Guide to La Spezia. The History of La Spezia Where to Stay Before and After a Cruise
Steep cliffs, pine forests, romantic bays and beautifulbeaches - everything here breathes beauty and preaches splendor.
Lerici, Porto Venere, Palmaria island, Tino and Tinetto islets and town La Spezia, "queen" of the beautiful bay...
La Spezia (Italian La Spezia is the largest town in the beautiful Gulf of Poets, often overlooked by travelers, perhaps because it is surrounded by the most famous resorts of the Ligurian coast. However, the town of La Spezia, having today become a “transit point” for foreigners heading to the Cinque Terre, “suffers” undeservedly, because once upon a time it was adored by writers and poets, the English lyricist Percy Shelley especially loved to be here, calling La Spezia “Blue city of dreams and love...
The city is located in the very east, just a few kilometers from the border with, on the shore of a sea bay, which is called the “Gulf of Spezia” (Golfo della Spezia), another name is “Gulf of Poets” (Golfo dei Poeti). The second name for the bay was assigned due to the visits of poets, writers, artists, and actors to these places, attracted by the beauty of the “water amphitheater.” Among La Spezia's frequent guests were David Herbert Lawrence, George Sand, Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley and many other creative personalities of Italy and Europe. The bay is surrounded by a chain of hills and mountains, the highest of which, Mount Verrugoli, 750 meters high, is located on the western edge of La Spezia.
Bay of Spezia. Photo by Thinkstock
How to get to La Spezia?
By plane
La Spezia. Photo flickr.com
By car
In addition, the state highways SS-1 (Aurelia), SS-62 (Sarzana -) and SS-63 (Massa - Verona) pass through La Spezia.
By train
La Spezia. Photo flickr.com
By sea
In the spring and summer, passenger sea transport runs connecting La Spezia with the ports of Genoa, Portofino, Lerici, Portovenere, the island of Palmaria, and the national park.
Where to stay in La Spezia?
After the fall of the Roman Empire, from the 5th century La Spezia was attacked by the Germanic tribes of the Heruli and Goths, and with the end of the Byzantine-Gothic wars in the mid-6th century, the territory of modern La Spezia came under Byzantine rule, becoming part of the Italian Exarchate - the Byzantine province on the Apennine Peninsula.
In 642, the region of La Spezia was conquered by the Longobards; after the fall of the Longobard kingdom in 773, the territory came under the rule of the Frankish king Charles I the Great. In 860, La Spezia was sacked by the Vikings, and in the same century it had to endure devastating raids by the Saracens, which led to the complete decline of the region.
Gradually, the inhabitants of neighboring cities began to move here, and in the 10th-11th centuries a fortress city was formed on a hill, which by the middle of the 12th century came under the rule of Genoa. By this time, La Spezia had become an important trading center. In the XIII-XIV centuries, the city flourished, thanks to which in 1343, at the behest of the first Genoese Doge Simone Boccanegra, the Podestat of La Spezia was formed, which, however, by the end of the XIV century, after the continuous struggle of Genoa and Venice, ceased to exist, and La Spezia comes under the rule of the Milanese Visconti dynasty.
In the 15th century, the city continued to develop as a major trading center. In 1654, in order to give a new impetus to the trade direction, the Genoese Republic allowed Jews to settle in La Spezia, new markets and exchange fairs appeared in the city. In 1797, with the fall of the Genoese Republic, La Spezia became part of the Ligurian Republic, which in 1805 became a French protectorate. With the end of Napoleon's power, La Spezia passes to the Sardinian kingdom.
By the time of the unification of Italy in 1861, La Spezia had about 6 thousand inhabitants. The city is beginning to actively develop as a tourist center; in the 19th century, members of the royal family often came here on vacation. By 1901, about 73 thousand people already lived in La Spezia.
New bridge in La Spezia . Photo flickr.com
Sights of La Spezia
Fortress of St. George
(Castello di San Giorgio)
This is where you should start your visit to La Spezia, because from the top of the Colle del Poggio hill, on which the castle of San Giorgio proudly stands, you have a magnificent view of the entire city and its bay. The fortress was built in 1262 and originally served as a shelter during wars for both soldiers and townspeople.
