 Introduction
It is one of the major Italian military and commercial harbors, located between Genoa and Pisa on the Ligurian Sea. La Spezia also hosts one of the biggest military industries of Italy, OTO Melara.
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 bergamotto trees, and next to the beach there are really beautiful gardens with interesting plants.
Arrival By Plane
Major Airports Closest to La Spezia:
Bologna - Guglielmo Marconi Airport
Milan - Linate Airport
Milan - Malpensa Airport
Milan- Parma Airport
Pisa - Galilei Airport
Genoa- Cristoforo Colombo Airport
Florence- Peretola Airport
The Pisa International Airport (90 km) is connected to major cities and airports in Italy such as Genoa, Milano Florence and Roma by regular domestic flights. So it is possible to fly to one of these destinations and then take an Alitalia domestic flight to Pisa. Pisa also has direct daily connections from London LGW, Frankfurt and Paris CDG. Genova (120 km) and Florence (170 km) airports are also nearby.
From Genova airport, take a shuttle to the train station (Genova Principe). The trip takes 40 minutes. Take a train to La Spezia (trains every hour); the trip takes 90 minutes.
By Train
For those preferring to travel by train in Italy, there are train connections from Genova, Firenze, Milano and Roma to La Spezia.
La Spezia can also be reached by train (“Ferrovie dello Stato”, “F.S.”) from Pisa; you can take a shuttle from the Pisa airport to the Pisa train station (takes 30 mins). The train trip from Pisa to La Spezia takes roughly an hour.
From the Malpensa airport in Milano, shuttles to the train station (centrale) run every 30 minutes and it takes about an hour from the airport to the train station. Take a train to La Spezia via Genova (trains every hour); the trip takes 3-4 hours.
The train from Genoa to Pisa passes through La Spezia. The train from Genoa probably originates in Milan.
The train route from La Spezia to Levanto passes through the CinqueTerre national park. Day or multi-day train is available allowing unlimited travel on this route.
By Bus
Towns close to La Spezia can only be reached by buses run by Azienda Trasporti Consortile; these is include Porto Venere(upto five daily from Via Domenico Chiodo), Lerici (two or three daily from the train station) and Sarzana (two or three daily from train station).
By Car
From PISA airport: Follow the green autostrada signs to reach Autostrada A-12 (tollway, 3 minutes from the airport). After collecting the toll ticket from an automatic vending machine at the drive-through booth, head north towards GENOVA. Take the SARZANA exit (about 45 minutes from Pisa) and follow signs to Lerici. It is also possible to drive to La Spezia from Genova (90 minutes) and Milano and Roma (3 hours).
From GENOVA airport: Follow directions to autostrada A-12 and once you reach A-12, head south towards LIVORNO. Take the LA SPEZIA exit.
From MILAN (Malpensa) airport: Follow directions to autostrada to MILANO. After about 30 km, follow directions for autostrada A-1 to BOLOGNA. Continue on A-1 until just before reaching PARMA (about 150 km from Malpensa airport), where there is a turn-off to autostrada A-15 to LA SPEZIA, which is about 100 km from PARMA.
Important places:
VERNAZZA - 14 KM
RIOMAGGIORE - 8 KM
PORTOVENERE - 7 KM
GENOVA - 88 KM
PISA - 70 KM
MASSA - 29 KM
PORTOFINO - 69 KM
History and Culture
Churches and Museums
Cristo Re dei Secoli (“Christ the King of Centuries”, cathedral) was consecrated in 1975. The project was by Adalberto Libera.
Abbey church of Santa Maria Assunta
Abbey church of Santa Maria Assunta (“Our Lady of the Assumption”, 13th century) houses a considerable series of artworks, some of them coming from other suppressed religious institutes. They include an Incoronation of the Virgin by Andrea della.
Santi Giovanni e Agostino (Saints John and Augustine)
It has a single nave with 18th and 19th century decorations.
Museo Amedeo Lia
This museum displays Italian paintings from the 13th to 18th centuries, including minor works by Venetian masters Titian, Tintoretto, and Canaleto. Also on show are Roman bronzes and ecclesiastical treasures such as Limoges crucifixes and illuminated musical manusripts.
Palazzina delle Arti and Museo del Sigillo
Next door to the museum, the Palazzina delle Arti dates back to the 19th century. Inside, the Museo del Sigillo displays more than 1500 seals dating from the 4th millennium BC ti the present day.
Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art
A collection of mostly Italian abstract art can be viewed. The museum also stages temporary exhibitions.
Technical Naval Museum
Next to the naval base Museo Tecnico Navale, founded in 1870. It hosts a phalanx of polene (colourful busts or statuettes that graced the prows of vessels) and lots of model ships. The naval base itself only opens to the public for one day of the year on the 19th of March for the festival of the town's patron saint, Joseph.
Other Musums include:
Diocesan Museum
Ethnographic Civic Museum
National Transportation Museum
Historical buildings and monuments
Places of Interests
La Spezia is a busy port city that caters to container ships and is also an important Italian Navy base. The Center is located on the Italian Navy base grounds and hence access is controlled.
Genova and Milano
The closest big cities are Genova and Milano to the north and Roma to the South. In addition, beautiful Pisa (90 km) and Florence (Firenze; 170 km) are close by.
Events
- San Giuseppe, feast of the Patron Saint of the city, held on March 19.
- Palio del Golfo, on first Sunday in August.
- Cercantico, an antique fair, 1st Sunday of every month except July and August.
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La Spezia Travel Guide
Single room - From 80€
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