is cheaper, La Spezia or Venice?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Venice 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 Venice and La Spezia can help you decide which place is right for you.
Venice
Venice is a beautiful, romantic, and cultural city. It's considered by many to be an absolutely beautiful destination, too. It also has a unique and quaint vibe that attracts lots of visitors. Visitors also love the shopping, museums, and food.
La Spezia
La Spezia is a lively, convenient, and cultural town. It's also popular because of the shopping, nightlife, and food.
Venice and La Spezia: Pros and Cons
Venice
Pros- Popular museums and historical sights
- Scenic old town
- Fun shopping
- Family-friendly
- Good for couples and romance
- Good for backpackers and budget travelers
- Good for students
- Good public transit
- Impressive beauty
- Quaint atmosphere
- Home to St. Mark's Basilica
- Less popular for nightlife
La Spezia
Pros- Active nightlife
- Popular beach
- Family-friendly
- Good for couples and romance
- Good for backpackers and budget travelers
- Less museums and historical sights
- Less popular old town
- Less popular for shopping
- Public transit not as usable
Is there more to do in Venice or La Spezia?
Travelers will usually find more to do in Venice than La Spezia, as it is bigger with more sights, attractions, and activities for visitors. Venice is more popular for its museums, historical sights, shopping, impressive beauty, and quaint atmosphere, while La Spezia is known for its food, nightlife, and beaches. Venice is more touristy than La Spezia and is known for its many canals, famous gondolas, iconic architecture, romantic squares, and beautiful bridges. It is also home to St. Mark's Basilica. La Spezia is popular for being the gateway to Cinque Terre.
How is Venice different from La Spezia?
Which is Better for a Holiday?
Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between La Spezia and Venice. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.
Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Venice or La Spezia?
Venice
La Spezia
Venice 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 Venice are world-renowned. The many historic and famous landmarks in town include St. Mark's Basilica, St. Mark's Square, Doge's Palace, and the Rialto Bridge.
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 Venice or La Spezia? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?
Venice
La Spezia
La Spezia is great for its local flavors and cuisine. Also, Venice is not as popular, but is still a nice city for its local cuisine and restaurants.
La Spezia has a number of nationally recognized food spots and restaurants. 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.
Venice offers number of good local restaurants to choose from. For the best dining experience, you should try to avoid the touristy restaurants that serve the typical pizza and pasta. Instead, find a local eatery that specializes in the region's traditional flavors like fish and vegetables.
Is Venice or La Spezia Better for Nightlife?
Venice
La Spezia
La Spezia is very good for its evening party scene. However, Venice is not a good destination for nightlife.
If you're looking for night time activities La Spezia has a few options to choose from. 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.
Most people don't head to Venice specifically for the nightlife scene, but you can find a few options. If you want to party, your best option is to head to the Lido area where you'll find night clubs and bars. A better alternative for enjoying your evening is to order a late night meal and a glass of wine at a local restaurant in Venice.
Is Venice or La Spezia Better for Beaches?
Venice
La Spezia
La Spezia is very good for the beach. However, Venice is not a beach destination.
Many people head to La Spezia to enjoy the beach. The beaches in the area tend to be rocky and pebbly. For the best beaches, head out of town to nearby areas.
Venice is not a beach destination.
Is Venice or La Spezia Better for its Old Town?
Venice
La Spezia
Venice 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.
Venice has a world-famous historical area. The city's historic area is unlike anywhere else in the world. The canals, colorful buildings, are world-renowned architecture, make this among the most recognized historic settings in the world.
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 Venice or La Spezia?
Venice
La Spezia
Venice is very popular for its shopping opportunities. Also, La Spezia is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its shopping areas.
Known for shopping, Venice draws large crowds to its stores. There are many unique items that people purchase in town. Some of the most popular include Murano glass, Burano lace, Venetian masks, and local fabrics.
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 Venice or La Spezia Better for Families?
Venice
La Spezia
Venice 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, Venice is very family-friendly. Even for kids, visiting this city is all about soaking up the atmosphere and sense of place. It is unlike anywhere else in the world. The canals, historic buildings, gondolas, and plazas offer a special environment, even for kids who may be burned out from exploring cities. Attractions that appeal to kids include visiting the prisons at Doge's Palace, shopping for masks, and taking a ride on a gondola.
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 Venice or La Spezia Better for Couples?
Venice
La Spezia
Venice is very popular for its romantic activities. Also, La Spezia is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for couples.
Venice is fantastic couple's destination with fun and romantic activities. With its many truly unique romantic experiences, this city makes for a truly memorable honeymoon or romantic getaway. Ride a gondola, get lost in the city, and enjoy pasta and music around town to make the experience unlike any other.
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 Venice or La Spezia Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?
Venice
La Spezia
For backpackers, both Venice and La Spezia are high quality places to visit.
