Best Things to Do in La Spezia

The best things to see and do in La Spezia have a lot to do with the surroundings of this Italian town. The Cinque Terre national park is right next to the city and other major Italian metropolises are less than 50 minutes away. This while this place is also a Ligurian wonder on its own merit, standing out for having constructions that are generally quite recent.

For these reasons I advise you to read on for a compilation of things to see and do in La Spezia. Each and every one of them offers you the opportunity to experience the most entertaining things to do in this place and its surroundings. This will make it easier for you to plan your sightseeing trip no matter how short or long it will be.

One of the best things to do in La Spezia no matter what time of year you decide to visit is to take a sea tour along the coast. This is one of the best parts of the Ligurian Sea, a stretch of the Mediterranean that stretches from this Italian region to the French town of Cap Ferret.

The conditions of the boat trip can be very different depending on the service chosen. However, the most common is a full day trip that includes a light lunch accompanied by some local wines. They are usually reserved for a small number of people and most commonly take place on a sailing boat. Especially if it is a date when the wind is favourable for fast sailing.

It should be noted that this part of the Italian Riviera is a Unesco World Heritage Site, so appreciating the coastline from a boat on a sunny day in pleasant weather is an opportunity not to be missed on your visit to La Spezia.

Interesting details

• Duration: These types of boat trips can vary in length, but those advertised as an all-day trip usually last around seven to eight hours in total.
• Price: The boat trip along the Ligurian coast with lunch and a few glasses of wine usually costs around 160 per person. Cheaper alternatives may be available, but it would be a much shorter trip.

The historic centre and surroundings of this town can also be enjoyed through the mountains and roads found in this corner of Italy. For this reason, a bike tour is an excellent way to enjoy the beauty that characterises La Spezia and is one of the best things to do all year round.

The duration of this type of tour and the itinerary changes depending on the weather. However, the most common is that they are carried out on an electric bicycle that facilitates pedalling so that participants can reach Vernazza, one of the five villages of Cinque Terre, in record time.

The experience is ideal for the fact that it allows you to get to know closely the fields and forests that are just outside the city as well as inside this national park. This is quite interesting as this is a region that was originally dedicated to agriculture, but nowadays it is totally oriented towards fishing.

This is definitely one of the best tours in La Spezia and the most interesting thing about it is that it is an activity for the whole family as it is suitable for all children over 1,30m tall. The price includes bottled water, safety equipment and a guide who will take you directly to some of the most important corners of this natural region.

Interesting details

• Duration: this type of tour usually lasts about four or five hours in total, including the breaks you can take to explore the different sites along the route.
• Prices: this activity almost always costs around 90 euros per person, which is quite favourable considering that sometimes a small focaccia and wine tasting is included.

Northern Italian cuisine is just as important as that of the south of the country and at the same time you can appreciate the culinary traditions of La Spezia and Liguria. Another of the best things to see and do in La Spezia is to take part in a cooking class with experts on the gastronomic history and the diversity of ingredients that characterise this agricultural region.

The classes themselves are often an excellent way to entertain before taking part in one of the famous excursions that make La Spezia a major tourist destination in Liguria. They are also a good way to get to know the local gastronomy on the terms of its protagonists. They usually involve a four-course meal and the classes are usually designed for groups of no more than eight participants.

The experience also includes the accompanying wine that you will drink throughout the event and a printed recipe booklet that you can take home with you so that you can replicate the dishes you have learned step-by-step. There is also the benefit that the classes are usually held in some of the city centre's professional kitchens and at the same time it is an activity available to the whole family regardless of age.

Interesting details

• Duration: this type of cooking class usually lasts about four hours in total.
• Price: the price of such a class per person is usually around 150 euros, but this includes the accompaniment of the professional chef giving the class, as well as payment for all the ingredients.

You can get to know La Spezia from a totally different perspective by taking a gastronomic tour of the city. This is a tourist experience that is highly recommended to familiarise yourself with the flavours that define this place and, above all, because it is an ideal activity for you to simultaneously visit some of the most iconic places in the town.

The cost of this service usually includes different food tastings, as well as bottled water. What defines some of the best food tours in La Spezia is the chance to experience the Italian culture and way of life, as many of the guides really do act as a local friend who takes you to their favourite places in a genuine and supportive exchange of ideas.

Bear in mind that La Spezia is generally not a very large city, which means that with a good food tour you'll get to see most of the culinary treasures of the town.

Details of interest

Duration: these types of gastronomic tours usually last around three hours at the most, which is enough time to visit several restaurants and taste different starters, main courses and desserts.Price: the price of such an experience is usually around 90 euros per person and, in a way, it is a convenient rate knowing that you will eat in three or four different restaurants along the way.

La Spezia is a city that, despite being small and relatively modern, has a good variety of museums that are worth a visit on a sightseeing tour. Some of them are dedicated to Italian art while others focus on the history of the Liguria region. The following two are some of the best things to see and do in this town.

