La Spezia, the city everyone passes through without stopping
On July 8, 1822, the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley drowned during a sudden storm in the middle of the Gulf of La Spezia. His friend Lord Byron, as the story goes, used to swim across this same gulf to visit him in Lerici. Since then, the bay has earned a nickname: the Gulf of Poets.
Two centuries later, millions of travelers pass through La Spezia every year. Almost none of them stop. They rush toward the Cinque Terre, Portovenere, or Florence. That is a shame, because this port city of 93,000 residents has a personality all its own: Liberty-style palazzi, bustling markets, and Ligurian cuisine without the tourist filter.
La Spezia: ideal home base or just a train station?
Let us be clear. La Spezia is not a postcard. It is a living city, a military and commercial port with ordinary residential neighborhoods. If you are looking for the absolute charm of alleys clinging to a cliff, go straight to Manarola. But if you want a base that is practical, affordable, and well-connected, with restaurants where locals actually eat, you are in the right place.
La Spezia suits travelers who want to explore the Riviera di Levante without breaking the bank. In 8 minutes by train, you are in Riomaggiore. In 25 minutes by bus, you are in Portovenere. In an hour, you are in Pisa. Couples, families, and solo travelers will find it works well, as long as the goal is not to spend the day at the beach: the city has no swimmable beach. For swimming, head to Lerici, San Terenzo, or the island of Palmaria.
What to know before you go
Italy is a safe country and La Spezia is no exception. The historic center is compact and walkable. Italian is the primary language, but English is widely understood in accommodations and restaurants. The pace is that of a small Italian city: shops close between 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM, restaurants open from 7:30 PM, and Sunday is slow-paced.
A reasonable budget for Liguria
Expect to pay 70 to 120 EUR ($75 to $130) per night for a double room in a B&B or 3-star hotel, and 25 to 40 EUR ($27 to $43) per person per day for meals. A decent traveler budget runs around 90 to 130 EUR ($97 to $140) per day per person, including lodging. This is 30 to 50% cheaper than in the Cinque Terre.
The historic center and the waterfront
Two parallel streets define the old town: Corso Cavour and Via del Prione. The first is the primary shopping artery. The second connects the port to the train station, and it is here that the passeggiata takes place every evening, that ritual stroll where the Spezzini parade before dinner. Between the two, a maze of narrow alleys hides colorful facades and steep staircases.
On the waterfront, the Passeggiata Morin runs along the gulf under palm trees and leads to Porto Mirabello, connected by the Thaon di Revel pedestrian bridge, an elegant structure made of wood and white steel. It is the perfect spot for an aperitivo facing the sailboats.
Friendly tip: the Piazza Cavour market runs every morning from Monday to Saturday. On Fridays, a flea market takes over Via Garibaldi. Go there on an empty stomach.
The heights and the museums
The Castello di San Giorgio has overlooked the city since the 13th century. The climb up the stairs is steep, but the panorama of the gulf and the archaeological museum with its fascinating Lunigiana stele statues reward the effort. On the way down, the Museo Civico Amedeo Lia, housed in a former convent, holds nearly a thousand works ranging from Antiquity to the 18th century. It is rarely crowded and of surprising quality.
Excursions from La Spezia
This is where the city reveals its strength. From the central station, trains serve the five villages of the Cinque Terre in 8 to 25 minutes. The Cinque Terre Treno MS Card costs 32.50 EUR ($35) per day in summer for unlimited travel and access to the trails. Portovenere can be reached by bus or boat, with the latter option following the coast and the islands of Palmaria, Tino, and Tinetto.
On the other side of the gulf, Lerici offers a medieval castle and a sandy beach, while the tiny Tellaro, a fishing hamlet clinging to the rocks, remains spared by mass tourism. For long-distance excursions: Pisa is 1 hour and 15 minutes by train, Florence is 2 hours and 30 minutes, and Genoa is 1 hour.
Friendly tip: in summer, take the first train before 9:00 AM for the Cinque Terre or, better yet, visit the villages in the late afternoon when the day-trippers have left.
Where to eat and drink in La Spezia?
The signature dish is mesciua, a thick soup of chickpeas, white beans, and spelt drizzled with olive oil and black pepper, which originated in the mess kits of dockworkers. The other specialty is farinata, a large chickpea flour pancake cooked in a wood-fired oven. To taste it the right way, head to La Pia Centenaria, a local institution founded in the 19th century. Ask for a focaccia stuffed with farinata: the combination seems strange but it works.
For budget-friendly seafood, the self-service Dai Pescatori on the quay serves generous plates of fried squid. For refined gastronomy, Osteria della Corte offers creative Ligurian cuisine. Also try the trofie al pesto, the cozze ripiene (stuffed mussels), and the sgabei, fried bread dough strips served with cold cuts, all accompanied by a Vermentino Colli di Luni.
Where to sleep in La Spezia and its surroundings?
The historic center, between the station and the port, concentrates most of the options and remains the most practical neighborhood. For a beach vacation, it is better to stay in Lerici or San Terenzo, which offer direct access to the sea. Portovenere is more expensive but spectacular. Levanto, north of the Cinque Terre, is another popular base with a beach.
How to get to and around La Spezia?
The nearest airports are Pisa-Galileo Galilei, 1 hour and 15 minutes by train, and Genoa-Cristoforo Colombo, 1 hour by direct train. If driving, expect a 4.5-hour drive from Nice via the A12 motorway. Daily trains connect Paris to Milan or Genoa with a connection. From Rome, expect a 3.5-hour train ride.
In town, everything is done on foot and by regional train. Ferries operate from April to October. If you come by car, parking near the station costs 15 to 20 EUR ($16 to $22) per day: park it and leave it there for the rest of your stay.
When to go?
The best period is from April to June and from September to October: mild temperatures, beautiful light, and the Cinque Terre are not yet overwhelmed. July and August are hot, crowded, and more expensive. Winter is mild but many tourist services close.
It is a great place to use as a base for visiting the Cinque Terre villages, and the city itself is actually quite nice and convenient for finding much cheaper lodging! While it may not have the charm of its smaller neighbors, it is still a very pleasant city to wander around, with some great restaurants to help you dive into the wonderful Italian gastronomy.