Plenty of budget travelers and backpackers visit Venice. Many backpackers stay just out of town to save a bit of money, but, even though it's not cheap, this city is well-established on the backpacker trail.
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 Venice or La Spezia Better for Students?
Venice
La Spezia
Venice is very popular for its student-friendly activities. However, La Spezia is not popular with students.
Venice is a very popular place to visit for students. Because of its well-established reputation, this city attracts many international students for both semester and full length programs. There are many programs to choose between, and many students focus on the region's art, architecture, history, and language.
La Spezia is not popular with students.
Is Venice or La Spezia Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?
Venice
La Spezia
Venice is very popular for times when you don't have a car. Also, La Spezia is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its public transit.
Venice has an effecient and thorough public transportation system which can take you anywhere in the city. There is a comprehensive boat and ferry system that includes aporettos, alilagunas, private water taxis, gondolas, and traghettos.
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 Venice or La Spezia a more walkable city?
Venice
La Spezia
Venice 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 Venice. Because it is small, it's easy to walk to all of the major tourist attractions.
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 Venice Worth Visiting? and Is La Spezia Worth Visiting?.
Should I spend more time in La Spezia or Venice?
How long in Venice or La Spezia?
Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Venice and La Spezia. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Venice than in La Spezia. Usually, 2-7 days is a good amount of time for Venice, and 2-3 days is enough time in La Spezia.
Families should spend more time in Venice than La Spezia. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Venice, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.
Couples should spend more time in Venice than La Spezia. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Venice that are great for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.
Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Venice 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 Venice.
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How many days in Venice or La Spezia? Ideal Length of StayVenice 2-7La Spezia 2-3
One day in Venice or La Spezia?
You'll find shopping and museums around the quaint city of Venice. Visiting the old town is also a must. 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.
Many travelers enjoy the food and shopping when visiting the destination of La Spezia. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.
A weekend in Venice or La Spezia?
You'll find museums and food around the beautiful destination of Venice. 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 city has to offer. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from.
La Spezia is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here. Your budget might influence how long you stay.
Five days in Venice or La Spezia?
You'll find food and shopping around the beautiful city of Venice. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. If you have five days, this city makes for a great vacation. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. Five days should give you a good understanding of everything this city has to offer.
It's hard to know how much time to spend in La Spezia. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.
A week in Venice or La Spezia?
Venice is a popular choice for travelers. One week here is typical. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Venice, one week is sufficent for most. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.
Travelers enjoy the food and shopping when visiting the convenient destination of La Spezia. This town offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in Italy, The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Italy, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Italy, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Italy.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayVenice €229La Spezia €198
The average daily cost (per person) in Venice is €229, 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 Venice and La Spezia in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personVenice €120La Spezia €113
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomVenice €240La Spezia €226
Compare Hotels in Venice and La Spezia
Looking for a hotel in Venice 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.
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: Venice Hotel Prices and La Spezia Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Venice €27La Spezia €41
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Venice
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Venice:
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Venice 12 Hour Transport Pass€16
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Vaporetto Ride€6.50
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1 Day Travel Card€18
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7 Day Transport Card (for Two)€101
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Venice
Also for Venice, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Verona Airport (VRN): One Way Transfer to Venice Cruise Port: $373
- VeniceAirport:RoundTrip Private Transfer to Venice+WaterTaxi: $741
- Water Taxi Transfer Lido Santa Maria Elisabetta: $34
- VCE Airport and Venice Port 1-Way Private Transfer: $155
- Transfer from Cruise Terminal to Marco Polo Airport: $188
- Transfer from Airport to Trieste Cruise Terminal: $788
- Shared Water Taxi Transfer to Marco Polo Airport: $37
- Private Transfer from Train Station by Water Taxi: $290
- Private Boat Transfer from Cruise Terminal to Hotel: $341
- One-Way Transfer to Florence Airport or Hotel: $1,018
- Marco Polo Airport to Cortina D’Ampezzo Transfer: $818
- Marco Polo Airport Water Taxi Transfer: $39
Hired Cars and Shuttles in La Spezia
Also for La Spezia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- La Spezia Cruise Port to Florence - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $259
- Private Transfer La Spezia to Pisa by Business or Luxury Vehicle: $202
- Private Transfer from La Spezia to Cinque Terre by car or van: $141
- Private Transfer Porto Venere or Lerici to La Spezia by car / van: $91
- Arrival Private Transfer from La Spezia to Porto Venere or Lerici: $91
- Private Transfer from La Spezia Hotels to La Spezia Cruise Port: $22
Is it cheaper to fly into Venice or La Spezia?
