La Spezia is the city travellers rush through on their way to the Cinque Terre, and they’re wrong to: this is exactly where it pays to stop and stay. A provincial capital on the Gulf of Poets, between the great harbour, the naval Arsenal and the hills, it’s a real city, alive all year round, with a quality of life and prices the five villages simply can’t offer. They call it the “gateway to the Cinque Terre”, and the label is perfect: everything starts here. The addresses we suggest we choose one by one, never by hearsay.
Why stay in La Spezia (and not in the villages)
The reason is simple and concrete. La Spezia has by far the widest choice of accommodation in the whole area — over three hundred selectable properties, against the few, often very expensive rooms in the five villages — and distinctly more reasonable prices. From La Spezia Centrale station the Cinque Terre Express and regional trains reach all five villages in anything from a few minutes to a quarter of an hour, with very frequent services in high season. It is also here that you can conveniently buy the Cinque Terre Card.
Then there’s an advantage of rhythm: staying in La Spezia you come and go from the Cinque Terre whenever you like, avoid the rush hour and return in the evening to a city with restaurants, shops and a life of its own, not to a village stormed at midday. In short, La Spezia gives you: trains close at hand, more choice and gentler prices, and a seaside city to enjoy in the evening too. That’s why it’s the base we recommend.
A useful note for 2026: on the Sentiero Azzurro (Blue Trail) the Manarola–Corniglia stretch remains closed, while the Via dell’Amore between Riomaggiore and Manarola — reopened in 2025 after years — is walked by reservation only, one-way and with a supplement. It’s worth planning ahead: you’ll find all the details in our Cinque Terre guide.
Where to stay in the centre, near the station
The heart of La Spezia is the pedestrian area around Via del Prione and Corso Cavour, the city’s living room, a few minutes’ walk from the central station. This is where we suggest staying: you have the trains for the Cinque Terre within reach, the museums, the shops and the restaurants on your doorstep, and you move around everywhere without a car. Good to know: the rooms are largely well-kept guest houses and rentals, often set in buildings in the centre. The addresses we choose:
Millstone House
A family-run guest house with garden, private terraces and air-conditioned rooms, a few steps from the old town. Its warm, attentive welcome and the calm of the garden make it feel like a home away from home. Ideal for those after a quiet, welcoming base to set off from each morning for the villages.
Affittacamere Perla del Prione
A guest house right on Via del Prione, the pedestrian street that is the heart of the city, a few steps from the station. The location is unbeatable: shops, museums and trains all within walking distance. Ideal for those who want to live the centre and have the Cinque Terre one ticket away.
Elegant Rooms
An elegant guest house on Via XX Settembre, a couple of steps from the Amedeo Lia Museum and the station, with well-kept, air-conditioned rooms. The pleasure of a refined base right in the centre, handy for art and for trains. Ideal for those who want style and location without spending a fortune.
Le Camere Nel Corso
Rooms and apartments with kitchenette on Corso Cavour, reserved for adults, a few steps from the station and the centre. The convenience of your own kitchen and a very central location, perfect for longer stays. Ideal for couples who want independence and quiet.
All the small hotels in La Spezia →
Staying as a base for the Cinque Terre and near the sea
If your number-one goal is the five villages, aim for the addresses closest to the station: in the morning you step out and within minutes you’re on the train. Those who’d rather breathe in the gulf can pick the areas towards the seafront and the Castello di San Giorgio, with the Morin promenade and the harbour a couple of steps away. Either way you stay inside the city and handy to the connections. The addresses we choose:
La Gemma delle 5 Terre
A guest house a few steps from the station, designed precisely as a base for the five villages, with air-conditioned rooms and private bathroom. The convenience of having the train on the doorstep and hundreds of satisfied guests behind it. Ideal for those who put the Cinque Terre at the top of the plan and don’t want to waste time.
Affittacamere I Gatti delle 5 Terre
Air-conditioned rooms on Corso Cavour, a couple of steps from the central station, with city views and breakfast including gluten-free options. A practical, welcoming base right in the centre, perfect for alternating days in the villages with evenings in the city. Ideal for those who want convenience with a touch of care for detail.
Sweet Dreams
An adults-only guest house in the old town, a few steps from the harbour, with air-conditioned rooms and Wi-Fi throughout. The calm of a private base near the sea and the promenade. Ideal for couples looking for peace and quiet a couple of steps from the gulf and city life.