Castello San Giorgio acquired its final appearance, which can still be admired today, in 1607, when the observation towers were completed and the outer walls were strengthened.
To this day, almost nothing remains of the original structure of the fortress; over the centuries it has been restored and restored several times. Currently, the fortress houses an archaeological museum, and next to the fortress there is a beautiful park.
Fortress of St. George. Photo guideturisticheliguria.eu
Maritime Museum
(Museo Tecnico Navale)
Viale Amendola, 1
The Maritime Museum is considered the largest museum of its kind in Italy. The museum displays more than 150 models of Italian ships, about 2,500 awards, 6,500 relics, including a collection of ship figureheads of the 15th-17th centuries, thousands of historical and technical documents.
The museum is located next to the main entrance to the La Spezia naval arsenal, founded by Italy's first prime minister Cavour in 1862. The arsenal is operational, providing employment to more than 1,000 civilians and 200 military personnel.
Museum of the Navy. Photo by ottante.it
Some of the exhibits of the maritime museum. Photo: mareonline.it
Villa Marmori
The Marmori family residence was built in 1923 by the architect Franco Oliva; it is considered one of the best examples of architecture in the Ligurian floral style and is located on Via XX Settembre.
The frescoes and stuccoes that still decorate the villa are by the hand of the master Luigi Agretti, while the paintings specially commissioned for the rooms of the villa are the work of Discovolo and Ferri (the canvases are now kept in the local museum). Pay attention to the stained glass windows of the villa, created by Beltrame, very beautiful, made with a special technique, filtering and scattering sunlight between the rooms and halls of the villa.
Since 1984, Villa Marmori has hosted the Academy of Music named after. Giacomo Puccini.
Villa Marmori. Photo zonzofox.com
Cathedral of Cristo Re
The imposing temple overlooking the central square of Europe is located on a small hill where a Capuchin monastery was once located.
In 1929, a competition was held to build a new cathedral to replace the church of Santa Maria Assunta. The winner of the competition was the architect Brennero Del Giudice, but his project was frozen until 1956, and then completely changed by the architect Adalberto Libera and, during the implementation, the original project was partially revised by Cesare Galeazzi. The temple was consecrated only in 1975.
The interior of the temple is very beautiful: twelve massive columns with the names of the apostles surround the altar and pulpit, made by the sculptor Lia Godano from marble quarried in the Apuan Alps. The church is not decorated with traditional frescoes; the walls in the initial design were supposed to be decorated with mosaics, which were never realized. Inside the cathedral are the remains of San Venerio, patron saint of the bay, and San Terenzo and Sant'Euticiano, ancient bishops of Luni.
Cathedral of Cristo Re. Photo flickr.com
Church of Santa Maria Assunta
Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta
The abbey church of Santa Maria Assunta - the first Cathedral of La Spezia - stands in Piazza Beverini. Its construction dates back to the thirteenth century and it is the oldest church in the city.
The church was heavily damaged during the bombing of World War II. After the war, in 1954, it was restored and equipped with a new façade. The central entrance of the church is decorated with 8 relief images of works of mercy. Adjacent to the church are the Chapel of Mercy, the Chapel of the Sacred Heart and the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception.
The church contains many interesting artistic and historical evidence: the terracotta of Andrea della Robbia's "Coronation of the Virgin", the icon of "The Martyrdom of St. Bartholomew" by Luca Cambiaso, the 1642 canvas by Casone Giovanni Battista, the 16th-century font, the marble statues of Our Lady and St. Anthony, as well as sarcophagi, in which contain the remains of the commander of the papal fleet, Baldassarre Biassa, and his wife.
Church of Santa Maria Assunta. Photo flickr.com
Church of Saints Giovanni and Augustine
Chiesa dei Santi Giovanni e Agostino
The church, which lies behind Piazza San Augustino, was built in the sixteenth century as a funeral home for the dead of the poor. Outwardly, the building is unremarkable and contains rich Baroque decoration within its walls.