The Technical Naval Museum

Getting tickets to the Naval Technical Museum in La Spezia is recommended for all types of tourists as this museum is one of the best in Europe for a permanent exhibition of the arms and ships of a national navy.

Inside you will find antique weapons that were part of different armies belonging to the kingdoms that made up what is now republican Italy. You will also see more recent models that were used in both World War I and World War II.

• Opening hours: Open every day of the week from 8.30am to 7.30pm.
• Prices: Tickets cost approximately 3 euros per person.

San Giorgio Castle

The Castel San Giorgio is for many the greatest historical and architectural treasure of La Spezia and this site now functions as a museum. As such it has permanent exhibits of sculptures and other pieces that have been used by its occupants since the building's construction in the 14th century.

• Opening hours: The castle is closed on Mondays and from Wednesday to Sunday it is usually open from 10am until 12.30pm and then welcomes visitors again from 2pm until 5pm.
• Prices: The entrance fee is approximately 5 euros per person. There are no age distinctions in the price.

At the south western end of the Gulf of La Spezia is located another of the best attractions of this city. This is the island of Palmaria where you can enjoy a tour of its natural spaces full of peculiar flora and fauna.

The island is characterised by the same cliffs that you'll find throughout Cinque Terre, but it also has marble caves that are ideal for exploration. In fact, it is also the perfect place to enjoy a short boat trip or simply enjoy a day at the beach in a less touristy location.

In the village opposite the island, Portovenere, you will also have the opportunity to visit the famous fortification on its southwestern shore. Hiking is another activity not to be missed on the island and a lunch or dinner with the catch of the day in Portovenere is perfect when you decide to return to what the locals consider to be the mainland.

Right in the urban heart of La Spezia lies the Giardini Pubblici, a public park very close to the naval technical museum and the promenade that stretches along the town's marina.

It is characterised by the opportunity it offers tourists to walk through one of the few spaces that exist in the city for the entertainment of all the inhabitants, as well as by the beauty that distinguishes the landscaping of this site.

It really is a plan not to be missed when visiting La Spezia, especially because of its proximity to most of the restaurants and commercial establishments of the city. This means that walking for an hour or two along its length and then going shopping or simply sitting down for a nice meal is a must for all tourists who come to this town.

La Spezia's proximity to other major tourist sites in northern Italy makes excursions from this town one of the best things to do regardless of the time of year or the number of people accompanying you. For this reason, a walk to the Parco Nazionale dell'Appennino Tosco-Emiliano is something you should not miss. Especially because it is located about 40 minutes at most driving to the northeast of the city.

Monte Prado, Monte Cusna and Alpe di Succiso are some of the most visited mountains in the area. However, the large meadows and hidden lakes that stretch the length of the national park are also a great place to get away from it all and enjoy the natural beauty that defines this mountainous region.

The national park is far too large to be able to cover its entire length. However, if you visit some of the Tuscan villages that lie between the borders of this region and Liguria, you will still be able to enjoy the beauty that characterises this mountainous area.

Finally, another of the best things to see or do on a visit to La Spezia is to take advantage of the free time you have in this city to take a one or two day trip to Genoa or Pisa. Part of the importance of La Spezia in Italy is its strategic location within the coastal region which greatly influenced the prosperity of European trade through these two important locations.

The train journey from this city to both Pisa and Genoa takes approximately the same time, an hour and a half, so it makes no difference which of the two locations you decide to visit. However, you should know that visiting Genoa is a much more learning-oriented experience about the importance of its port to Italian trade. Pisa, on the other hand, offers great wonders of Italian architecture including its famous leaning tower.

The real reason why La Spezia is an important tourist destination in Italy is because of its proximity to the Cinque Terre National Park, a centuries-old mountainous strip along the Ligurian coastline with five coastal towns of historical importance and architectural beauty, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In fact, the region has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This activity can be considered one of the best day trips from La Spezia, as although it is so close to La Spezia, it is still an area outside the city. It is also an unmissable part of your trip if you are interested in exploring one of Italy's great attractions. The whole area is characterised by the colours of its old houses that contrast in a very peculiar way with the rocky cliffs that break directly with the Ligurian coast.

You can visit this place on your own if you wish. However, one recommendation I can't fail to make is to join a private tour, as it will guarantee you the chance to visit all the villages in record time without missing any of the main attractions. The cost of the service also includes the return trip by train from the port of La Spezia.

Useful details

• Duration: These types of excursions along the Cinque Terre usually last about six or seven hours in total. They may take a little longer depending on the number of tourists in each of the villages.
• Price: Adults usually pay a fee of around 350 euros per person, which is logical because it is a private and exclusive experience. However, children between the ages of 4 and 11 only pay approximately 60 euros.