Where to stay in La Spezia – 3 Best Areas & Hotels

La Spezia is often suggested as the budget base to explore Cinque Terre and true, it actually works very well with quick direct connections by either train or boat.

In saying that this city offers more than just a place to sleep. You will find a lovely Historical Centre and a great local vibe with a more genuine Italian lifestyle. A relaxing break between the popular Tuscany and Cinque Terre.

In this guide, you will find the 3 best areas to stay in La Spezia together with a few suggested hotels and Airbnbs but let’s start straight away with a quick summary table and a handy map.

Where to stay in La Spezia – Key Points

With a mobile swipe left and right to see all the columns

Area	Suggested Hotel	Best For	Pros	Cons	Character	Train Station	Ferry Station	Parking
Historic Centre	Boutique Hotel Novecento	First-timers, Central	Charming architecture, lively	Far from the train station, higher prices	Historic heart, pedestrian	Far	Very close	Limited
Quartiere Umberto I	Alby	5 Terre access, Value	Affordable, easier parking	Far from the ferry pier	18th-century charm	Very close	Far	Easier
Quartiere del Torretto	Nautilus Hotel	Parking, Budget	Quiet, affordable rates	Far from the train station	Residential, quieter	1.5-2 km away	10 minutes walk	Easiest

My 3 best hotels in La Spezia

Historic Centre – Centro Storico

The Historic Centre is the best neighbourhood (Quartiere) to stay in La Spezia on a first trip to the city. This is the historic heart with century-old buildings and a wide pedestrian-only area which is great for a walk with kids or just a relaxing stroll.

As I always suggest, the best way to explore this area is just by getting lost in the maze of Renaissance buildings and Medieval lanes. The neighbourhood is rather small so you will get to know most of it in half day.

You can also decide to have a walk up to the San Giorgio Castle, which besides being a great place for the archeological history of the area, is also a fantastic viewpoint of the city.

One great advantage of this area is that you will be a stone away from the ferry pier which is great if you are planning to visit the Cinque Terre from La Spezia, the budget way to explore an otherwise expensive part of Italy.

Tourism in La Spezia is not big which means you will still be able to experience local cafes and family-run trattoria as it used to be, with prices that are more community-friendly and less driven by the number of tourists visiting the place.

The main downside is the Centro’s relative distance from the main train station, requiring a bit more effort to access if arriving by rail. Parking is also a headache, so you’ll want to rely on your own two feet or public transport to get around.

Accommodation costs also lean on the higher end in this historic core compared to other La Spezia neighbourhoods. But given the sheer convenience and charming ambience, the minor inconveniences are more than worth it.

Quartiere Umberto I

If your top priority is easy, budget-friendly access to explore the Cinque Terre by train, then staying in the neighbourhood Quartiere Umberto I could be your best choice. This 18th-century district is a great value-for-money area, still with a nice local character.

The biggest advantage of this area is most definitely the proximity to the Train Station. You’re just a short walk away from hopping on those quick regional trains that will take you to each colourful Cinque Terre village in mere minutes. It won’t be as scenic and picturesque as a ferry trip, but definitely, it will be a quick commute.

Moreover, there are direct trains from both Pisa and Florence, which makes La Spezia and more specifically Umberto I a well-connected and practical area to stay.

My tip: plan a ferry trip to the Cinque Terre in the morning when usually the sea is much calmer and come back in the evening with the train.

The neighbourhood architecture is surely not as old as the Centro Storico but still, you will find plenty of buildings constructed in the 18th and 19th centuries during La Spezia’s expansion of the port.

It’s also a great area if planning to stay long term and in this case, I suggest checking out the Circo Galleggiante, a circus school where you can learn some pretty cool stuff. It works for both kids and adults.

It’s also a great area if you are travelling on a budget, with plenty of options including hotels and Airbnb. And parking is much easier compared to the Historic Centre.

Of course, the tradeoff is that you won’t quite get the same postcard-perfect ambience as staying right in La Spezia’s old town. Quartiere Umberto I has more of a functional, lived-in feel versus the charm of the Centro’s winding medieval lanes. You’re also a bit farther removed from the ferry terminal for accessing places like Porto Venere.

But if your focus is maximizing convenience and value for money when it comes to visiting the Cinque Terre, this neighbourhood offers an excellent compromise.

Quartiere del Torretto

If you’ve rented a car and don’t mind being a little removed from La Spezia’s main historic centre, then the Quartiere del Torretto could be an excellent, budget-friendly home base for your stay. This largely residential neighbourhood offers the holy grail of easy parking and good-value accommodations.

One of the biggest advantages of staying in Quartiere del Torretto is the convenience for drivers. The area provides more wide-open streets and dedicated parking lots or garages compared to the tight, historic lanes of the city centre. That means that you will not get stuck in parallel parking or constantly stress over where to leave your rental.

And with more affordable hotels, B&B, and apartment options in this residential district, you can save compared to the pricier historic core. 

The tradeoff is that you’ll be a bit farther removed from the Central Train Station (1.5-2km). Accessing the Cinque Terre villages and other coastal sights will require a bit more legwork or just public transportation (multiple choices of buses like the #3 or #23, 10 minutes). It must be said that you will be very close to the ferry terminal (just 10 minutes walk)

You also won’t quite get the same historic charm and lively atmosphere as staying right in the heart of La Spezia.

I find Torretto to be the perfect place if you are thinking of renting a car in Italy to explore the Italian Riviera, Tuscany and the north of Italy.

But if your priority is maximizing convenience and value for a car-based stay, with the option to retreat to a quieter neighbourhood after days of sightseeing, then the Quartiere del Torretto could be an excellent choice. You’re still within reasonable reach of the main attractions, just with a little more breathing room.