The interior of the temple consists of a single nave, 40 meters long, covered with rich Baroque decoration, which was often restored and retouched in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. There are no particularly valuable works of art stored inside, but visitors will be interested in looking at ancient crucifixes from the 18th century, an altar from the 16th century by Bernardino Lanino and an organ from 1823 created by the Serassi brothers.
Church organ. Photo flickr.com
Palazzo Crozza
Along Corso Cavour is the Palazzo Crozza, the historical residence of the noble Crozza family, built in the mid-nineteenth century.
Classic and elegant, the palace showcases to visitors a beautiful façade and an equally beautiful, richly decorated interior. Today it houses the headquarters of the city archive, which contains historical documents ranging from the fifteenth to the nineteenth century. The top floor of the palazzo, resplendent with two large halls and a magnificent grand staircase, contains an interesting collection of paintings belonging to the collections of Luigi Agretti, currently housing the public reading room of the Ubaldo Mazzini Library.
Palazzo Castrucci. Photo flickr.com
Fish market
Piazza cavour
A fish (and gastronomic) market is held every morning on Place Cavour, under the arches of a large covered structure, which on the first Sunday of the month turns into a haven of antique stalls. The market is divided into two parts: on one side of the square there are only fishmongers, while on the other side you will find stalls with fruits, vegetables, cheeses, spices, herbs and flowers. Around the square there are many bakeries, bars, pubs, restaurants, shops and major museums. Overall, this is a place that is definitely worth a visit.
Fish market. Photo flickr.com
Sanctuary of Madonna del Olmo
Santuario della Madonna dell"Olmo
The Sanctuary of Madonna del Olmo is located on the slopes of Mount Santa Croce, on a picturesque hill overlooking the village of Fabiano, on the western side of the Gulf of Poets, at an altitude of about 280 meters above sea level. The sanctuary dedicated to Our Lady was built in 1844. This sacred place for pilgrims is located just a few kilometers (about three) from the center of La Spezia. The small, unremarkable church inside contains many treasures: as examples, the church altar, made in the Baroque style, and the beautiful image of the Madonna del Olmo, kept in the sanctuary. To get to the church, you must take the provincial highway SP530, turn (almost immediately) into via sant'andrea and climb Mount Santa Croce.
Verdi Square
Piazza Verdi
This is one of the most important squares in the city. Many famous palazzos in La Spezia are located here: the Palazzo delle Poste, built in neo-fascist style, the Palazzo degli Studi, currently home to the Classical Lyceum, and - on the corner between Via Vittorio Veneto and Piazza Verdi - the Prefectural Palace and Palazzo -della Provincia.
Piazza Verdi. Photo flickr.com
Ethnographical museum
(Museo Civico Etnografico)
Ethnographical museum, named after the traveler, naturalist, ethnographer Giovanni Podenzana, talks about the life, folk traditions and customs of the people who inhabited the Lunigiana region in the 18th-20th centuries.
Amedeo Lia Museum
Museo Civico d "arte antica, medievale i moderno “Amedeo Lia”
Via Prione, 234
The museum was opened in 1996, thanks to donations from philanthropist Amedeo Lia and his family. The museum collection contains more than 1,100 works of art - from icons to jewelry; from liturgical objects to paintings by famous Italian painters from the thirteenth century, such as Giotto and his disciples, Bernardo Daddi, Duccio, Pietro Lorenzetti, Simone Martini, Lippo Memmi, Sano di Pietro, Taddeo di Bartolo, Bicci di Lorenzo , Fra Angelico, Romanino, Veronese, Titian, etc. In the museum you can also see many beautiful sculptures made of wood, bronze and marble.
