La Spezia

La Spezia is a town in Liguria in the northwestern region of Italy.

Understand

La Spezia is one of the four provinces of Liguria and has a population of about 91,391 inhabitants. La Spezia's inhabitants are called Spezzini. The area of this Ligurian town is of 51.4 square kilometers.

It's a beautiful city with a beautiful sea that blends with the nearby mountains. A good overlap of sky, earth and water. The streets are full of bergamot trees, and next to the beach there are really beautiful gardens with weird plants, absolutely well maintained.

Get in

A direct train runs nightly from Vienna, taking 16 hours via Klagenfurt, Villach, Padua, Vicenza, Verona Porta Nuova, Milan Rogoredo and Genoa Piazza Principe.

Trains from Genoa Brignole run hourly and take 60-90 min. They may continue to Pisa, Rome or Naples, and may start from Turin. From Milan change in Turin, from Nice change in Genoa.

These trains pass through CinqueTerre National Park, with the slower trains stopping at Rapallo, Chiavari, Sestri Levanti, Levanto, Monterosso and Riomaggiore.

1 La Spezia Centrale is 500 m northwest of town centre.

See

Entrance to the Castle of San Giorgio

• 1 Nostra Signora della Salute (Madonna della Scorza). Consecrated in 1900.  
• 2 Cattedrale di Cristo Re. Consecrated in 1975.  
• 3 Castello di San Giorgio. The castle is the oldest military building in the city, whose first phase of construction is prior to the thirteenth century. The structure preserved and visible today is the work of the Genoese who also built several other fortifications in the Gulf to defend against Muslim raids. The development of the city 's entire area of the gulf of La Spezia is therefore always been related to the military function of the area.  
• Chiesa del Sacro Cuore (Church of the Sacred Heart) huddles below the Castello.
• 4 Centre of Modern and Contemporary Art (CAMeC).  
• 5 Naval Museum.  

Chiesa del Sacro Cuore

• 6 Scola Tower. A former military building on a tiny island, later converted to a lighthouse. An interesting abandoned building worth taking a picture in, if you happen to go around. (updated Feb 2020)

Do

• Football: Spezia Calcio were relegated in 2023 and now play soccer in Serie B, Italy's second tier. Their home ground Stadio Alberto Picco (capacity 11,500) is 2 km west by the navy docks.

Eat

Focaccia, pesto, the chickpea flour, pumpkin flowers stuffed and vegetable pies are typical recipes of Ligurian cuisine are also widely covered in La Spezia.

In addition, although originating in Lunigiana, famous in this area of Liguria are the sgabei and testaroli. But it is analyzing the real La Spezia gastronomic tradition that you discover the Extra Virgin Olive Oil and black pepper to be the basis of some more recipes; among them well-known is a soup of legumes and cereals called mescciüa.

Drink

• Skaletta Rock Club, Via Crispi, 168, ☏ +39 0187 500125. A fine Road House bar with beer, rock, pool and mini-foot tables. It's a little bit outside of the centre of town, but worth the trip. Could it be one of the greatest bars in the world? 
• Shake Club, Via Valdilocchi, 9. A fine Road House bar with beer, rock. 
• Loggia dei Banchi, Via Mazzolani, 32, ☏ +39 3803908465. Nice place for start the weekend night (and getting English composition lessons). 

Sleep

• NH Jolly La Spezia, ☏ +39 0187 739555. Via XX Settembre, 2. The hotel is just a seconds walk from the seafront, and only 150 meters from both the port and the historical centre and is also close to the main train station. 

Connect

As of June 2022, La Spezia has 4G from Tim, and 5G from Iliad, Vodafone and Wind Tre.

Go next

• Sarzana is an attractive small town 15 km east. The town square has a market every Wednesday that's fun to go to. There is also a Luna Park for children.
• Cinque Terre is the spectacular coastline northwest.