History of la spice. Spice Cruise Port

Steep cliffs, pine forests, romantic bays and beautifulbeaches - everything here breathes beauty and preaches splendor.

Lerici, Porto Venere, Palmaria Island, the islets of Tino and Tinetto and the city La Spezia, the "queen" of a beautiful bay...

La Spezia (ital. La Spezia is the largest city in the beautiful Gulf of Poets, which is often overlooked by travelers, perhaps because it is surrounded by the most famous resorts Ligurian coast. However, the town of La Spezia, having become today a "transit point" for foreigners who are heading to the Cinque Terre, "suffers" undeservedly, because once it was adored by writers and poets, the English lyricist Percy Shelley especially liked to visit here, calling La Spezia "Blue city ​​of dreams and love"...

The city is located in the very east, just a few kilometers from the border with, on the coast of the 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 the western edge of La Spezia.

Gulf of Spice. Thinkstock Photos

How to get to La Spezia?

By plane

La Spezia. Photo flickr.com

By car

In addition, public transport passes through La Spezia. car roads SS-1 (Aurelia), SS-62 (Sartzana -) and SS-63 (Massa - Verona).

By train

La Spezia. Photo flickr.com

By sea

In the spring and summer, passenger sea transport runs, connecting La Spezia with the ports of Genoa, Portofino, Lerici, Portovenere, Palmaria Island, and the National Park.

Where to stay in La Spezia?

After the fall of the Roman Empire, from the 5th century, La 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, La Spezia was sacked by the Vikings, in the same century she had to endure devastating raids by the Saracens, which led to the complete decline of the region.

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

In the 15th century, the city continued to develop as a major shopping center. 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 since 1805 came under the protectorate of France. With the cessation of Napoleon's power, La 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.

new bridge in La Spezia . Photo flickr.com

Attractions La Spezia

Fortress of St. George

(Castello di San Giorgio)

It is from here that you should start your visit to La Spezia, because from the top of the Colle del Poggio, on which the castle of San Giorgio stands proudly, there is a magnificent view of the entire city and its bay. The fortress was built in 1262 and originally served as a shelter during the wars for both soldiers and townspeople.

Castello San Giorgio acquired its final appearance, which can still be admired today, in 1607, when the observation towers were completed and the outer walls were strengthened.

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, and next to the fortress there is a beautiful park.

Fortress of St. George. Photo guideturisticheliguria.eu

Museum of the Navy

(Museo Tecnico Navale)

Viale Amendola, 1

Museum navy considered the largest museum of its kind in Italy. The museum displays more than 150 models of Italian ships, about 2,500 awards, 6,500 relics, including a collection of ship figureheads from the 15th-17th 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. Photo ottante.it

Some of the exhibits of the maritime museum. Photo mareonline.it

Villa Marmory

The residence of the Marmori family was built in 1923 by the architect Franco Oliva; considered one of the finest examples of Ligurian floral architecture, it is located on Via XX Settembre.

The frescoes and stuccoes that still adorn the villa are by Luigi Agretti, while the paintings specially commissioned for the halls of the villa are the work of Diskovolo and Ferri (the canvases are now in the local museum). Pay attention to the stained-glass windows of the villa, created by Beltrame, very beautiful, made with a special technique, filtering and scattering sunlight between the rooms and halls of the villa.

Since 1984, Villa Marmori has sheltered in its halls the Academy of Music. Giacomo Puccini.

Villa Marmory. Photo zonzofox.com

Cathedral of Cristo Re

The impressive temple overlooking the central square of Europe is located on a small hill where the Capuchin monastery was once located.

In 1929, a competition was held to build a new cathedral to replace the church of Santa Maria Assunta. The winner of the competition was the architect Brennero Del Giudice, but his project was frozen until 1956, and then completely changed by the architect Adalberto Libera, and in the implementation of the original project was partially revised by Cesare Galeazzi. The temple was consecrated only in 1975.

The interior of the temple is very beautiful: twelve massive columns with the names of the apostles surround the altar and pulpit, made by the sculptor Leah Godano from marble quarried in the Apuan Alps. The church is not decorated with traditional frescoes, the walls in the initial project were supposed to be decorated with mosaics, which were never realized. Inside the cathedral are the remains of San Venerio, patron saint of the bay, San Terenzo and Sant'Eutichiano, the ancient bishops of Luni.

