In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Italy
La Spezia
Spend 1 day in La Spezia to see the historic centre and castle; add a half‑day for a quick Cinque Terre train ride.
La Spezia is a small Ligurian port town with a compact historic centre, a medieval castle and good rail links to the Cinque Terre. One full day covers the main sights; a second half‑day lets you hop a train to one of the five villages for a quick coastal walk.
- Country
- Italy
- Best months
- May–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (heat, crowds)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Cards and contactless are widely accepted in cities; small cafés, markets and rural places may prefer cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget €45–65 excl. bed · Mid €65–100 excl. bed · High €100+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- TIM, Vodafone, WindTre and Iliad sell prepaid SIMs in shops and at airports; a passport and an Italian tax code (codice fiscale, issued in-store) are needed.
- Emergency
- Police 112 · Fire 115 · Ambulance 118
- Plugs
- Types C, F, L · 230 V · 50 Hz · Italian type L plugs have three pins in a row; most sockets also take two-pin Europlugs (C), and bivalent sockets take Schuko (F).
- Tipping
- Bar: Leave €0.10–0.20 of change on the counter if you like.; Restaurant: Coperto or service may already be on the bill; leave €1–2 a person or round up for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day.
- Water
- Tap water is safe unless signed otherwise; Rome's nasoni fountains run all day. Restaurants serve bottled water (naturale or frizzante) unless you ask for tap (acqua del rubinetto).
- Toilets
- Few public toilets; use bars (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €1.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee in a café | €1.20–2.00 |
| Pasta dish | €8–12 |
| Glass of wine | €3–5 |
| Regional train ticket (La Spezia ↔ Genoa) | €6–9 |
| Museum entry (Naval Museum) | €5–8 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- GOA · Genoa Cristoforo Colombo Airport
- About 30 km (19 mi) north, reachable by regional train in ~30 minAbout 19 mi (30 km) north, reachable by regional train in ~30 min
Typical fares
- La Spezia Centrale → Cinque Terre (day ticket)
- about €16, 20 min train (check)
- Taxi La Spezia centre → NH Jolly
- ≈ €8–12, 5 min
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The town centre is walkable; the central train station (La Spezia Centrale) is 500 m NW of the historic core. Use regional trains for Cinque Terre; buy a day ticket for unlimited local trips.
See and do
Known for
- Castello di San Giorgio
- Cattedrale di Cristo Re
- Naval Museum
- Liguria cuisine (pesto, focaccia, sgabei)
- Rail gateway to Cinque Terre
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Cinque Terre (Riomaggiore) | Regional train from La Spezia Centrale, 20 min | ≈1 h total |
| Portofino | Train to Santa Margherita Ligure (≈45 min) then bus 10 min | ≈1 h 30 min |
| Genoa | Fast train, 30 min | ≈45 min |
Sleep
- NH Jolly La Spezia
- Seafront, 150 m from port and train station; good for short stays.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Scusiskuˈzi |
| Thank you | Grazieˈɡrattsje |
| How much is it? | Quanto costa?ˈkwanto ˈkosta |
| Where is the train station? | Dove è la stazione?ˈdove ɛ la staˈtsjoːne |
| Can I pay by card? | Posso pagare con carta?ˈposso paˈɡare kon ˈkarta |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say buongiorno (until mid-afternoon) or buonasera on entering shops and bars; avoid: Walking in and pointing without a greeting
- Cheek kisses: Two kisses, right cheek first, among friends; follow their lead; avoid: Kissing strangers or in business settings
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders and knees in churches; avoid: Beachwear, bare chests and flip-flops away from the beach
- Queues: At delis and pharmacies take a number (numerino); avoid: Assuming the crowd at a bar counter is chaos — pay at the till first where asked
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated and ask for the bill; avoid: Splitting a bill item by item with a large group
- Conversation: Food, football and family are safe openers; avoid: Mafia jokes and north–south stereotypes
- Dinner at a home: Bring pastries, wine or flowers (not chrysanthemums, which are for funerals); avoid: Refusing seconds too firmly
Scams and watch-outs
- Last regional train to Cinque Terre departs around 19:00; check schedules in summer.
- Some museum opening hours vary seasonally; verify before visiting.
Generally safe; watch belongings on trains and in crowded ports; night walks are fine in the centre.
One and two days
No timed day plan for La Spezia yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Castello di San Giorgio
- Cattedrale di Cristo Re
- Naval Museum
- Liguria cuisine (pesto, focaccia, sgabei)
- Rail gateway to Cinque Terre
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Comune di La Spezia official site: www.comune.laspezia.it/
- Wikidata – La Spezia: www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12345
- Wikivoyage: La Spezia, revision 5288059 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5288059
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/la-spezia). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.