How to get to the spice La Spezia is the easternmost resort of Liguria. How to get from La Spezia to the Cinque Terre

Spice (La Spezia)- a port city in the eastern part of c. In addition to its touristic focus, La Spezia is the center of the Italian military industry, one of the largest commercial and military harbors in Italy. From here there are direct ferries to and the coast.

Getting to La Spezia:

By train:

La Spezia Central Station - La Spezia Centrale. Trains arrive in La Spezia from Rome, Naples, Pisa, Florence, Parma, Milan, Genoa, Savona, Turin… Italian trains website

By bus:

• Buses in the La Spezia region: www.atcesercizio.it.

Attractions Spice:

La Spezia Castle

In La Spezia, the castle of St. George - Castle of San Giorgio - 13th century. Until the beginning of the 17th century, the castle was rebuilt several times. The castle is now located Archaeological Museum, which, among other things, exhibits finds from the Etruscan era.

Naval arsenal

The Naval Arsenal of La Spezia was built in the middle of the 19th century by the naval engineer Domenico Chiodo, whose monument was erected in front of the entrance to the arsenal. Now the Arsenal has a naval museum.

Ancient churches of La Spezia:

In La Spezia, several ancient churches have been preserved: the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (XIII century), the church of Sts. John and Augustine (1797), the Church of St. Stephen (XIII century, but only one wall has survived from that time), the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary (1897-1901, made in the neo-Byzantine style).

Chiesa di Santa Maria Della Assunta

The collegiate church of Santa Maria della Assunta - Assumption of the Virgin Mary - dates back to the 13th century. Inside you can admire a significant series artwork who were brought here from the abolished churches. Among them are the Coronation of the Virgin Mary by Andrea della Robbia, the Multiplication of Loaves by Giovanni Battista Casoni, and the Martyrdom of St. Bartolomeo" by Luca Cambiaso.

Amadeo Lia Museum

The Aamadeo Lia Museum, housed in a former Franciscan monastery from the 17th century, displays a collection of Middle Ages and Renaissance art.

Museums of Spice:

• Ubaldo Formentini -Civil Museum in the castle of st. George (Museo del Castello di San Giorgio - Museo civico archeologico)
• Palazzina delle Arti and the Seal Museum(palazzina delle Arti e Museo del Sigillo)
• Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art(Centro d'arte moderna e contemporanea, CAMeC)

La Spezia(Italian: La Spezia) is a city that is the capital of the province of La Spezia. It is located on the Ligurian coast, which, in turn, is located in the northwest of the Italian Republic.

If you find La Spezia on a map of Italy, you can see that the city is separated from the Tuscany region by only a few kilometers, and the city itself is located just in the middle of, perhaps, one of the most picturesque routes in Italy - Genoa - Pisa.

Location of La Spezia on the map of Italy

The population is 95600 people.
La Spezia is primarily a port in Italy, and not just a trade and passenger port, but also a military-strategic one. The city's harbor is called the Gulf of Spice (Italian: Golfo della Spezia).

Oddly enough, but La Spezia was not always Italian. In 1797, Napoleon, realizing what an advantageous position a village with two or three thousand inhabitants then occupied, captured La Spezia.

It was at this very time that a port appeared in the harbor, shipyards for the construction of ships, and by the beginning of the 19th century, rapid construction began in the city itself.

La Spezia became part of Italy only in 1861.

Main routes to and from La Spezia

How to get to La Spezia

First of all, the fact that La Spezia is located in the north of Italy implies a very developed transport network. But the city is also a commercial, military and tourist center and a port, which further increases the chances of a quick and convenient way to arrive in this corner of Italy.

Airplane. The closest airport to La Spezia is Genoa Airport. Directly from the airport, you can get to La Spezia by train, train in 1 hour 50 minutes.

Port. In La Spezia, cruise ships arrive at the Molo Garibaldi Pier. To the city center, the trip time is limited to only 15 minutes by a port transfer, and free of charge.

You can get to La Spezia by cruise ship

Railway. The La Spezia railway station belongs to the Genoa - Rome branch, which means that it is also easy to get from the cities of this direction by train.

From Milan, the travel time by train is 4 hours and a little (27-45 euros), from Turin and Pisa you can also come by train.

Routes from La Spezia

Let's talk about the most popular routes for tourists from La Spezia.