Cathedral of Cristo Re. Photo flickr.com

Church of Santa Maria Assunta

Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta

The abbey church of Santa Maria Assunta, the first Cathedral of La Spezia, stands in Piazza Beverini. Its construction dates back to the thirteenth century and is the oldest church in the city.

The church was heavily damaged during the bombings of World War II. After the war, in 1954, it was restored and equipped with a new facade. The central entrance of the church is decorated with 8 relief images of works of mercy. Adjacent to the church are the Chapel of Mercy, the Chapel of the Sacred Heart and the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception.

The church keeps a lot of interesting artistic and historical evidence: the terracotta of Andrea della Robbia "The Coronation of the Virgin", the icon of "The Martyrdom of St. Bartholomew" by Luca Cambiaso, the canvas of 1642 by Casone Giovanni Battista, the font of the XVI century, marble statues of Our Lady and St. Anthony, as well as sarcophagi, in which lie the remains of the commander of the papal fleet Baldassarre Biassa and his wife.

Church of Santa Maria Assunta. Photo flickr.com

Church of Saints Giovanni and Augustine

Chiesa dei Santi Giovanni e Agostino

The church, which is located behind Piazza San Augustino, was built in the sixteenth century as a burial place for the dead of the poor. Outwardly, an unremarkable building keeps rich baroque decoration within its walls.

The interior of the temple consists of a single nave, 40 meters long, covered with rich baroque decoration, which was often restored and retouched in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. No particularly valuable works of art are stored inside, but visitors will be interested to take a look at the ancient crucifixes of the 18th century, the 16th-century altarpiece by Bernardino Lanino and the 1823 organ created by the Serassi brothers.

Church organ. Photo flickr.com

Palazzo Crozza

Along Corso Cavour is the Palazzo Crozza, the historic residence of the noble Crozza family, built in the mid-nineteenth century.

Classic and elegant, the palace showcases to visitors a beautiful façade and an equally beautiful, ornate interior. Today it houses the headquarters of the city archive, which contains historical documents from the fifteenth to the nineteenth century. The upper floor of the palazzo, resplendent with two large halls and a sumptuous grand staircase, contains an interesting collection of paintings belonging to the Luigi Agretti collections, currently housing the public reading room of the "Ubaldo Mazzini" library.

Palazzo Castrucci. Photo flickr.com

Fish market

Piazza cavour

A fish (and gastronomic) market is held every morning on Place Cavour, under the vaults of a large roofed structure that turns into a haven for antique stalls on the first Sunday of the month. The market is divided into two parts: on one side of the square there are only fishmongers, while on the other side you will find stalls with fruits, vegetables, cheeses, spices, herbs and flowers. There are many bakeries, bars, pubs, restaurants, shops and main museums around the square. In general, this is a place that is definitely worth a visit.

Fish market. Photo flickr.com

Sanctuary of the Madonna dell'Olmo

Santuario della Madonna dell'Olmo

The Sanctuary of Madonna del Olmo is located on the slopes of Mount Santa Croce, on a picturesque hill overlooking the village of Fabiano, on the western side of the Gulf of Poets, at an altitude of about 280 meters above sea level. The sanctuary dedicated to Our Lady was built in 1844. This sacred place for pilgrims is located just a few kilometers (about three) from the center of La Spezia. The small, unremarkable church inside contains many treasures: as an example, let's take a church altar made in the Baroque style, and a beautiful image of the Madonna dell'Olmo, kept in the sanctuary. To get to the church, you must take the SP530 provincial highway, turn (almost immediately) onto via sant "andrea and climb Mount Santa Croce.

Verdi Square

Piazza Verdi

This is one of the most important squares in the city. Many famous Palazzo La Spezia are located here: Palazzo delle Poste, built in the neo-fascist style, Palazzo degli Studi, where the Classical Lyceum is currently located, and - on the corner between Via Vittorio Veneto and Piazza Verdi - the Prefectural Palace and the Palazzo della Provincia.