Museo Amedeo Lia. Photo flickr.com
Modern Art Museum
Centro Arte Moderna e Contemporanea della Spezia (CAMEC)
Piazza Cesare Battisti
Opened in 2004, the Camec Museum occupies three floors, on which three independent collections are located - Cozzani, Battolini and "Premio del Golfo". The collection of Giorgio Cozzani contains more than 1,200 sculptures and canvases, donated to the museum by a patron of the arts in 1998. Most of the works presented belong to abstract art, surrealism and expressionism. The next collection once belonged to the Battolinis, it includes 500 works by contemporary artists from around the world. The third collection is constantly updated with works that have won the CAMEC painting competition, "Premio del Golfo", which is held every two years. Today the exhibition contains more than 300 exhibits.
Lerici Castle Museum
Museo Castello di Lerici
Piazza San Giorgio, Lerici, La Spezia
The Castle of Lerici is a polygonal fort that, perched on a high rocky promontory, dominates the town of Lerici, located near La Spezia. The castle was built in 1152 and went through numerous reconstructions by the engineers of the maritime republics of Genoa and Pisa, who fought over the castle due to its strategic location. Only in 1555 the castle began to take on a modern appearance, so that today it appears before the eyes of visitors as the quintessence of various architectural styles - from Genoese to Gothic.
On the ground floor of Lerici Castle there is the Chapel of St. Anastasia, luxuriously decorated with black and white Ligurian marble.
In 1998, the fort was restored to house a paleontological museum, where you can visit a good exhibition on dinosaurs that will appeal to both children and adults.
Museum of the Castle of San Giorgio
Via XXVII Marzo
The recently restored castle houses an archaeological museum that contains relics from ancient times. On the ground floor there is a collection of archaeological finds belonging to the Neolithic and Chalcolithic era, in which you can admire the ancient stone statues of Lunigiana (anthropomorphic sculptures marking the territory, decorated with precious stones and weapons), finds from the Iron Age and Bronze Age, finds from the necropolis. The top floor is dedicated to the ancient Roman and medieval periods. For the most part, these are materials from the Fabricotti collection: architectural elements, statues, portraits, mosaics.
City Park
The city park, or rather garden, is rich in its botanical diversity; here you can see palm trees, spruces, oaks, cedars, magnolias, roses and many other plants. The first park in La Spezia was laid out in 1825; by the end of the 19th century it had expanded to almost its modern size. The park is decorated with numerous sculptures, including a monument in honor of Giuseppe Garibaldi.
City Park. Photo noidelteatro.blogspot.it
What to see near La Spezia?
While in La Spezia, be sure to visit the Cinque Terre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as Portovenere, located in the Gulf of Poets, and the nearby islands of Isole di Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto.
You can drive to the medieval town of Sarzana with its majestic castle and nearby Varese Ligure with its ancient streets and wonderful cheese market.
Lerici. Photo by Thinkstock
"Bay of Poets"
The wide and deep bay of the Ligurian Sea has been called the "Gulf of Poets" since 1919, when playwright Sam Benelli, while on holiday in a luxurious villa overlooking the sea in San Terenzo (Lerici), wrote his most important work, "The Supper of Ridicule".
The Bay of Poets got its nickname because over the centuries, many poets, writers and artists, fascinated by the beauty and romance of these lands, drew inspiration for their best works.
Rainbow over the Bay of Poets. Photo flickr.com
The bay borders the municipalities of Portovenere, La Spezia and Lerici, charming towns overlooking the sea and surrounded by green hills.
On the border of Liguria and Tuscany is the Montemarcello Magra Natural Park, rich not only in natural, but also in cultural and historical values.
In addition, admire the natural beauty of Cape Caprione, an ideal starting point for many excursions, and visit the Botanical Gardens of Montemarcello.
Festivals in La Spezia
Vibrant traditional festival Palio del Golfo(Palio del Golfo) takes place on the first Sunday of August and consists of a boat competition between 13 borgos located in the "Gulf of Poets". After the awarding of the palio, the celebration continues with musical performances, food fairs and open-air theater performances. The boat regatta has been held annually since 1929 as part of the Levanto Maritime Festival. Thousands of tourists come every year to see the colorful spectacle.
