LA SPEZIA
WHAT TO DO IN LA SPEZIA
La Spezia is an important port city on the western coast of Italy not far from Pisa, Genoa and Florence. This city is a major stop for Mediterranean cruise ships and passengers often stop at La Spezia before travelling to other cities in the Liguria region. Aside from its commercial port activities, La Spezia is also a major military hub and most of the Italian Navy is based here. The city has a population of 93,000 and is the second largest municipality in Liguria. La Spezia has seen some form of settlement since the prehistoric era and was an important trade centre during the Roman Empire. In subsequent history, La Spezia remained an important stronghold and has been a prominent Italian port for hundreds of years.
As a tourist destination, La Spezia has a great combination of historical buildings, beautiful scenery, and fantastic surrounding sites. Due to its location, La Spezia is a prime location to stay if you want to explore Liguria and Tuscany and you can easily travel to Pisa, Florence and Genoa using its train service. Furthermore, La Spezia lies in close proximity to the world renowned Cinque Terre and day trips to this marvellous region are easy to find.
Let’s explore the best things to do in La Spezia:
1. The Waterfront
La Spezia is an important port on the west coast of Italy and it stands to reason that it has a beautiful waterfront with some fantastic scenery and attractions.
The port area adjacent to the Centro Storico and Porto Mirabello are amazing places to walk, people watch and enjoy the fine weather.
At the front of the waterfront is the Passeggiata Costantino Morin that is lined with trees and offers great views of the harbour.
Furthermore, there is several artificial inlets and canals that have been created that offer a great way to see the comings and goings of the various commercial and passenger ships.
It is advisable to simply head on down to the waterfront and start exploring!
2. The Naval Technical Museum
This is one of the most important naval museums in the whole of Italy and it is a truly fascinating place to visit for adults and children alike.
Located to the west of Porto Mirabello and the waterfront, this museum is housed within a grand building and contains some fantastic displays and artefacts.
The primary objective of the museum is to educate people about technical aspects of the Italian naval forces and their equipment.
You can find a plethora of fantastic objects such as cannons, diving suits, model ships, and even control panels from battleships.
This museum really does paint a fantastic picture of the Italian navy and gives you great insight into its history.
3. Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta
This church is one of the most important and recognizable in La Spezia and was originally contrasted in the 15th century; strangely enough, the basilica was not actually completed until 1954 and has been restored and changed over the last several hundred years.
The front façade features a green and white striped marble design that is similar to other churches in the city.
Furthermore, the interior features some fantastic marble status of prominent religious figures and some beautiful historical paintings.
4.San Giorgio Castle
This castle is one of the major landmarks in La Spezia and has stood for hundreds of years.
Originally part of the cities defensive fortification network, the castle was constructed in the 13th century by Nicolo Fieschi.
The castle can be found on the winding Via XXVII Marzo and features a typical square design with four diagonal guard towers that were popular during that time period.
A section of the original wall also still stands and provides an archway for the main road.
Inside the castle there is an archaeological museum that contains various finds from this region of Italy dating as far back as the Copper Age and Roman settlements.
5. Visit the village of Biassa
Located only a short distance from the centre of La Spezia, Biassa is a charming village of just 650 inhabitants.
If you want to see a slice of local life, this is a great place to visit – the village remains relatively untouched and maintains a traditional way of life.
Biassa offers fantastic views of the surrounding countryside and a short walk to the right of the village are the ruins of the unfinished Coderone Castle.
Moreover there is also the artistic church of San Martino that has a Romanesque façade and some beautiful wooden carvings inside.
Biassa makes for a great stop en-route to Cinque Terre and is a charming village with a great deal to offer.
6.Parco Giardini Pubblici
You can find this beautiful public garden at the waterfront and it is a great place to walk through whilst exploring this area of La Spezia.
The gardens cover a wide area and feature a series of walkways lined with gorgeous trees.
Stretches of the garden run alongside the Passeggiata Costantino Morin and you will not find a more pleasant place in La Spezia to relax.
Aside from the walkways, there are also several monuments, statues and water features to admire.
Whilst walking through the historic city centre, the gardens are a must see and are a great place to rest from sight-seeing.
7.Ponte Thaon de revel
The waterfront and harbour has some beautiful structures and monuments, but the Ponte Thaon di Revel is undoubtedly one of the most noticeable.