Piazza Verdi. Photo flickr.com

Ethnographical museum

(Museo Civico Etnografico)

Ethnographical museum, bearing the name of the traveler, naturalist, ethnographer Giovanni Podenzan, tells about the life, folk traditions and customs of the people who inhabited the Lunigiana region in the 18th-20th centuries.

Amedeo Lia Museum

Museo Civico d "arte antica, medievale i moderno "Amedeo Lia"

Via Prione, 234

The museum was opened in 1996 thanks to donations from patron Amedeo Lia and his family. The museum collection contains more than 1100 works of art - from icons to jewelry; from objects of liturgical cult to paintings by famous Italian painters, starting from the thirteenth century, such as Giotto and his students, Bernardo Daddi, Duccio, Pietro Lorenzetti, Simone Martini, Lippo Memmi, Sano di Pietro, Taddeo di Bartolo, Bicci di Lorenzo , Fra Angelico, Romanino, Veronese, Titian and others. In the museum you can also see many beautiful sculptures made of wood, bronze and marble.

Museum Amedeo Lia. Photo flickr.com

Modern Art Museum

Centro Arte Moderna e Contemporanea della Spezia (CAMEC)

Piazza Cesare Battisti

Opened in 2004, the Camec Museum occupies three floors, which house three independent collections - Cozzani, Battolini and "Premio del Golfo". The Giorgio Cozzani collection contains more than 1200 sculptures and canvases donated to the museum by a patron in 1998. Most of the presented works belong to abstractionism, surrealism and expressionism. The next collection, once owned by the Battolini couple, includes 500 works by contemporary artists from around the world. The third collection is constantly updated with works that have won the CAMEC painting competition, "Premio del Golfo", which takes place every two years. Today the exposition contains more than 300 exhibits.

Lerici Castle Museum

Museo Castello di Lerici

Piazza San Giorgio, Lerici, La Spezia

Lerici Castle is a polygonal fort that, perched on a high rocky promontory, dominates the town of Lerici, located near La Spezia. The castle was built in 1152 and went through numerous renovations by the engineers of the maritime republics of Genoa and Pisa, who fought over the castle due to its strategic location. Only in 1555 did the castle begin to take on a modern appearance to appear before the eyes of visitors today as the quintessence of various architectural styles - from the Genoese to the Gothic.

On the ground floor of the castle of Lerici is the chapel of St. Anastasia, luxuriously decorated with black and white Ligurian marble.

In 1998, the fort was restored to house a paleontological museum, where you can visit a good dinosaur exhibition that will appeal to both children and adults.

Museum of the Castle of San Giorgio

Via XXVII Marzo

The recently restored castle houses an archaeological museum that contains relics from ancient times. On the ground floor there is a collection of archaeological finds belonging to the Neolithic and Eneolithic eras, in which you can admire the ancient stone statues of Lunigiana (anthropomorphic sculptures marking the territory, decorated with precious stones and weapons), finds from the Iron Age and the Bronze Age, finds from the necropolis. The top floor is dedicated to the ancient Roman and medieval period. For the most part, these are materials from the Fabricotti collection: architectural elements, statues, portraits, mosaics.

City Park

The city park or, more precisely, the garden, is 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 almost to its present size. The park is decorated with numerous sculptures, among which there is a monument in honor of Giuseppe Garibaldi.

City Park. Photo noidelteatro.blogspot.it

What to see near La Spezia?

While in La Spezia, be sure to visit the Cinque Terre, a property world heritage UNESCO, as well as Portovenere, located in the Gulf of Poets, and the nearby islands of Isole di Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto.

You can drive to medieval city Sarzana with its majestic castle and nearby Varese Ligure with its ancient streets and wonderful cheese market.

Lerici. Thinkstock Photos

"Bay of Poets"

Wide and deep bay Ligurian Sea has been called the "Bay of Poets" since 1919, when the playwright Sam Benelli, while on vacation in a luxurious villa overlooking the sea in San Terenzo (Lerici), wrote his most important work, "The Supper of Ridicules".

It got its nickname "The Bay of Poets" because over the centuries, many poets, writers and artists, fascinated by the beauty and romance of these lands, drew inspiration for their best works.

Rainbow over the Gulf of Poets. Photo flickr.com

The bay borders the municipalities of Portovenere, La Spezia and Lerici, charming towns overlooking the sea, surrounded by green hills.