Palio del Golfo. Photo flickr.com
Fair of San Giuseppe(Fiera di San Giuseppe:) is held for three days, starting on March 19, in honor of the feast of St. Joseph.
This annual fair for food and non-food products attracts about 1,000 participants and many guests.
What to try in La Spezia?
Locally produced black pepper is an integral part of most Spices culinary recipes, among which “meshua”, which in the local dialect means “mixture” - a soup of beans, wheat and chickpeas, is especially popular.
Typical Spice dishes include delicious flatbreads, which are baked only here; chickpea flour stew; “sgabei” - fried flatbreads made from yeast dough filled with cheese, ham, or, in the sweet version, cream or chocolate; stuffed pumpkin flowers; vegetable casseroles. In the suburb of La Spezia, Pitelli serves particularly delicious ravioli with meat, potatoes and herbs, while Campiglia is famous for its saffron cultivation.
Sgabei from La Spezia. Photo: universocucina.com
Pumpkin flowers stuffed with soft goat cheese. Photo: nerodiseppiae.blogspot.it
La Spezia is famous for its fish market, where you can find freshly caught seafood every morning. It is no coincidence that one of the local specialties is stuffed mussels, which are specially bred here.
Spices worth noting are the white Colli di Luni DOC and Cinque Terre DOC.
Cruise ships dock at the renovated pier Molo Garibaldi, the distance from it to the city center is about 2 kilometers (15 minutes). The central train station, from where you can travel to Cinqueterre and other surrounding areas, is 4 kilometers away. There is a free port transfer to the business center from Molo Garibaldi. With its help, passengers can quickly reach the center of La Spezia, the shopping area, restaurants, museums and the pedestrian part of the city (Via del Prione, Corso Cavour and Piazza S. Agostino), located a short walk from the port bus stop.
What to see in the port of La Spezia on a cruise
Since the city is an excellent natural harbor, it was decided to build the main naval base in Italy here. The pride of the city is the ancient cathedral of the 15th century, famous for its sculptures made of baked clay by the hand of the Florentine sculptor Andrea della Robbia. Built in the Middle Ages, the fortified port of La Spezia was almost completely destroyed during the Second World War, but was liberated by anti-Hitler troops in 1945.
Another element of the ancient heritage - St. George's Castle, - has recently been restored and houses a famous archaeological collection: consisting of 19 humanoid steles discovered in Lunigiana - representing figures of inhabitants of the Bronze and Iron Ages.
In addition, the old part of the city has recently been restored, and these works have helped to create a cozy and warm atmosphere in the center of La Spezia, which hosts many music and cultural festivals and projects during the summer days.
Routes, excursions, transport in the port of La Spezia
What to see around La Spezia
Soak up the luxury of a resort Forte dei Marmi and travel to the best places of the Versilia coast. Golden beaches, blue water and panoramic views await you! Admire stunning views of the Apuan Alps and explore the legendary marble quarries of Carrara.
For those wishing to visit Florence It’s better to take an organized excursion from the ship: the journey one way takes 2 hours, and getting there on your own, you risk being late for the ship’s departure. But to get to Pisa You can quickly and easily - by train.
Opening hours and weekends of shops and restaurants in La Spezia:
Most shops and establishments in Italy are open from Monday to Saturday (from 8 am to 1 pm, and from 4 to 7 pm), while many shops close on Saturday afternoon, as well as on Monday morning; in the south, the workday may start and end an hour later. Typically, all establishments except bars and restaurants close on Sunday, although in many cities bakeries and pastry shops are still open in the morning. At the same time, in big cities and tourist locations, shops open on Sundays are becoming more commonplace.
Where to stay before and after your cruise?
For a port stop before a cruise, try Airbnb, where you can rent a full-fledged apartment for the price of a hotel room. By registering using our link you will receive coupon for 2100 rub. for your first stay from RUB 4,500!
Top things to do in and around the port of La Spezia
We selected these hotels based on our own experience and the experience of other cruise travelers. Determining factors when choosing: proximity to the La Spezia cruise terminal, the ability to quickly and easily get to the ship, as well as the airport or train station.
