4 Best Day Trips from La Spezia

Many of the best things to see and do in La Spezia won't take you long. This is due to the fact that the town is relatively small and it is actually its proximity to other major sites in this part of northern Italy that makes it a tourist destination. So don't miss out on the best excursions from this city to the nearest communities. Read on to find out more.

The Cinque Terre National Park is one of the main reasons why travellers come to La Spezia. La Spezia is not only a major cruise port, but also the ideal starting point for exploring the five picturesque villages along this rugged coastline. The best way to get to know them is with an organised excursion that allows you to enjoy a carefree tour.

With this excursion to Cinque Terre from La Spezia you will travel by train to discover the charming villages of Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. Accompanied by an expert guide, you'll learn about their history, wander through their colourful streets and enjoy panoramic views of the cliffs overlooking the Ligurian Sea. You'll also have free time to explore each destination at your own pace and sample the local cuisine, such as traditional focaccia or the region's famous wines.

The train is the most efficient means of transport to move between the villages of Cinque Terre, allowing you to enjoy each stop without rushing. Unlike boat excursions, this tour will allow you to go deeper into the villages and discover less accessible corners.

Interesting details

• Price: from 65 euros per person.
• Duration: between 7 and 8 hours.
• Means of transport: train, with the possibility of a boat trip if the weather permits.

The Cinque Terre National Park is a major attraction for visitors to La Spezia, as this port city offers a direct connection to the region's famous seaside towns. One of the best ways to explore this paradise of cliffs and colourful houses is on board a boat, allowing you to enjoy a unique perspective of the landscape as you sail across the Ligurian Sea.

With this Cinque Terre boat tour, you'll cruise along the Ligurian coast in a single day, enjoying spectacular views of towns such as Vernazza, Manarola and Riomaggiore from the sea. During the tour, you'll make strategic stops to explore each town at your own pace, stroll through the charming streets and sample the local cuisine. An expert guide will accompany you on the journey, sharing stories and trivia about this iconic destination.

Depending on weather conditions, the tour can be combined with train journeys to make it easier to reach certain villages. The best thing about this tour is that it allows you to avoid the crowds and have a more relaxed experience, enjoying the charm of Cinque Terre from the sea.

Interesting details

• Price: from 65 euros per person.
• Duration: between 7 and 8 hours.
• Means of transport: boat, with the possibility of train journeys depending on the weather.

Florence is one of the most important destinations for tourism in Italy and at the same time it is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Pisa is also quite close to this other city in the region of Tuscany, which is right next to Liguria, where La Spezia is located.

So an excursion to these two places with a departure from La Spezia is something you shouldn't miss. Even more so knowing that it is an opportunity to see such marvels of western architecture as the Florence Cathedral, the Ponte Vecchio, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Central Market of Florence and the Cathedral of Pisa.

The transfers for the trip are usually included in the price which also includes the payment of the guide who is a specialist in the history of both sites. Depending on the time of year, you may travel by coach or bus and you should be aware that the price of the service does not include entry to any monuments beyond the Leaning Tower of Pisa. In addition, free Wi-Fi is usually available on the buses and the tour escort is English-speaking only.

Interesting details

• Price: this type of tour usually costs around 90 euros per person.
• Duration: a tour like this usually lasts a minimum of nine hours, although it may take up to 10 hours depending on the traffic on the route.
• Means of transport: usually by bus, but it is also possible to take a minibus if there is low demand from other participants.

You can also get to know the city of Pisa on a private tour and, best of all, this type of experience also gives you the opportunity to get to know Lucca. Lucca is its neighbouring community and is known within the Tuscan region for its thriving wine industry.

These types of excursions are usually of the same duration as those that also go to Florence. The difference is that in this case you have the opportunity to explore a little more of Pisa while also exploring the historic centre of Lucca, which is a city known within Italy for its walls built during the renaissance period.

The price of the tour usually includes the entrance fee to the monuments you will see in both Pisa and Lucca and the driver, who is also usually the tour guide, is another service that is included in the final price. The means of transport is usually a minivan, which is air-conditioned and has free Wi-Fi. In addition, the visit to the wine cellar, which usually takes place in La Spezia, is also included in the price of the activity.

The wine tasting is an activity with a separate price and lunch, which is sometimes enjoyed in Lucca and sometimes in Pida, also has a separate price, although the choice of the restaurant is usually suggested by the guide because there are places with much more convenient services and facilities than others.

Interesting details

• Price: The price of a private tour is usually around 350 euros per person.
• Duration: the duration of these excursions also tends to be around eight or nine hours in total. This has to do with the fact that Lucca is much closer to Pisa than Florence.
• Means of transport: most of the time it is a modern and comfortable minivan, although it is also possible that it is a minibus depending on the number of participants in the same family group.

There are different ways to book an excursion from La Spezia, but the best way is usually through an online purchase of the service. This has to do with the fact that through this method you can compare the prices offered by different companies and, at the same time, you can find out the opinions of other people who have already lived this particular experience.

In fact, an online booking is recommended for other tourist activities such as buying tickets for the Naval Technical Museum of La Spezia, which is one of the most visited sites in La Spezia.

The average duration of most excursions from La Spezia to any of the interesting places in the vicinity is about seven to nine hours. The reason for this is the simple factor that people want to see as much as possible of the places to visit and, with that amount of hours, you can cover a good part of the historic centre of Florence or the villages that make up the Cinque Terre region.

. Likewise, you should know that this activity takes up one of the days of your visit to this city. So, if you feel like you are missing out, you can join one of the best tours of La Spezia the next day. Even more so knowing that it only lasts about two to three hours and by mid-afternoon you could be leaving the city to head to your next Italian destination.

Exactly what you will see on these excursions depends directly on which one you choose. In the case of Cinque Terre you will find different villages on a rugged coastline full of cliffs where the houses are colourful and have a very characteristic artisan style of the Italian countryside.

If you decide to participate in excursions to Florence, then it will be something very different. In this case, the trip will be to one of the most important cities in the country that is characterized by a very peculiar architectural identity full of great wonders of what was the Renaissance period at an artistic and intellectual level.

In Pisa something similar will happen, as it is a city that surprises all visitors by the majesty of its buildings. They are a consequence of having been one of the most important ports for the Italian prosperity that began to take place after the renaissance.

One of the first recommendations I can make if you are interested in participating in one of these excursions is that you go with the willingness to enjoy the experience. All the excursions are a unique opportunity, as you will visit very important places for the Italian society and for the tourism of this country.

Another recommendation I can make is that you should not focus too much on eating at the stops you have along these tours. Especially since that money could be spent on enjoying some of La Spezia' s best gastronomic tours when you return to the city. These will offer you a larger selection of food, as well as the accompaniment of a specialist in the culinary world who will explain the importance of each of the things you decide to try.

One of the first advantages of taking a guided tour is the fact that you will be accompanied by a specialist in the history of the places you will visit. This is an extremely convenient point for all the places you will visit, as it is not the same thing to appreciate the beauty as to be able to realise all the information that makes it a wonder of humanity.

Another aspect is that the logistical planning of the transfers is something you don't have to worry about . It also saves you money. Especially when you know that buying bus or train tickets at the last minute can be much more expensive than if you do it well in advance through an online booking of such services.