On the border of Liguria and Tuscany is located nature Park Montemarcello Magra, rich not only in natural, but also in cultural and historical values.

In addition, admire the natural beauty of Caprione Caprione, the ideal starting point for many excursions, and visit botanical garden Montemarcello.

Festivals in La Spezia

Bright traditional festival Palio del Golfo(Palio del Golfo) takes place on the first Sunday of August and consists of a boating competition between 13 borgos located in the "Bay of Poets". After the award of the palio, the celebration continues with musical performances, gastronomic fairs and theater performances under open sky. The Boat Regatta has been held annually since 1929 as part of the Levanto Maritime Festival. Thousands of tourists come to see the colorful spectacle every year.

Palio del Golfo. Photo flickr.com

San Giuseppe Fair(Fiera di San Giuseppe:) is held for three days, starting March 19, in honor of the feast of St. Joseph.

This annual fair of food and non-food products gathers about 1000 participants and many guests.

What to try in La Spezia?

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

Among the typical Spice dishes are delicious cakes, which 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. Photo universocucina.com

Pumpkin flowers stuffed with soft goat cheese. Photo nerodiseppiae.blogspot.it

La Spezia 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.

Spices worth noting are the white Colli di Luni DOC and Cinque Terre DOC.

Sights of La Spezia. The most important and interesting sights of La Spezia - photos and videos, descriptions and reviews, location, sites.

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Castello San Giorgio in La Spezia

The historic castle of San Giorgio in La Spezia seems to tell about the rich and long history of these places just by its very appearance. Plus, to ensure that the immersion in the past is as deep and organized as possible, the Civic Museum of Castello San Giorgio is open today inside.

Among all the cities of the Cinque Terre, La Spezia is a special city, a city of art and culture. This confirms the abundance of museums, among which you can find truly unique ones. But for most tourists, La Spezia remains primarily a place of remarkable beauty, so it is probably worth starting to get acquainted with its sights from the embankment and the city garden. Set off from the eastern pier called "Molo Italia" near the cruise terminal, cross a small suspension bridge and find yourself in the new Porto Mirabello. If desired, it is here that you can rent a boat. If you don't feel like it, head down Viale Italia to the large city garden, which does not look very typical for Italian city. It begins in the place where the demolished in the 1800s were located. the walls of La Spezia, and in the center you can see the equestrian statue of Garibaldi.

Now head to the city center where many hidden treasures lurk. For example, the Church of Santa Maria Assunta (15th century) on Sq. Beverini, which was rebuilt during the restoration quite recently, after the Second World War, but with great respect for traditions, thanks to which it acquired an interesting and noble appearance. Be sure to go inside to admire the mural "The Coronation of the Virgin" by Andrea della Robbia. This monumental work on terracotta is an impressive Renaissance masterpiece. Paying tribute to its beauty, the French moved it to Arles during the reign of Napoleon, and the people of La Spezia tried for almost a century to return the masterpiece back.

Museums

When it comes to museums, the choice will be difficult. In the Amedeo Lia Museum, if it were, for example, in Florence, the queue would stretch for hundreds of meters. His collection of Renaissance paintings is, to say the least, amazing. Here you can even see the masterpieces of world-famous masters such as Tintoretto or Titian, as well as much more besides painting. The second interesting art museum in La Spezia is SAMeS, which permanently exhibits three fairly large collections of modern and new art. Those who are interested in expressionism, surrealism, conceptual art, pop art and other trends that began to emerge in the first half of the 20th century will definitely like it here.

The Ethnographic Museum of the city shares the same building with the Episcopal Museum. Both are not very large and cannot boast of world-class collections. But if you are even a little interested in the history, culture and customs of the population of this region, mostly rural, there is much here that may interest you.

The exposition of the Ethnographic Museum draws special attention to traditional festive decorations made of filigree gold.

The Museum of Naval Equipment in some way echoes the previous two: here you can see real works of art. These are ancient figureheads of ships, many of which are already half a millennium or more old. The figures are mythical characters, animals, warriors, etc. This collection of the Maritime Museum in La Spezia is the most valuable in Italy, and in fact, there are not only nasal figures, but also many other original artifacts from ships of different eras.

