A Travel Price Comparison for Italy Ventimiglia vs. La Spezia for Food, Old Town, Couples, and Beaches

Should you visit Ventimiglia or La Spezia?

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

Should I visit Ventimiglia 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.

Ventimiglia

Ventimiglia is a classic, authentic, and elegant seaside town. You'll find plenty of local activities in this small town. It's considered by many to be an absolutely beautiful destination, too. Visitors also love the beaches, shopping, and food.

La Spezia

La Spezia is a lively, convenient, and cultural town. Other popular activities here include beaches, shopping, and nightlife.

Ventimiglia and La Spezia: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Ventimiglia or La Spezia?

Tourists will generally find more to do in La Spezia. Although Ventimiglia 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 museums and nightlife, while Ventimiglia is known for its historical sights, shopping, small town charm, and impressive beauty. La Spezia is more touristy than Ventimiglia and is popular for being the gateway to Cinque Terre. It is also home to The Maritime Museum. Ventimiglia is popular for its weekly market, colorful old town, and nice beaches.

How is Ventimiglia different from La Spezia?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

La Spezia is a town with a few options for its museums and landmarks. However, Ventimiglia does not have museums and landmarks.

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.

Ventimiglia does not have museums and landmarks.

Is the Food Better in Ventimiglia or La Spezia? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

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

Dining out in Ventimiglia is an experience not to be missed. Italian classics are abundant including tiramisus, Italian pizzas, risotto alla milanese, and traditional lasagna. If you're in town on a Friday you should visit the local market which has stalls selling local produce and foods.

The food selection at local restaurants is excellent in La Spezia. 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 Ventimiglia or La Spezia Better for Nightlife?

La Spezia is a popular place for its evening party scene. However, Ventimiglia is a seaside town with minimal options for nightlife.

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.

The nightlife scene is quiet in Ventimiglia Most people don't head to town for the nightlife, but there are some bars where you can grab a drink or sip a glass of wine.

Is Ventimiglia or La Spezia Better for Beaches?

For a relaxing beach holiday, both Ventimiglia and La Spezia are good choices.

Ventimiglia is a good option for a beach vacation. The lungomare is a promenade along the sea that allows visitors to wander and take in waterfront views. Most of the beaches are free to access and have been influenced by the coastal erosion efforts which have led to a series of scalloped bays. If you reach the end of the lungomare you'll find a natural area where the Roya and Nervia rivers meet the ocean. This is also a popular spot for breeding birds.

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.

Is Ventimiglia or La Spezia Better for its Old Town?

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

There are many historical things to see in the old town of Ventimiglia. The old town is filled with cobblestone streets and charming pastel buildings. There are also a number of historic buildings and monuments that give the town a special atmosphere.

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 Ventimiglia or La Spezia?

Ventimiglia 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.

Ventimiglia is well-known for its shopping. Most people head in town on Friday for the market, which has stalls selling crafts and local products.

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 Ventimiglia or La Spezia Better for Families?

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

You'll find plenty of kid-friendly things to do in Ventimiglia. The charming town is a great place for kids to explore. There is a botanical garden and hiking trails that the whole family can enjoy as well as quiet beaches where they can play. The Italian food is also perfect for young palates.

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.

Is Ventimiglia or La Spezia Better for Couples?

With fun activities for couples, both Ventimiglia and La Spezia make for a superb place to visit.

Couples visit Ventimiglia frequently as it offers plenty of romantic activities. This quintessential Italian town offers a romantic setting with cobblestone streets and pastel buildings. There are many culinary delights and romantic settings that are perfect for couples. The hiking trails and botanical gardens are also fun places to explore.

La Spezia is a great seaside town if you're traveling as a couple. It makes a nice base for visiting nearby sights if the more popular Cinque Terre area is too overwhelming.

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

La Spezia is a great destination for backpackers. However, Ventimiglia is not a backpacker-friendly destination.

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

Ventimiglia is not a backpacker-friendly destination.

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

You'll find somewhat comparable public transit options in both Ventimiglia and La Spezia.

You'll find some public transit in Ventimiglia, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. There are trains and buses to town. Once you're in town it's easy to explore on foot.

While La Spezia offers some public transit options, it might not be your first choice. Buses, trains, and ferry boats offer the main forms of transportation in the area.

Is Ventimiglia or La Spezia a more walkable city?

Ventimiglia and La Spezia both are superb when exploring on foot.

Ventimiglia is a very walkable destination. It's small size and charming atmosphere make it a great town to explore on foot.

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

Should I spend more time in La Spezia or Ventimiglia?

How long in Ventimiglia or La Spezia?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Ventimiglia and La Spezia. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in La Spezia than in Ventimiglia. Usually, 1-2 days is a good amount of time for Ventimiglia, and 2-3 days is enough time in La Spezia.

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

Even though Ventimiglia is a small town, it has plenty of activities to choose from. Visiting the old town is also a must. One day is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Ventimiglia has to offer. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

Visitors enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the lively town of La Spezia. One day is usually not enough time for a trip here as there is plenty to do. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

A weekend in Ventimiglia or La Spezia?

Ventimiglia is a small town where visitors enjoy the shopping and food. 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 seaside town has to offer. This seaside town offers a variety of activities to choose from.

Visitors enjoy the food and shopping when visiting the cultural destination of La Spezia. This town offers something for everyone. Plenty of people spend a weekend in the area when traveling. If you enjoy all that's offered here, then a weekend is just the right amount of time to spend here.

Five days in Ventimiglia or La Spezia?

Ventimiglia 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. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

The lively town of La Spezia offers shopping and nightlife. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel.

A week in Ventimiglia or La Spezia?

Ventimiglia 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.

Many people enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting La Spezia. Anyone can find something fun to do here. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

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

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

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

Which is Bigger, Ventimiglia or La Spezia?

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