How to get from La Spezia to Portovenere:

How to get from La Spezia to Sestri Levante:

• The most convenient way to travel is by train from the central station of La Spezia. There are 20 flights a day, the travel time will be 30 - 50 minutes, the ticket price is 4.25 - 5 euros. Tickets can be booked in advance;
• On a motor ship or a boat that runs between nearby tourist towns.

How to get from La Spezia to the Cinque Terre:

• Throughout the park, traffic is limited by car, therefore, it is better to get there by suburban train, line Genoa-La Spezia, travel time takes only 10-15 minutes. The stations of Riomaggiore and Monterosso are the largest and most suitable in the Cinque Terre for arriving tourists;
• It is possible to drive along the serpentine road on small buses, minivans;
• It is possible to sail to the Cinque Terre by boats or motor ships.

How to get from La Spezia to Portofino

To Portofino, as well as to many other places of interest for tourists, it is best and most convenient to get from the city of La Spezia from the central station La Spezia Centrale.

From there, take the train to the central station of Portofino - Santa Margherita Ligure Portofino.

The journey will take about an hour, costing 6.30 - 14 euros.

How to get from La Spezia to Pisa airport
Pisa airport should also be departed from the central station La Spezia Centrale. From there, take the train to Aeroporto internazionale Galileo Galilei Pisa, travel time 1.20 min - 1.45 min. The cost is 6.60 - 12.30 euros.

How to get from the port of La Spezia to Florence (by train)
Often, passengers arriving on cruise ships in the port of La Spezia choose Florence as their next travel destination. How to get from the port to the beautiful pearl of Tuscany?
Cruise ships arrive at the Molo Garibaldi pier. Passengers are transported to the main points of the city of La Spezia on port transfers, they are mostly free.
You need a transfer to get to the central station of La Spezia - La Spezia Centrale. Buy a train ticket to Florence (Italian Firenza) at the station (you can also do it in advance on-line), ticket price 13.50 - 19.10 euros, travel time 2.10 - 2.50 hours.

Where to stay in La Spezia

The most economical and convenient way is to book a room, apartment, villa (whatever you like) on a special website on the Internet.

Homeowners rent their apartments without intermediaries, so the prices are the most reasonable.

If you want to relax in the most comfortable conditions, see the most picturesque views from the window, drink good coffee in the morning, then you should stay in La Spezia hotels, which have proven themselves from the best side:

Kitchen

Many tourists choose La Spezia as waypoint to move to other major cities.

But even if you are only one day in this port city, it is simply unacceptable not to try a typical La Spezia dish - Pizza Forinata.

This is pea flour pizza.

Pizza Forinata with pea flour

The dough is poured into a huge frying pan and fried for 10-15 minutes. Be sure to sprinkle with black pepper. The cost of a serving is 2-2.5 euros.

The location by the sea explains the predominance of seafood in the local cuisine.
Dishes from the freshest mussels, anchovies and other seafood are everywhere offered by restaurants on the coast:

• Zuppa di cozze- tomato soup with mussels;
• Fritto misto- a set of various kinds deep-fried fish and shellfish;
• Acciughe al lemon- anchovies marinated in lemon juice, served with olive oil;
• Muscoli ripieni- stuffed mussels in red tomato sauce.

Tomato soup with fresh mussels

And of course, because La Spezia is Italy, how could it be without a local dessert, Dolce - “sweets”?

Here, the traditional sweet treat is castagnaccio (Italian Castagnaccio).

This is a fragrant dessert, chestnut flour cake with dried grapes and pine nuts.

What to see in La Spezia in 1 day

Yes, most often, La Spezia for travelers is just a port, a transit point on the way to the following sights of Italy.
What can you see in La Spezia in a short time and not remain indifferent to what you see:

Interesting places around La Spezia

The surroundings of La Spezia are just a storehouse for an amateur natural beauties and connoisseur historical heritage. Famous places are:

Beaches around La Spezia

Italy has all the conditions for a comfortable beach holiday. This is the azure sea, these are beaches for every taste: both with sandy and with a stone entrance. It is clean air and beautiful vegetation.

Of course, the sea and the wonderful weather of La Spezia are the best place for a beach holiday.

Even in winter there are no temperatures below 0C, because the Ligurian mountains cover the coast from cold winds. Well, in summer the temperature does not rise above 37 degrees, also because of the protection of the mountains. The best time to visit sea towns and beaches is from May to October.