Finally, another curious museum is located in the castle of San Giorgio and is dedicated to archaeological finds made in the area. It is quite possible that you will no longer have the strength to inspect it, but still it is worth going up to the castle. From the hill on which it stands, a good view of the port, city rooftops and distant mountains opens up.

La Pia

Farinata is an obligatory "must-tray" of the region. This is a thick pancake made from chickpea flour with a crispy crust and a soft tender core.

Nothing stirs up hunger quite like an extensive cultural program, but in La Spezia there is room to improve the situation. La Pia has every right to be called a city landmark: the institution was founded in 1887. Everyone in the city knows where it is located (if anything - on Via Magenta, 12). Of course, there is also pizza on the menu, but it would be more correct to pay tribute to typical local dishes: focaccia of all kinds, shapes and sizes, vegetable pie with egg, cheese and herbs "torta di verdura" and, of course, famous throughout the country farinate. The absolute hit of the establishment is focaccia stuffed with farinata (it sounds strange, but it is very authentic and really tasty).

• Where to stay: at the most prestigious and expensive resorts Liguria - in Alassio and San Remo, in the democratic Diano Marina, on the pebble beach of Arenzano, on the "island" of peace and tranquility in Camogli or in the picturesque Portofino. Rapallo - the city of ancient cathedrals and Portovenere - the pearl of the Ligurian coast, listed by UNESCO, is waiting for its guests. Arma di Taggia will appeal to family tourists for its gently sloping beach and calm waters. Fans of evening entertainment should pay attention to

Hello dear readers. We continue to talk about the Ligurian coast of Italy, where there are many beaches for a relaxing holiday, unique natural parks for active rest, ancient beautiful towns with modern entertainment for excursions. Have you ever heard of the Bay of Poets? Oh oh largest city this bay with the tasty name of La Spezia? If not, then we are in a hurry to fix it.

La Spezia is located in the east of Liguria, near Tuscany, on the coast of the bay with interesting name"Gulf of Spice" (Golfo della Spezia) or "Gulf of Poets" (Golfo dei Poeti).

The second name appeared due to the fact that this place was chosen by poets, artists and writers. Byron, J. Sand and other celebrities stayed here.

From La Spezia you can go to Pisa and, very close (almost the beginning) is the most interesting natural national park.

The weather here, as in other resorts of the Ligurian coast, is Mediterranean. Summer is not very hot, winter is mild. Mountains protect from cold winds from the coast. There are winter resorts in the mountains.

History

For the first time the name of the city is mentioned on the pages of documents in 1256.

And the first settlements arose here in the Bronze and Iron Ages.

During the Middle Ages, La Spezia was an important trading center.

From the second half of XVIII century began to develop as a tourist center.

What to watch

Now it is an important tourist center. The city is also famous for its numerous sights.

• One of them is the Fortress of St. George (Castello di San Giorgio). From here it is worth starting your walk around the city, enjoying a magnificent view from the fortress to the bay and the city.

The fortress was erected in 1262 as a shelter for the townspeople. Some of the towers were completed later. Now there is an archaeological museum, and next to it is a park.

• Another museum of the city is the Maritime Museum (Museo Tecnico Navale) or the Museum of the Navy - the largest of the maritime museums in Italy. Here you will see more than 150 models of Italian ships, various awards, relics.
• IN Ethnographic Museum(Museo Civico Etnografico) you will learn about the life of people who lived on this earth in the XVIII-XX centuries.
• Fans of modern art should definitely look into the Museum of Contemporary Art Centro Arte Moderna e Contemporanea della Spezia (CAMEC).

It occupies three floors. Most of the work belongs to expressionism, surrealism and abstractionism.

• Another museum - the Lerici Castle Museum is located in a fort on a rocky promontory.

Here you can visit the chapel, the paleontological museum.

Lerici Castle Museum

• And under the roof of the museum of the castle of San Giorgio there is an archaeological museum with a collection of ancient relics.
• Be sure to check out Villa Marmori.

This Marmory residence was built by 1923. It vividly represents the Ligurian style of architecture. Pay attention to the numerous frescoes, stained-glass windows and stucco.

