Should I spend 1, 2, or 3 days in La Spezia?
Should you spend 1, 2, or 3 days in La Spezia?
Most people spend two to three days in La Spezia during their visit. The lively town offers amazing highlights such as the cuisine, the beaches, the historic old town, and the nightlife scene.
La Spezia is a port city that's located near Cinque Terre. It has a maritime museum and an old town with restaurants and shops. For visitors who choose not to stay in Cinque Terre, it makes a convenient base for exploring the area.
Do you have one or two days to visit La Spezia? Here's our comprehensive breakdown of how much time you might need for your trip along with some suggestions for things to do.
Is one day enough time in La Spezia?
La Spezia is a small town that is quite popular with tourists. Given only one day, you will likely find yourself hurrying to experience the key highlights such as the cuisine, the beaches, and the historic old town. To truly savor all that the town boasts, a more generous amount of time is probably needed even though it's not a huge city. Many travelers opt for two to three days to thoroughly relish the wonders of the town. However, if your schedule is tight, we have a handful of recommendations for making the most of your visit.
How to spend a day in La Spezia
The beautiful beaches await you in La Spezia, so spend the day (or several, if you can) relaxing on the sand or swimming in the water. The beaches in the area tend to be rocky and pebbly. For the best beaches, head out of town to nearby areas.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Sunset Boat Tour to Cinque Terre with aperitif on board ($157)
- Day Boat Tour Cinque Terre & Porto Venere ($217)
- Boat Tours 5 Terre ($146)
You'll absolutely want to spend some time enjoying the food scene in this town, so make sure you spend time at one of the local restaurants where you can taste the delicious cuisine for a meal or two. 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.
A few tour suggestions include:
- La Spezia Cinque Terre Food Tour - Do Eat Better Experience ($100)
- Cinque Terre tour with limoncino tasting from La Spezia Port ($93)
- La Spezia Cinque Terre Food Tour ($127)
La Spezia is a very walkable city. With only a day in the town, you'll have no trouble exploring the local sights. The town is easy to walk around and you'll find a pedestrian-only area downhill from the train station.
Is a weekend (two to three days) enough time in La Spezia?
A weekend trip is usually not enough time to experience the lively town of La Spezia, so you may find yourself somewhat rushed. Or, perhaps you'll want to return another time experience everything that this medium sized city has to offer. You don't want to miss the main attractions such as the cuisine, the beaches, the historic old town, and the nightlife scene. Many tourists set aside two to three days for their visit. However, if your schedule only gives you a couple of days, we have a handful of recommendations to make the most of your weekend adventure in La Spezia below.
La Spezia, Italy
How to spend 2 days in La Spezia
Having a weekend (two to three days) in La Spezia will provide you with more time to take in the best activities in the town.
The charming atmosphere and history of the old town area is worth exploring, so spend the day learning about the history and culture of the area. The old town runs between the streets of Corso Cavour and Via Prione and is best explored on foot.
A few tour suggestions include:
- La Spezia - History of an ancient town and visit to the Navy Museum ($34)
This town is very popular for nightlife. After the sun goes down, head out to one of the many popular venues around town. 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.
Public transit in La Spezia is easy and efficient. In just a few days, you should be able to get around the town quite easily. Buses, trains, and ferry boats offer the main forms of transportation in the area.
More Info
If you're looking for more information about La Spezia, we have even more advice to help you plan your journey.
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