La Spezia is a small city in the Liguria region of Italy, almost halfway between Genoa and Pisa. La Spezia is right next to the very popular Cinque Terre, five incredibly scenic fishing towns, so most visitors only see it as a gateway to the villages. Yet, being one of the main Italian commercial harbours, this city is more than only a stop on a route through the country. If you are looking for the best areas to stay in La Spezia, you have come to the right place.
The attractions in La Spezia include the Naval Museum and the 14th-Century Castle of Saint Giorgio, with great views of the city and an archaeological museum. But one of the main reasons people stay in La Spezia is how much cheaper hotels are compared to Cinque Terre, but just a quick train ride away from the (very photogenic) little towns. Besides its many hotels, you’ll also find a lot of tourist apartments in the city centre and near the promenade.
It doesn’t matter if you’re planning to stay in La Spezia to visit Cinque Terre or for sightseeing. Keep reading this post to learn more about the best places to stay in La Spezia, Italy.
If you don’t have time to read the full article, here’s a quick summary of our best areas for tourists in La Spezia. Keep reading to find out more information about each of these districts.
- Best area for sightseeing: Cinque Terre
- Best location for families: La Spezia City Centre
- Cheapest area to stay: East La Spezia
What’s the Best Area to Stay in La Spezia, Italy?
As with most Italian cities, the best area to stay in La Spezia is the city centre or Centro Storico, whether it is your first time in town, you’re travelling for business, or to visit Cinque Terre. Staying here, you’ll be close to La Spezia’s central rail station and the port, both with connections to Cinque Terre and other places in Italy. The city centre is also where some of the best-rated hotels in town are located.
Find available accommodation in La Spezia City Centre.
Best Hotels in La Spezia City Centre
- Best four-star hotel: NH La Spezia
- Best three-star hotel: Hotel Corallo
- Best budget hotel: Hotel Ca’ Dei Costa
- Best B&B/guest house: Affittacamere Le Camere Nel Corso
- Best hostel: Costello
- Best tourist apartments: Sea & Culture – 5 Terre La Spezia
Where to Stay in La Spezia for Sightseeing
Although it may seem like a contradiction, the best area to stay in La Spezia for sightseeing is Cinque Terre. After all, the colourful houses on top of cliffs overlooking the sea are what most tourists want to see anyway. Yet, there are several interesting areas to stay in La Spezia, including:
- Cinque Terre: The five villages that make up Cinque Terre are all charming and beautiful on their own. You can stay at Vernazza, with a beach in which you can swim in and a small castle, the more lively Riomaggiore, Corniglia, Monterosso al Mare or Manarola if you’re into hiking. All towns are connected by train.
- La Spezia City Centre: Staying in the city centre, you’ll be close to a handful of attractions, including the Castle of Saint Giorgio and the promenade. This area has the best hotels in town, such as the NH La Spezia. From here, you can also take a train to Cinque Terre and Genoa or a cruise to other parts of Italy.
- East La Spezia: If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option while you’re backpacking through Italy, the eastern part of La Spezia may be the best choice. This area’s accommodation consists mostly of tourist apartments, but you can also hotels like the Hotel Ghironi. Although East La Spezia has no popular tourist attractions, this quiet residential area has malls, supermarkets and everything you need to save money while travelling.
The Best Areas for Tourists in La Spezia: District by District
1. La Spezia City Centre: Best-Connected Location in La Spezia
Home to historical landmarks like the Castle of Saint Giorgio and connected to Cinque Terre by train, La Spezia City Centre is also where the best hotels in town are.
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Why is this the best area to stay in La Spezia:
- Heart of the city
- Connected to Cinque Terre by train
- Castle of Saint Giorgio
- Best hotels in La Spezia
- Seaside promenade
- Cruises and ferrys to other cities
- Great for leisure and business travellers
The city centre is, by far, one of the best areas to stay in La Spezia, Italy.
This district gathers the city’s Old Town, called “Centro Storico” in Italian, its port and the beautiful seafront promenade. Likewise, as its name suggests, this area is right in the heart of La Spezia.
In the city centre, you’ll be close to the Castle of St. Giorgio, the main attraction in La Spezia. This striking 14th-Century fortress is on a hill from where you can get the best views of La Spezia and its port. Other sites in the district include the Technical Naval Museum of Spezia, the Oldoini Palace and the medieval quarter.
This area is only a 10-minute walk from La Spezia’s main train station. The Stazione La Spezia Centrale has train connections to Cinque Terre and other Italian cities like the neighbouring Genoa and Pisa.
You can also hop on a ferry from the port and visit Cinque Terre or take a cruise through the Mediterranean from this district. Hence, the city centre is the area with the best connections in La Spezia.
The city centre rounds up the best restaurants, bars and hotels in La Spezia.
Best Hotels in La Spezia City Centre
NH La Spezia
Facing the Ligurian Sea, NH La Spezia offers rooms with free WiFi and an on-site restaurant. The hotel is 150 m from the old town and a 5-minute walk from the harbour with links to the Cinque Terre UNESCO Site.
Hotel Corallo
Easy to reach from the motorway and close to the ferry for the Cinque Terre, Hotel Corallo is centrally located in La Spezia, 10 minutes by bus from the railway station. The hotel was recently restored, and the rooms are elegantly furnished and equipped with modern facilities.
Hotel Ca’ Dei Costa
Hotel Costa is just a short walk from the port, where you can catch a ferry to the beautiful Cinque Terre and other destinations along the Golfo dei Poeti. All rooms at the Costa Hotel include free Wi-Fi access.