This elegant modern bridge spans part of the harbour and provides a walkway from the public gardens across to Porto Mirabello.
Supported by a series of white cables, the bridge is truly impressive and its central section actually rises to allow large boats access to the harbour.
Whilst walking through the harbour, this bridge is a great structure to admire, and the views from the middle section are picture perfect.
As a tourist destination, La Spezia has a great combination of historical buildings, beautiful scenery, and fantastic surrounding sites. Due to its location, La Spezia is a prime location to stay if you want to explore Liguria and Tuscany and you can easily travel to Pisa, Florence and Genoa using its train service. Furthermore, La Spezia lies in close proximity to the world renowned Cinque Terre and day trips to this marvellous region are easy to find.
Let’s explore the best things to do in La Spezia:
1. The Waterfront
La Spezia is an important port on the west coast of Italy and it stands to reason that it has a beautiful waterfront with some fantastic scenery and attractions.
The port area adjacent to the Centro Storico and Porto Mirabello are amazing places to walk, people watch and enjoy the fine weather.
At the front of the waterfront is the Passeggiata Costantino Morin that is lined with trees and offers great views of the harbour.
Furthermore, there is several artificial inlets and canals that have been created that offer a great way to see the comings and goings of the various commercial and passenger ships.
It is advisable to simply head on down to the waterfront and start exploring!
2. The Naval Technical Museum
This is one of the most important naval museums in the whole of Italy and it is a truly fascinating place to visit for adults and children alike.
Located to the west of Porto Mirabello and the waterfront, this museum is housed within a grand building and contains some fantastic displays and artefacts.
The primary objective of the museum is to educate people about technical aspects of the Italian naval forces and their equipment.
You can find a plethora of fantastic objects such as cannons, diving suits, model ships, and even control panels from battleships.
This museum really does paint a fantastic picture of the Italian navy and gives you great insight into its history.
3. Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta
This church is one of the most important and recognizable in La Spezia and was originally contrasted in the 15th century; strangely enough, the basilica was not actually completed until 1954 and has been restored and changed over the last several hundred years.
The front façade features a green and white striped marble design that is similar to other churches in the city.
Furthermore, the interior features some fantastic marble status of prominent religious figures and some beautiful historical paintings.
4.San Giorgio Castle
This castle is one of the major landmarks in La Spezia and has stood for hundreds of years.
Originally part of the cities defensive fortification network, the castle was constructed in the 13th century by Nicolo Fieschi.
The castle can be found on the winding Via XXVII Marzo and features a typical square design with four diagonal guard towers that were popular during that time period.
A section of the original wall also still stands and provides an archway for the main road.
Inside the castle there is an archaeological museum that contains various finds from this region of Italy dating as far back as the Copper Age and Roman settlements.
5. Visit the village of Biassa
Located only a short distance from the centre of La Spezia, Biassa is a charming village of just 650 inhabitants.
If you want to see a slice of local life, this is a great place to visit – the village remains relatively untouched and maintains a traditional way of life.
Biassa offers fantastic views of the surrounding countryside and a short walk to the right of the village are the ruins of the unfinished Coderone Castle.
Moreover there is also the artistic church of San Martino that has a Romanesque façade and some beautiful wooden carvings inside.
Biassa makes for a great stop en-route to Cinque Terre and is a charming village with a great deal to offer.
6.Parco Giardini Pubblici
You can find this beautiful public garden at the waterfront and it is a great place to walk through whilst exploring this area of La Spezia.
The gardens cover a wide area and feature a series of walkways lined with gorgeous trees.
Stretches of the garden run alongside the Passeggiata Costantino Morin and you will not find a more pleasant place in La Spezia to relax.
Aside from the walkways, there are also several monuments, statues and water features to admire.
Whilst walking through the historic city centre, the gardens are a must see and are a great place to rest from sight-seeing.
7.Ponte Thaon de revel
The waterfront and harbour has some beautiful structures and monuments, but the Ponte Thaon di Revel is undoubtedly one of the most noticeable.
This elegant modern bridge spans part of the harbour and provides a walkway from the public gardens across to Porto Mirabello.
Supported by a series of white cables, the bridge is truly impressive and its central section actually rises to allow large boats access to the harbour.
Whilst walking through the harbour, this bridge is a great structure to admire, and the views from the middle section are picture perfect.