La Spezia(Italian: La Spezia) is a city that is the capital of the province of La Spezia. Located on the Ligurian coast, which is, in turn, in the north-west of the Italian Republic.
If you find La Spezia on a map of Italy, you will see that the city is separated from the Tuscany region by only a few kilometers, and the city itself is located right in the middle of, perhaps, one of the most picturesque routes in Italy - Genoa - Pisa.
Location of La Spezia on the map of Italy
The population is 95,600 people.
La Spezia is first and foremost a port in Italy, and not just a commercial and passenger port, but also a military-strategic one. The city's harbor is called the Gulf of Spezia (Italian: Golfo della Spezia).
Oddly enough, La Spezia was not always Italian. In 1797, Napoleon, realizing the advantageous position of the then village with two to three thousand inhabitants, captured La Spezia.
It was at this very time that a port and shipyards for the construction of ships appeared in the harbor, and by the beginning of the 19th century, rapid construction began in the city itself.
La Spezia became part of Italy only in 1861.
Main routes to and from La Spezia
How to get to La Spezia
First of all, the fact that La Spezia is located in the north of Italy means a very developed transport network. But the city is also a commercial, military and tourist center and port, which further increases the chances of a quick and convenient way to arrive in this corner of Italy.
Airplane. The closest airport to La Spezia is Genoa Airport. Directly from the airport you can take a train or train to La Spezia in 1 hour 50 minutes.
Port. In La Spezia, cruise ships arrive at the Molo Garibaldi pier. Travel time to the city center is limited to only 15 minutes by port transfer, and it is free.
You can get to La Spezia by cruise ship
Railway. The La Spezia railway station belongs to the Genoa - Rome line, which means that cities in this direction can also be easily reached by train.
From Milan, the journey time by train is a little over 4 hours (27-45 euros); from Turin and Pisa you can also come by train.
Routes from La Spezia
We will tell you about the most popular routes from La Spezia among tourists.
How to get from La Spezia to Portovenere:
How to get from La Spezia to Sestri Levante:
- The most convenient way to travel is by train from La Spezia central station. There are 20 flights per day, travel time is 30 - 50 minutes, ticket price is 4.25 - 5 euros. Tickets can be booked in advance;
- On a motor ship or boat that runs between nearby tourist towns.
How to get from La Spezia to Cinque Terre:
- Car traffic is limited throughout the park, therefore, it is better to get there by commuter train, the Genoa-Spezia line, the journey takes only 10-15 minutes. The stations of Riomaggiore and Monterosso are the largest and most suitable in the Cinque Terre for arriving tourists;
- It is possible to travel along the serpentine road in small buses and minivans;
- You can get to the Cinque Terre by boat or motor ship.
How to get from La Spezia to Portofino
Portofino, like many other places of interest to tourists, is best and most conveniently reached from the city of La Spezia from the central station La Spezia Centrale.
From there, take the train to the central station of Portofino - Santa Margherita Ligure Portofino.
The journey will take about an hour, costing 6.30 - 14 euros.
How to get from La Spezia to Pisa airport
Pisa Airport can also be reached from La Spezia Centrale central station. From there, take the train to Aeroporto internazionale Galileo Galilei Pisa, travel time 1.20 minutes - 1.45 minutes. Cost 6.60 - 12.30 euros.
How to get from the port of La Spezia to Florence (by train)
Often passengers arriving on cruise ships at the port of La Spezia choose Florence as their next destination. How to get from the port to the beautiful pearl of Tuscany?
Cruise ships arrive at the Molo Garibaldi pier. Passengers are transported to the main points of the city of La Spezia using port transfers, which are mostly free.
You need to take a transfer to the central station of La Spezia - La Spezia Centrale. Buy a train ticket to Florence (Italian Firenza) at the station (you can also do this in advance on-line), ticket price 13.50 - 19.10 euros, travel duration 2.10 - 2.50 hours.