Several beaches in the province of La Spezia are considered unusually beautiful and picturesque.
Examples of these beaches are:

Events in La Spezia

Staying in La Spezia, you can not only visit historical and simply beautiful and interesting places, taste and appreciate local cuisine, there is an opportunity to participate in numerous holidays and festivals:

• On October 30, on Via Fortezza Sardzana in the fortress of Sarzanello, Halloween is held for children. Dinner, tunnel of horror, themed games inside the fortress;
• Since 1969, the International Jazz Festival has been annually gathering thousands of fans of this musical genre in the Villa Marigola park, in public gardens, at the Alberto Picco Stadium;
• March 19 is the Festival of St. Giuseppe. At this time, more than 600 shops with their products and crafts open;
• On the first Sunday of August, the Sea Festival is held, and simply - a regatta.

Even one day spent in the city of La Spezia will show the contrast between the luxury of villas, parks, gardens and fishing boats, fishermen sorting out their fishing tackle here and there. This is exactly the look of the sea city.

In La Spezia you can enjoy the atmosphere of the fishing towns

heritage rich history, which are carefully stored here, will allow you to touch antiquity, as well as look into the most interesting old villages.

Local nature will let you enjoy amazing views seas. And the opportunity to combine this with a unique cuisine makes the rest here simply unforgettable.

In Italy, there is a picturesque town of La Spezia, which differs from the nearby ones with its atmosphere. settlements. All in the area are calm, quiet settlements, La Spezia, on the contrary, is noisy and very cheerful. In addition to the fact that a vibrant life is always in full swing here, the city is beautiful center history, where the spirit of the past is still preserved. There was a time when La Spezia was called the "poetic bay", because it was here that many poets - Byron, Dante or George Sand sought their inspiration. La Spezia is definitely worth staying in this place for a few days and enjoying an Italian holiday.

Historical information giving an exact definition of when it was founded italian city have not been preserved to date. It is known that in the ancient Roman era, the local lands were sparsely populated. The only thing large settlement was the Etruscan Luni, which was destroyed by the Saracens in the eleventh century. Until the seventy-sixth year of the thirteenth century, La Spezia belonged to the Fieschi family. In the years that followed, many sought to seize power in the region. When Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Liguria at the end of the eighteenth century, La Spezia became part of the subject republic.

Ten years later, the French emperor included the city along with the territory of the bay into a single maritime district. He planned to transform it into major port. However, the intentions were not destined to come true. Only forty years after his death, the construction of the harbor began. At the end of the nineteenth century, the first shipyards appeared in the bay, military factories began their work. This development of the region has led to an increase in population. In 1870 the first Railway connecting La Spezia with Genoa. During World War II, La Spezia was badly damaged as a result of numerous bombings. Copyright www.site

La Spezia is a coastal seaside town, but there are no beaches on its territory, because the ships arriving in the bay and the numerous yachts have led to the fact that the water near the coast is very polluted. Despite this, the city does not lose its beauty and there really is something to see here. In La Spezia very beautiful embankment seven kilometers long and thirty meters wide, and in some sections even reaches forty-five meters. Walking along the Ligurian coast, one cannot fail to notice the beautiful views of the harbor and the surrounding mountain ranges covered with forests. Certainly, myself seascape gives the Embankment an unprecedented beauty.

It is very convenient to walk along modern sidewalks, along which there are tall palm trees, and neat lawns are laid out. The promenade of La Spezia is the most luxurious place in the city, in the center of which there is a large pier. Cruise ferries and yachts moor here, on which you can take an hour walk along the sea. Huge cannons from the Middle Ages are rightfully considered the pride of the La Spezia Embankment. Immediately opposite them, you can stroll through a cozy square, which is decorated with fountains and comfortable benches. In the evening, the Embankment lights up with thousands of lights, which makes it even more beautiful.

The title of the main attraction of La Spezia belongs to the fortress of St. George, which is located on the hill of Colledel Poggio. Constructing a building that was supposed to serve defensive structure began in the middle of the thirteenth century. Since then, it has been rebuilt several times and now a majestic fortress with loopholes and fortress towers appears before visitors. To get here, you need to go through the west or north entrance. The first gate is decorated with the coat of arms of Genoa, and the gate from the North is guarded by the depicted Saint George, after whom the medieval building was named.

