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

Should you visit Volterra or La Spezia?

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

Should I visit Volterra 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.

Volterra

Volterra is a charming, medieval, and cultural 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 shopping, museums, and food.

La Spezia

La Spezia is a convenient, cultural, and lively town. It's also known for beaches, shopping, and nightlife.

Volterra and La Spezia: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Volterra or La Spezia?

Both La Spezia and Volterra have plenty of things to do for travelers. Both provide a wide variety of sights and activities for tourists. Volterra is very popular for its museums, food, historical sights, small town charm, and impressive beauty, while La Spezia attracts visitors for its nightlife and beaches. La Spezia is more touristy than Volterra and is popular for being the gateway to Cinque Terre. Volterra is famous for its medieval history, its hilltop setting and its alabaster.

How is Volterra different from La Spezia?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

Volterra 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 Volterra. For such a large town there are a huge number of historic sights packed into a small area. Check out the Roman Theater, the Etruscan Museum, and the Duomo.

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

Volterra 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 Volterra, as it has many local or world renowned restaurants to choose from. The town is surrounded by the region of truffles, so you'll find this item included in all kinds of recipes. Pumpkin sauce is also a specialty of the area and there are also many local cheeses. Many restaurants also have bruschetta as an appetizer.

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 Volterra or La Spezia Better for Nightlife?

La Spezia is a popular place for nightlife. However, Volterra is not particularly known for nightlife and partying.

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.

Volterra doesn't have the most active nightlife scene. There are cozy bars and cafes where you can sip wine and soak up the atmosphere, but the town isn't known as a nightlife destination.

Is Volterra or La Spezia Better for Beaches?

La Spezia is a popular place for its beaches. However, Volterra is not a beach destination.

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.

Volterra is not a beach destination.

Is Volterra or La Spezia Better for its Old Town?

Volterra 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.

Volterra has a world-famous historical area. The walled town is perched on a hilltop and dates back to the 8th century BC. Visitors come specifically to explore its winding streets and stunning setting.

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 Volterra or La Spezia?

Shopping is a popular activity in both La Spezia and Volterra.

Volterra is a great destination for shopping. Some of the streets are lined with boutique shops and one of the most popular things to buy in town is Alabaster. You'll also find plenty of Italian wine from the nearby vineyards.

Shopping is a popular activity when visiting La Spezia. There's a morning market at Piazza del Mercato as well as many clothing and souvenir shops around town.

Is Volterra or La Spezia Better for Families?

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

You'll find plenty of kid-friendly things to do in Volterra. If you have a Twilight fan, this town is home to the Volturi, who are the royal family of vampires. For everyone else, its a charming town with medieval walls and wandering alleys that kids will enjoy exploring.

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 Volterra or La Spezia Better for Couples?

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

Volterra is fantastic couple's destination with fun and romantic activities. It's unique atmosphere, amazing food, and medieval style make for a unique and world class couples destination. While many people visit as a day trip, you can spend the night and soak up the evening atmosphere as well.

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 Volterra or La Spezia Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

La Spezia is well known for backpackers. Also, Volterra is still popular, but not quite as popular for backpackers and budget travelers.

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.

Volterra is popular with backpackers and budget travelers. There's only one or two hostels in town, so if you're looking for a more social backpacker setting, then this may not be your spot. It does make for a great day trip though and if you're more interested in culture than meeting other backpackers, then definitely stop by.

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

La Spezia is a popular place for its public transit. However, Volterra is not particularly known for times when you don't have a car.

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.

Public transit is mostly limited in Volterra. Public transit isn't necessary as the city is best explored on foot.

Is Volterra or La Spezia a more walkable city?

Volterra 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 Volterra. Most people explore the town on foot.

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

Should I spend more time in La Spezia or Volterra?

How long in Volterra or La Spezia?

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

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

Couples should spend more time in Volterra than La Spezia. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Volterra 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 Volterra 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 Volterra or La Spezia?

Even though Volterra 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 Volterra 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 Volterra or La Spezia?

Volterra is a small town where visitors enjoy the museums 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 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 Volterra or La Spezia?

Volterra 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. Most people head to the area for the food. 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 Volterra or La Spezia?

Volterra 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 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 Volterra and La Spezia, we can see that La Spezia is more expensive. And not only is Volterra much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Volterra would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Volterra 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 Volterra.

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

Which is Bigger, Volterra or La Spezia?

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