Where to stay in La Spezia
The most economical and convenient way is to book a room, apartment, villa (whatever you like) on a special website on the Internet.
Homeowners rent out their apartments without intermediaries, so the prices are the most reasonable.
If you want to relax in the most comfortable conditions, see the most picturesque views from the window, drink good coffee in the morning, then you should stay in hotels in La Spezia, which have proven themselves to be the best:
Kitchen
Many tourists choose La Spezia as a stopover point for moving to other major cities.
But even if you are in this port city for just one day, it is simply unacceptable not to try the typical dish of La Spezia - Forinata pizza.
This is a pea flour pizza.
Pizza Forinata made from pea flour
The dough is poured into a huge frying pan and fried for 10-15 minutes. Be sure to sprinkle with black pepper. The cost of a serving is 2-2.5 euros.
The location by the sea explains the predominance of seafood in the local cuisine.
Dishes made from the freshest mussels, anchovies and other seafood are offered everywhere by restaurants on the shore:
- Zuppa di cozze— tomato soup with mussels;
- Fritto misto— a set of various types of fish and shellfish, deep-fried;
- Acciughe al lemon- anchovies marinated in lemon juice, sprinkled with olive oil when serving;
- Muscoli ripieni— stuffed mussels in red tomato sauce.
Tomato soup with fresh mussels
And of course, La Spezia is Italy, so how could we not have a local dessert, Dolce – “sweets”?
Here, the traditional sweet treat is castagnacio (Italian: Castagnaccio).
This is a fragrant dessert, a pie made from chestnut flour with dried grapes and pine nuts.
What to see in La Spezia in 1 day
Yes, most often, La Spezia for travelers is just a port, a transit point on the way to the next attractions of Italy.
What can you see in La Spezia in a short time and not remain indifferent to what you see:
Interesting places around La Spezia
The surroundings of La Spezia are simply a treasure trove for lovers of natural beauty and connoisseurs of historical heritage. Famous places:
Beaches around La Spezia
Italy has all the conditions for a comfortable beach holiday. This is the azure sea, these are beaches for every taste: both with sandy and stone entrances. This is clean air and beautiful vegetation.
Of course, the sea and wonderful weather of La Spezia are the best conditions for a beach holiday.
Even in winter there are no temperatures below 0C, because the Ligurian mountains protect the coast from cold winds. Well, in summer the temperature does not rise above 37 degrees, also due to the protection of the mountains. The best time to visit seaside towns and beaches is from May to October.
Several beaches in the province of La Spezia are considered incredibly beautiful and picturesque.
Examples of these beaches include:
Events in La Spezia
While staying in La Spezia, you can not only visit historical and simply beautiful and interesting places, taste and appreciate the local cuisine, you have the opportunity to participate in numerous holidays and festivals:
- On October 30, on Via Fortezza Sarzana in the Sarzanello fortress, a Halloween party for children takes place. Dinner, tunnel of horror, themed games inside the fortress;
- Since 1969, the International Jazz Festival annually gathers thousands of fans of this musical genre in the Villa Marigola park, in public gardens, at the Alberto Picco Stadium;
- The Festival of Saint Giuseppe is held on March 19th. At this time, more than 600 shops open with their products and crafts;
- On the first Sunday of August, the Sea Festival is held, or simply a regatta.
Even one day spent in the city of La Spezia will show the contrast between the luxury of villas, parks, gardens and fishing boats, fishermen sorting out their fishing gear here and there. This is exactly what the sea city looks like.
In La Spezia you can enjoy the atmosphere of fishing towns
The heritage of the rich history, which is carefully preserved here, will allow you to touch antiquity, as well as look into the most interesting ancient villages.
The local nature will allow you to enjoy amazing views of the sea. And the opportunity to combine this with a unique cuisine makes your stay here simply unforgettable.
Beaches overlooking the crystal clear sea, picturesque towns in bays followed by green valleys, romantic traditions of antiquity: all this and much more awaits tourists in the province of La Spezia.