Crystal clear sea on one side and picturesque green hills on the other, and between them there is a narrow strip of land on which Spezia is located, taking a very convenient and advantageous position in all respects. It is no coincidence that the city is a major port center; trade and military ports are located nearby.

Spice (La Spezia)) - a city with an area of ​​52 sq. km and a population of about 95 thousand people on the Ligurian coast of Italy, the capital of the province of the same name. The city is located in the very east of Liguria, just a few kilometers from the border with Tuscany, on the coast sea ​​bay, which is called the Gulf of Spice (Golfo della Spezia), another name is the Gulf of Poets (Golfo dei Poeti). The second name behind the bay was fixed thanks to the visits of poets, writers, artists, actors to these places, attracted by the beauty of the "water amphitheater". Among the frequent guests of Spice were David Herbert Lawrence, George Sand, Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley and many other creative personalities of Italy and Europe. The bay is surrounded by a chain of hills and mountains, the highest of which, Mount Verrugoli, 750 meters high, is located on western outskirts Spices.

Gulf of Spice. Photocasedamare. it

Commercial and military ports of Spice. Photflickr.com

History of Spice

For the first time the name Spice is mentioned in the document "Spezam" of 1256, there are many scientific hypotheses about its origin, of which the main one has not been singled out. The article "La" was abolished several times and appeared in front of the name of the city, until in 1926 the city council fixed it by order official name city ​​- La Spezia.

Night view of La Spezia. Photoincinqueterre.com

As follows from the archaeological finds of the Bronze and Iron Ages, the territory of modern La Spezia was already inhabited in the prehistoric era. Later, settlements of the Ligurian tribes appeared here, which in 155 BC. were conquered by the consul Marcus Claudius Marcellus and became a colony of Rome.

After the fall of the Roman Empire, from the 5th century, Spezia was attacked by the Germanic tribes of the Heruls and Goths, and with the end of the Byzantine-Gothic wars in the middle of the 6th century, the territory of modern Spice came under Byzantine rule, becoming part of the Italian Exarchate - the Byzantine province on the Apennine Peninsula.

In 642, the region of La Spezia was conquered by the Longobards, after the fall of the kingdom of the Longobards in 773, the territory came under the rule of the King of the Franks, Charles I the Great. In 860 Spezia was sacked by the Vikings, in the same century it had to endure devastating raids by the Saracens, which led to the complete decline of the region.

Gradually, the inhabitants begin to move here neighboring cities, and in X-XI centuries a fortified city is formed on a hill, which by the middle of the 12th century came under the rule of Genoa. By this time, Spezia had become an important commercial center. In the XIII-XIV centuries, the city reaches its peak, due to which in 1343, at the behest of the first Genoese Doge Simone Boccanegra, the podestat of La Spezia is formed, which, however, by the end of the XIV century, after the continuous struggle of Genoa and Venice, ceases to exist, and Spezia passes ruled by the Milanese Visconti dynasty.

In the 15th century, the city continued to develop as a major shopping mall. In 1654, in order to give a new impetus to the trade direction, the Republic of Genoa allows Jews to settle in La Spezia, new markets and exchange fairs appear in the city. In 1797, with the fall of the Republic of Genoa, La Spezia became part of the Ligurian Republic, which in 1805 came under the protectorate of France. With the end of Napoleon's power, Spezia passes to the Kingdom of Sardinia.

By the time of the unification of Italy in 1861, there were about 6 thousand inhabitants in La Spezia. The city begins to develop rapidly tourist centre, in the 19th century, members of the royal family often came here on vacation. By 1901, about 73 thousand people lived in La Spezia.

Embankment of Spice. Photoincinqueterre.com

Attractions Spices

Fortress of St. George(Castello di San Giorgio) stands on the top of the Colle del Poggio, overlooking the bay. It was built in 1262 and originally served as a shelter during the wars for both soldiers and townspeople. To this day, almost nothing remains of the original structure of the fortress; over the centuries, it has been repeatedly restored and restored. Currently, the fortress houses an archaeological museum.

Fortress of St. George. Photoguideturisticheliguria.eu

Museum navy (Museo Tecnico Navale) is considered the largest museum of its kind in Italy. The museum has more than 150 models Italian ships, about 2,500 awards, 6,500 relics, including a collection of ship figureheads of the XV-XVII centuries, thousands of historical and technical documents.