Prices for flights to both La Spezia and Venice 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
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Food Meals for one dayVenice €65La Spezia €56
Typical Food Prices in Venice
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Venice:
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Panini Sandwich€4.00
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Gelato€6.00
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Artichoke & Mushroom Pizza€7.90
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Expresso€1.95
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Slice of Pizza€2.23
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Three Course Dinner (for Two)€79
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Venice
For Venice, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Hard Rock Cafe with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $29
- Street Food Tour with a Local Guide and Tastings: $47
- Venice Street Food Tour with Local Guide with Local Food Market Visit: $48
- Small Group Venice Street Food Tour with Expert Local Guide: $48
- Eating Venice Street Food Tour with Guided Tasting and Sightseeing: $48
- Secret Street Food Tour of Venice in 2,5 hours: $48
- Guided City Highlights and Street Food Tour: $51
- Venetian Dinner: $62
- Twilight Food Tour with Cicchetti and Spritz Tasting: $63
- Venetian Dinner: $67
- 2-Course Dinner in a Typical Venetian Restaurant: $74
- Guided Small Group Kickstart Food Tour of Venice : $76
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
- Portovenere: Sunset Cruise with Aperitif and Dinner: $96
- La Spezia Cinque Terre Food Tour - Do Eat Better Experience: $97
- Small-group Street food tour in La Spezia: $97
- Cesarine: Dining & Cooking Demo at Local's Home in La Spezia: $114
- Porto Venere & Islands Sunset Boat Tour w/ Dinner: $137
- Market Tour & Lunch/Dinner at a Cesarina's Home: $148
- 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
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Venice €101La Spezia €37
Typical Entertainment Prices in Venice
For Venice, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Venice Boat Ride€15
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Bell tower of St. Mark Entrance Fee€8.00
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Gondola Ride (for Group)€80
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Secret Itinerary Tour- Doge's Palace€16
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The Jewish Museum Admission€3.00
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The Glass Museum in Murano€8.00
Tours and Activities in Venice
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Venice.
- From Vicenza Private Tour: $281
- Peggy Guggenheim collection Venice private tour: $87
- Private Grand Canal 1-Hour Boat Tour: $293
- Small-group Saint Mark’s Basilica Skip-the-line Tour: $53
- Venice Top-Attractions Walking Tour for Kids & Families & Child-Friendly Guide: $238
- Private 2-Hour Doge's Palace Tour: $217
- Friendinvenice, how to experience the true Venice, private tour: $125
- 1-hour panoramic tour of Venice by boat: $27
- 2 Hour Venice Canal Kayak Tour - Premium experience by day: $108
- 2 Hours Private Guided Tour of the Doge's Palace: $130
- 2-Hour Venice with Kids and Family Friendly Private Guided Tour: $272
- 2hr Night Kayak Tour in premium tour with sunset: $127
Tours and Activities in La Spezia
For La Spezia, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- 6-Hour Guided Tour Portovenere and Cinque Terre with aperitif: $116
- Afternoon Boat Tour to Cinque Terre with brunch on board: $152
- Boat Tour of the 3 Islands & Portovenere: $65
- Boat Tours 5 Terre: $136
- Boat tour 5 terre & Portovenere Food - drink - music - swim : $162
- Boat tour Cinque Terre and Gulf of Poets from La Spezia: $185
- Caving adventure at the Caves of Equi Alpi Apuane: $141
- Cesarine: Market Tour & Dining at a Local's Home in La Spezia: $151
- Cinque Terre & Portovenere: Boat Tour: $142
- Cinque Terre Gems: UNESCO Sites & Secrets Tour: $617
- Cinque Terre SHARED boat tour, Amazing Experience : $163
- Cinque Terre boat tour: $173
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayVenice €24La Spezia €35
Typical Alcohol Prices in Venice
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Venice:
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1/2 Liter Wine€5.20
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Beer€4.90
Sample the Local Flavors in Venice
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Venice:
- Venice Food and Wine Tasting Tour with a Local Guide: $8.69
- Guided Visit and Wine Tasting at the Winery in Veneto: $27
- Guided Tour and wine tasting 5 wines to discover the Conegliano Valdobbiadene: $27
- Wine Tasting in Venice: $37
- Wine Tasting in Venice: $39
- Wine tasting Asolo Prosecco at Tenuta Baron: $59
- Food and Wine Tasting Bar Tour & Evening Guided Tour: $71
- Venetian Style Carnival Pub Crawl: $74
- Venetian Style Carnival Pub Crawl: $82
- Eat, drink and repeat: Wine tasting tour in Venice: $97
- Experience Venice with a Local Sommelier: Cicchetti & Wine Tour: $103
- A Venetian Evening - Wine Tasting & Tapas tour with a Local guide: $108
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: $213
- Lucca city tour and Pisa tower + wine tasting from La Spezia Port: $216
When comparing the travel costs between Venice and La Spezia, we can see that Venice is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Europe, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Venice Expensive? and Is La Spezia Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Venice or La Spezia?
Venice has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of La Spezia. When comparing the sizes of Venice 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.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.