La maison du lion
A welcoming guest house with terrace and garden, a few steps from the Castello di San Giorgio and the centre, with free parking. That last detail is precious for those arriving by car who don’t want to give up a central spot. Ideal for those after a green corner and a little space in the city.
What to see in La Spezia
The city surprises those who give it time. The jewel is the Amedeo Lia Civic Museum, on Via del Prione, one of the most remarkable picture galleries in northern Italy, with Italian “primitives”, Titian, Tintoretto and a Canaletto. A short distance away, the Castello di San Giorgio dominates the centre from above and houses the Archaeological Museum, with a view that rewards the climb.
The breath of the sea is best taken on the Morin promenade, the tree-lined seafront facing the gulf and the Arsenal, where the people of La Spezia stroll and have their aperitivo. The large covered market and the shopping streets complete the picture of a lively, down-to-earth city. From here, finally, the boats leave for Portovenere, Lerici and the Cinque Terre, a different, scenic way to discover the gulf and the coast.
When to go
Spring and autumn
These are the best times to make La Spezia your base: mild weather, less crowded Cinque Terre villages and kinder prices than in high summer. The light is perfect for the gulf and the trails are at their best. They’re the ideal months to combine city, sea and hiking without the July and August crush, and it’s when we recommend coming.
Summer
In summer La Spezia is the base camp par excellence for the Cinque Terre: you set off early by train and return to the city in the evening for dinner. On the first Sunday of August — in 2026, 2 August — the Palio del Golfo is rowed, the historic regatta between the hamlets of the gulf, a great community event not to be missed. It’s high season, so it’s worth booking well ahead.
Winter
Winter is quiet and surprisingly pleasant: the city lives on museums, market and good seafood, and the Cinque Terre villages can be savoured in their most authentic version, almost deserted. It’s the time for those after calm, low prices and a real connection with the places, making the most of the mild climate of the gulf.
How to get there
La Spezia is a handy transport hub. By train, La Spezia Centrale station is on the Genoa–Pisa–Rome line, with high-speed services reachable nearby via Pisa and Florence; from here the very frequent trains for the Cinque Terre depart. By car you arrive from the tollgates of the A12 (Genoa–Livorno) and A15 (from Parma) motorways; in the city, though, it’s best to leave the car and get around on foot and by train, because at the Cinque Terre a car is more a problem than a convenience.
La Spezia is also an active port, a cruise call and the departure point for boats to Portovenere, Lerici and the five villages. For the full picture on trains, roads and getting around the region, see how to get to Liguria. The city is also the natural gateway to the Gulf of Poets, with Lerici and Portovenere, and of course to the Cinque Terre.
This guide is part of our grand journey through the region: discover all the destinations and areas in Where to Stay in Liguria.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to the questions we’re asked most often about where to stay in La Spezia.
Is La Spezia a good base for visiting the Cinque Terre?
Yes, it’s the smartest choice. La Spezia has far more rooms and lower prices than the five villages, and from the central station trains reach all the villages in minutes. You sleep in the city, comfortably and at humane prices, and experience the Cinque Terre coming and going as you please, avoiding the midday crush.
What is the best area to stay in La Spezia?
The old town around Via del Prione and Corso Cavour, a few minutes’ walk from the central station. From there you have the trains for the Cinque Terre, the museums, the shops and the restaurants all within walking distance. It’s the most convenient and lively area, and the one where we suggest looking for a room.
How far is La Spezia from the Cinque Terre by train?
Very close: from La Spezia Centrale station the first village, Riomaggiore, is a few minutes away, and Monterosso, the furthest, is reached in a good quarter of an hour. In high season the trains are very frequent. It’s precisely this closeness that makes La Spezia the ideal base for the five villages.
Is La Spezia worth visiting?
Yes, more than people think. The Amedeo Lia Museum is a first-rate picture gallery, the Castello di San Giorgio offers a fine view, and the Morin promenade on the Gulf of Poets is perfect for a pause. On top of that, boats leave for Portovenere and Lerici. It’s not just a base: it’s a seaside city to enjoy.
How do you get around La Spezia without a car?
Very well. The centre is walked entirely on foot and the central station is close, with trains for the Cinque Terre and the rest of the region. From the harbour, boats also leave for Portovenere and the villages. A car in the city isn’t needed, and is in fact discouraged for reaching the Cinque Terre, where the train is better.