The museum is located next to the main entrance to the Arsenal of La Spezia, founded by the first Prime Minister of Italy, Cavour, in 1862. The Arsenal is operational, employing more than 1,000 civilians and 200 military personnel.

Museum of the Navy. Photoottante.it

Some of the exhibits maritime museum. Photomarion line. it

Ethnographical museum(Museo Civico Etnografico), bearing the name of the traveler, naturalist, ethnographer Giovanni Podenzana, talks about life, folk traditions and customs of the people who inhabited the region of Lunigiana in the XVIII-XX centuries.

IN Museum "Amedeo Lia"(Museo Civico “Amedeo Lia”), which opened in 1996, contains a collection of 1,100 paintings and miniatures by artists from Italy and other countries of the 13th-18th centuries, sculptures and objects from antiquity, the Middle Ages and the present. Almost all the exhibits of the museum were donated to the city by the collector Amedeo Lia. The museum is located in the premises of the former Franciscan monastery of the 18th century.

IN Center for Contemporary Art(Centro d'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea) presents a large collection of paintings of the XIX century, the work of the Impressionists and representatives of the avant-garde direction of painting. The center hosts exhibitions, seminars, art meetings.

City Park or, more precisely, the garden, rich in its botanical diversity, here you can see palm trees, firs, oaks, cedars, magnolias, roses and many other plants. The first park in La Spezia was laid out in 1825, by the end of the 19th century it had expanded to almost modern sizes. The park is decorated with numerous sculptures, among which there is a monument in honor of Giuseppe Garibaldi.

Urban a park. Photonoidelteatro.blogspot.it

What to try in La Spezia

Locally produced olive oil and black pepper are the invariable components of most culinary recipes Spice, among which the most popular is "meshua", which in the local dialect means "mixture" - a soup of beans, wheat and chickpeas.

Among typical dishes Spices - delicious cakes that are baked only here; chickpea flour stew; "sgabei" - fried yeast dough cakes filled with cheese, ham, or, in a sweet version, cream or chocolate; stuffed pumpkin flowers; vegetable casseroles. In the Spezia suburb of Pitelli, especially tasty ravioli with meat, potatoes and herbs are prepared, and Campiglia is famous for growing saffron.

Sgabei from Spice. Photouniversocucina.com

Pumpkin flowers stuffed with soft goat cheese. Photonerodiseppiae.blogspot.it

Spice is known for its fish market where you can find freshly caught seafood every morning. It is no coincidence that one of the local specialties is stuffed mussels, which are specially bred here.

Beaches overlooking the crystal clear sea, picturesque towns in the bays behind which the valleys immersed in greenery stretch upwards, the romantic traditions of antiquity: all this and much more awaits tourists in the province of La Spezia.

One of the most interesting sites on the Ligurian Riviera can be found here: Golfo dei Poeti - the Gulf of Poets, so named because many great writers and poets have demonstrated their love for this land. Steep cliffs, dense pine forests, romantic coves and exceptional beaches...

Map of the Province of La Spezia

More about the province

Together with the picturesque villages perched on top of the cliff, they create a coastal landscape that strikes with its beauty those who see it from the sea.

Lerici, Portovenere, the island of Palmaria and the islets of Tino and Tinetto are the most famous routes of this tourist destination.

Further, to the northwest, is one of the most beautiful regions of Italy - Cinque Terre or the Five Lands. An object world heritage UNESCO (together with Porto Venere) is an amazing example of a harmonious balance between man and nature.

Five towns located one after the other - Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso al Mare - show off their natural and artistic treasures to the guests who have arrived here.

On the far (towards Genoa) part of the coast lie the resorts of Levanto, Bonassola, Framura, Deiva Marina, charming towns surrounded by rocks and beaches, green hills, with beautiful view on the sea.

In this Ligurian province tourists will find good beaches, And interesting places for excursions, and national Italian flavor. There are local wines, the cuisine is rich in seafood. Tourist service is at a high level, there are hotels of different price categories, and all are very worthy.

As for the city of La Spezia itself - the capital of the province, located in the very center of the Gulf of Golfo dei Poeti - this is quite Big City, which has interesting places for tourists, but which is unlikely to be correctly called a resort. (Although, everything is known in comparison).

Another advantage of a holiday in this region is that from La Spezia it is very close to Pisa, and even to Florence on high-speed train can be reached within 2 hours. Thus, thanks to geographical location there is an opportunity to see more sights of Italy in one trip.