La Spezia
La Spezia is a naval port and rail hub on the Gulf of Poets, with trains and boats to the Cinque Terre villages and Portovenere.
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La Spezia is a port city at the head of the Gulf of La Spezia in eastern Liguria, Italy, and the capital of its province. It is the second-largest city in Liguria after Genoa, about halfway between Genoa and Pisa on the Ligurian Sea. Shelley, Byron and D. H. Lawrence all visited the gulf, which is why it is also called the Golfo dei Poeti, or Gulf of Poets.
The city is also a naval base, a commercial port and a railway junction. Trains run to the Cinque Terre villages, and boats for Portovenere, the Cinque Terre and Lerici leave from the Passeggiata Morin promenade. The Amedeo Lia Museum holds paintings and miniatures from the 13th to 18th centuries, and the Castle of San Giorgio houses an archaeological museum. Winters are cool and damp, and summers are hot. Late summer and early autumn are often pleasant, with dry air and sea breezes. Allow a day for the city, or more if you use it as a base for the villages.
La Spezia in five
- Sleep here for Cinque Terre valueVillage rooms are few and sell out, while La Spezia has hotels at every price. Regional trains reach the first village in about 10 minutes.Cinque Terre
- Buy the Cinque Terre Card for the trailsThe Blue Trail and the Via dell'Amore require the Cinque Terre Trekking Card, sold at park infopoints in stations from La Spezia to Levanto and online.Cinque Terre National Park
- Take the boat to PortovenereBoats leave the La Spezia promenade seasonally for Portovenere and some Cinque Terre villages. Check the boat consortium's timetable, since sailings depend on the sea and the season.
- Ride early or late on the village trainsFrom spring to autumn the trains between La Spezia and the villages fill in the middle of the day. Go early, or take the last trains back after dinner.
- Leave the car outside the centerParking near the villages is limited and the roads are narrow. Use the station and park at the edge of La Spezia if you arrive by car.
Need to know
- Airport
- Pisa (PSA), about 1–1.5 hours by train
- Getting there
- Train: Genoa about 1–1.5 hours, Pisa about 1 hour, Florence 2.5–3 hours
- Getting around
- Walking, local buses; trains and boats to the villages
- Best base
- Near La Spezia Centrale station
- Time needed
- 1 night as a base, 2–3 with the villages
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh11°Low6°Quiet, mildJanuaryPartly cloudy
Poor
- High
- 11°
- Low
- 6°
- Precipitation
- 123 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Quiet, mild
- FebruaryPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh12°Low7°Quiet, mildFebruaryPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 12°
- Low
- 7°
- Precipitation
- 127 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Quiet, mild
- MarchPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh14°Low8°Trails quietMarchPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 14°
- Low
- 8°
- Precipitation
- 118 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Trails quiet
- AprilPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh16°Low10°Hiking weatherAprilPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 16°
- Low
- 10°
- Precipitation
- 92 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hiking weather
- MayRain13 rainy daysHigh19°Low14°Warm, busierMayRain
Good
- High
- 19°
- Low
- 14°
- Precipitation
- 118 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, busier
- JuneClear9 rainy daysHigh24°Low18°SwimmingJuneClear
Best
- High
- 24°
- Low
- 18°
- Precipitation
- 59 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Swimming
- JulyClear6 rainy daysHigh27°Low21°Hot, crowdedJulyClear
Best
- High
- 27°
- Low
- 21°
- Precipitation
- 42 mm
- Rainy days
- 6
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, crowded
- AugustClear8 rainy daysHigh28°Low21°Hottest, crowdedAugustClear
Best
- High
- 28°
- Low
- 21°
- Precipitation
- 86 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hottest, crowded
- SeptemberPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh24°Low17°Warm seaSeptemberPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 24°
- Low
- 17°
- Precipitation
- 134 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm sea
- OctoberRain12 rainy daysHigh19°Low14°Rain riskOctoberRain
Mixed
- High
- 19°
- Low
- 14°
- Precipitation
- 219 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Rain risk
- NovemberRain14 rainy daysHigh15°Low10°Wet, trail closuresNovemberRain
Poor
- High
- 15°
- Low
- 10°
- Precipitation
- 188 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Wet, trail closures
- DecemberRain13 rainy daysHigh12°Low7°Mild, quietDecemberRain
Poor
- High
- 12°
- Low
- 7°
- Precipitation
- 146 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, quiet
Average daily high and low in La Spezia, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in La Spezia
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
12
- Feels like
- 8°
- Humidity
- 64%
- Wind
- 18 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 0%
Porto Venere
11:43 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today17°10°0%Monday: Cloudy. High 17°, Low 10°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Tue18°11°0%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 18°, Low 11°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Wed16°10°10%Wednesday: Rain. High 16°, Low 10°. Chance of rain 10%.
- Thu17°14°6%Thursday: Cloudy. High 17°, Low 14°. Chance of rain 6%.
- Fri15°12°40%Friday: Rain. High 15°, Low 12°. Chance of rain 40%.
- Sat15°11°39%Saturday: Rain. High 15°, Low 11°. Chance of rain 39%.
- Sun15°8°44%Sunday: Rain. High 15°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 44%.
Updated 10:37 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Every year
- Feb–MarCarnival of ViareggioLucca, a day trip
- Jul–AugFestival PucciniPisa, a day trip
Day trips by train
- Manarolaabout 10 min by trainPastel houses stacked above the sea.Read the guide
- Monterossoabout 20–30 min by trainThe beach village at the north end.Read the guide
- Portovenereabout 25–30 min by bus or boatA colorful harbor and a church on the rock.
Before you go to La Spezia
We may earn a commission. It never decides our picks.
Rules for La Spezia, checked
- The Blue Trail and the Via dell'Amore require the Cinque Terre Trekking Card, sold at park infopoints in stations from La Spezia to Levanto and online.Checked Oct 1, 2026 · Source
Plan around La Spezia
Liguria's coast in a wider Italy route
Read the guideCinque TerreVillages, trail card and train tips
Read the guideManarolaThe pastel village with the sunset viewpoint
Read the guideMonterossoThe sandy beach village at the north end
Read the guideGenoaA big port city an hour or so north
Read the guideItaly by train, off-peakFrecciarossa, Italo and regional trains compared
Read the guideLa Spezia FAQ
Is La Spezia worth visiting?
As a base, yes: it has trains, boats and lower prices than the villages. As a sight, it is a working port city with a promenade, a naval museum and a good market, not a postcard town.
Should you stay in La Spezia or Cinque Terre?
Stay in La Spezia if you want choice and value and do not mind a short train ride. Stay in a village only if you want evenings in the lanes and have booked well ahead.
How do you get from La Spezia to Cinque Terre?
By regional train from La Spezia Centrale, about 10 minutes to Riomaggiore and 20–30 to Monterosso. Boats run seasonally, and the Cinque Terre Card covers the trails.
How many days do you need in La Spezia?
One night is enough as a stopover. Two or three nights let you see Portovenere, two or three villages and one coastal walk without a rush.
Is La Spezia safe at night?
The center and the promenade are generally fine, while the streets near the station can feel rougher late at night. Choose a hotel with a well-lit approach and keep valuables out of sight.