One of the most interesting sites on the Ligurian Riviera can be found here: Golfo dei Poeti - the Gulf of Poets, so named because many great writers and poets demonstrated their love for this land. Steep cliffs, dense pine forests, romantic coves and exceptional beaches...
Map of the province of La Spezia
More about the province
Together with the picturesque villages perched on the top of the cliff, they create a coastal landscape that amazes with its beauty those who see it from the sea.
Lerici, Portovenere, the island of Palmaria and the islets of Tino and Tinetto are the most famous routes of this tourist destination.
Further, to the northwest, is one of the most beautiful areas of Italy - the Cinque Terre or Five Lands. The UNESCO World Heritage Site (together with Porto Venere) is an amazing example of a harmonious balance in the relationship between man and nature.
Located one after the other, five towns - Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso al Mare - show off their natural and artistic treasures to visitors who arrive here.
On the far (towards Genoa) section of the coast lie the resorts of Levanto, Bonassola, Framura, Deiva Marina - charming towns surrounded by cliffs and beaches, green hills, with beautiful views of the sea.
In this Ligurian province, tourists will find good beaches, interesting places for excursions, and national Italian flavor. There are local wines, the cuisine is rich in seafood. Tourist service is at a high level, there are hotels of different price categories, and all are very decent.
As for the city of La Spezia itself - the capital of the province, located in the very center of the Gulf of Golfo dei Poeti - it is a fairly large city in which there are interesting places for tourists, but which is unlikely to be correctly called a resort. (Although everything is learned by comparison).
Another advantage of a holiday in this region is that from La Spezia it’s very close to Pisa, and you can get to Florence by high-speed train in just over 2 hours. Thus, thanks to the geographical location, it is possible to see more of the sights of Italy in one trip.
La Spezia- a port city in the eastern part of. In addition to its tourist focus, La Spezia is the center of the Italian military industry and one of the largest commercial and military harbors in Italy. From here there are direct ferries to and from the coast.
Getting to La Spezia:
By train:
La Spezia Central Station - La Spezia Centrale. Trains arrive to La Spezia from Rome, Naples, Pisa, Florence, Parma, Milan, Genoa, Savona, Turin... Italian trains website
By bus:
- Buses in the La Spezia region: www.atcesercizio.it.
Attractions in La Spezia:
La Spezia Castle
In La Spezia the castle of St. George - Castle of San Giorgio - 13th century. Until the beginning of the 17th century, the castle was rebuilt several times. The castle now houses an archaeological museum, which, among other things, exhibits finds from the Etruscan era.
Naval Arsenal
The Naval Arsenal of La Spezia was built in the mid-19th century by naval engineer Domenico Chiodo, whose monument is erected in front of the entrance to the arsenal. Now the Arsenal has been converted into a naval museum.
Ancient churches of La Spezia:
Several ancient churches have been preserved in La Spezia: the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (XIII century), the Church of St. John and Augustine (1797), the Church of St. Stephen (XIII century, but from that time only one wall has been preserved), the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary (1897-1901, made in the neo-Byzantine style).
Chiesa di Santa Maria Della Assunta
The monastic church of Santa Maria della Assunta - the Assumption of the Virgin Mary - dates back to the 13th century. Inside you can admire a significant series of artistic works that were brought here from the abolished churches. Among them are “The Coronation of the Virgin Mary” by Andrea della Robbia, “The Multiplication of the Loaves” by Giovanni Battista Casoni, and “The Martyrdom of St. Bartolomeo" by Luca Cambiaso.
Amadeo Lia Museum
The Aamadeo Lia Museum, housed in a former 17th-century Franciscan monastery, houses a collection of Middle Eastern and Renaissance art.
Museums of La Spezia:
- Ubaldo Formentini-Civic Museum in the Castle of St. George (Museo del Castello di San Giorgio – Museo civico archeologico)
- Palazzina delle Arti and the Seal Museum(palazzina delle Arti e Museo del Sigillo)
- Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art(Centro d'arte moderna e contemporanea, CAMeC)