Affittacamere Le Camere Nel Corso
Located in the centre of La Spezia, Le Camere Nel Corso offers rooms with air conditioning. Free Wi-Fi access is available in all areas.
Costello
Costello is set in La Spezia, within 29 km of Carrara Convention Center and 35 km of Mare Monti Shopping centre. Among the facilities at this property are a shared kitchen, a shared lounge, and free WiFi throughout the property.
Sea & Culture – 5 Terre La Spezia
Offering city views, a restaurant and free WiFi, Sea & Culture – 5 Terre La Spezia offers accommodation well situated in La Spezia, within a short distance of Saint George’s Castle, Technical Naval Museum and Amedeo Lia Museum.
2. Cinque Terre: The Best Area for Sightseeing
The five fishing villages that form the Cinque Terre National Park have some of the most charming hotels in Italy, as well as breath-taking views of The Mediterranean sea.
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Why is this the best area to stay in La Spezia:
- Best area for romantic getaways
- Beach access
- Good area for hiking
- Beautiful views
- Good area for solo travellers
- Charming hotels
- Connected to La Spezia by train and ferry
Cinque Terre, which roughly translates to “five lands” in English, is a very popular Italian National Park, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
These “five lands” are fishing villages with colourful houses overlooking the Mediterranean ocean that seem photo-ready all year long.
The names of the towns that form Cinque Terre are Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. And all these villages are beautiful and great to stay in for different reasons.
While Vernazza is the best area for a romantic getaway or to sunbathe and swim on the beach, Riomaggiore, the first stop coming on the train from La Spezia, has a more vibrant nightlife. Being the biggest town in Cinque Terre, the latter also has more accommodation options.
Meanwhile, for a quieter atmosphere or hiking, you may consider staying in Manarola.
Yet, regardless of which Cinque Terre town you stay in, you can still visit all of them by train. So, this is the best area to stay in La Spezia for sightseeing since the National Park is (or should be) on every traveller’s budget list. But please keep in mind that, during the summer, all the villages tend to be packed, so you will benefit from booking your accommodation in advance.
Best Hotels in Cinque Terre
Hotel Porto Roca
Hotel Porto Roca offers a panoramic cliff-top location with stunning sea views, a 5-minute walk from Monterosso centre. The Cinque Terre’s famous Blue Trail starts here.
Hotel Villa Adriana
Just 100 m from Fegina Beach, Hotel Villa Adriana, is set among palm trees. It offers a Ligurian restaurant, a pool, and classically furnished rooms with an LCD TV.
Albergo Barbara
Albergo Barbara offers accommodation in Vernazza town centre, a few steps from the sea. Free WiFi is available throughout.
Locanda A Cà Du Gigante
Facing the Ligurian Sea, this accommodation is set in the centre of the Cinque Terre area. The property, which features air-conditioned rooms and studios, is within a walking distance of the beach.
3. East La Spezia: Cheapest Area to Stay
Home to the biggest shopping centre in the city, East La Spezia has more budget-friendly accommodation than the city centre. This district is connected to the rest of La Spezia via bus and train.
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Why is this the best area to stay in La Spezia:
- Cheaper accommodation
- Le Terrazze Shopping Centre
- Quiet area
- La Spezia Migliarina train station
The eastern part of La Spezia is a good area to stay if you’re travelling with a tighter budget. Here, you’ll mostly find tourist apartments with a far more accessible price range than those around the port or the city centre.
Le Terrazze Shopping Centre, the biggest mall in the city, is also in this part of town. Hence, staying in the area, you’ll be nearby many stores, restaurants and a supermarket.
Being a little further from the city centre and the main train station, this residential area has a more quiet atmosphere.
Yet, La Spezia Migliarina train station is in this district so you can get to the city centre quickly. From the station, you can also travel to nearby cities such as Pisa, Genoa and Florence.
East La Spezia is also connected to the rest of the city via bus.
Best Hotels in East La Spezia
Hotel Ghironi
Meliá Frankfurt City features a fitness centre, bar, spa, and wellness centre. Among the facilities of this property are a restaurant, a 24-hour front desk and room service, and free WiFi throughout the property.
Foscolo 20
Located in La Spezia, 2.3 km from Saint George’s Castle and 27 km from Carrara Convention Center, Foscolo 20 provides accommodation with amenities such as free WiFi and a flat-screen TV. Guests staying at this apartment have access to a balcony.
Where to Look for Accommodation in La Spezia: Useful Info
La Spezia is a small town located in southern Liguria, in northern Italy.
This city, the second in population after Genoa, is known for its important port and for being the venue for major water sports competitions, but above all, for being the main gate Entrance to the Cinque Terre National Park, one of the most scenic and beautiful natural sites in Italy.
Cinque Terre, translated as Five Lands, is the name given to the coastal region west of La Spezia, comprising five colourful villas on impressive cliffs on the sea. These small towns are the province’s main tourist attraction and were declared, among the surrounding mountains, a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
La Spezia is halfway between Genoa and Pisa, and although it does not have its own airport, it has excellent rail connections with both cities and the five towns that make up the Cinque Terre. It also has frequent ferry connections with the national park.
The high season in the province of La Spezia goes from mid-May to September, when the cruise season is in full swing, and La Spezia, Cinque Terre and the surrounding villages are filled with tourists. In terms of climate, like much of Italy, the weather in this region is usually more stable at the end of spring and during the summer. The winters are temperate and rainy, so some trekking trails in the national park may be closed during this time.
When it comes to the best areas to stay to visit Cinque Terre, the best option is inside the park, particularly in Manarola, probably the most beautiful of the villas. If you’re on a budget, La Spezia is the best area to stay. See accommodation in La Spezia.
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