Villa Marmory

From religious buildings:

• Of particular note is the Cathedral of Cristo Re, a temple located on a hill.
• It replaced the church of Santa Maria Assunta (Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta), the city's first cathedral.

Pay attention to the interior of the temple, decorated with majestic columns and marble sculptures.

And inside are the remains of the patron saint of the bay.

• The predecessor of this cathedral - the church of Santa Maria Assunta is famous for the relief images at the main entrance, as well as three chapels.
• Another sacred building of the city is the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Olmo (Santuario della Madonna dell "Olmo).

It is located on Mount Santa Croce. The sanctuary was created for pilgrims.

Inconspicuous on the outside, it houses many treasures, such as a baroque church altar.

• Among the secular buildings, Palazzo Crozza, the residence of the Crozza family, built in the 19th century, occupies a special place.

This is an elegant palace, which now houses the city archive, as well as the reading room of the Mazzini Library. Moreover, there is a collection of paintings.

• Where you should definitely look again is the fish market, which Piazza cavour. It receives customers daily. In addition to fish, vegetables, cheeses, herbs, spices, and flowers are sold here.

Around the square are numerous restaurants, bakeries and pubs. There is a place to take a break from a walk and have a bite to eat.

palaces

Piazza Verdi is home to many of the city's famous palaces:

• Palazzo delle Poste - an example of neo-fascist style
• Palazzo degli Studi, hosting the Classical Lyceum
• Prefectural Palace
• Palazzo della Provincia

Holidays and cuisine

• One of the brightest events in La Spezia can be called the Palio del Golfo festival.

This is a boating competition taking place in the Gulf of Poets.

• Another local event is the San Giuseppe Fair (Fiera di San Giuseppe).

It is held for three whole days, starting from March 19 annually. It is dedicated to the feast of Saint Joseph.

Here you can buy and taste many local delicacies or just start your acquaintance with the cuisine of the region.

Fiera di San Giuseppe

What to try

• First of all, olive oil and dishes with black pepper - these are the two pillars on which La Spezia's cuisine rests.
• Among the dishes, meshua is especially popular - a soup made from wheat, beans and chickpeas.
• Also very popular are fried flatbread stuffed with cheese and ham called sgabei. They can also be sweet.
• Do you want something unusual? Then try stuffed pumpkin flowers.
• From the more traditional, you will definitely appreciate the local ravioli, vegetable casseroles.
• Don't forget to rate the local wines! Especially the white Colli di Luni DOC and Cinque Terre DOC.

Where to go and what to see

• If you come to La Spezia, be sure to check out the Cinque Terre Park, which consists of five lands.
• Another leisure option outside the region is the city of Sartsana (Sardzana).

Here it is magnificent castle and a market with an abundance of cheeses.

• In addition, it is worth visiting Montemarcello Magra Park and admiring Caprione Cape.
• And you can also drive to the nearest beaches, which are located in Portovenere and Lerici. Or just stroll along the promenade in La Spezia itself.

La Spezia on the map

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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:

• In the entire park, traffic by car is limited, therefore, it is better to get there by a suburban train, the Genoa-Spezia line, the journey 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 an intermediate point for moving 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 types of fish and shellfish, deep-fried;
• 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 a lover of natural beauties and a connoisseur of 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 evaluate 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 moving their fishing gear 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.

The local nature will allow you to enjoy amazing views of the sea. And the opportunity to combine this with a unique cuisine makes the rest here simply unforgettable.

The colorful Italian town of La Spezia is a little out of the surrounding landscapes - quiet and calm rural landscapes. It is noisy and cheerful here, a very beautiful historical center and many small restaurants serving a local specific dish - pea flour pizza.

At one time it was called the "bay of poets", as Lord Byron, Dante, George Sand and many other famous writers came here for inspiration. Today it is a bustling port town where tourists stop by for a couple of days, usually on their way to other attractions, but it is definitely worth at least a short visit.

How to get to La Spezia

La Spezia is located on the railway line Genoa - Rome and also has excellent connections with Milan (27-42 EUR, travel time 4 hours 18 minutes, 4 trains per day), Turin (24-36 EUR, 4 hours 35 minutes) and Pisa (13-21 EUR, 1 hour 32 minutes, every hour). Prices on the page are for September 2018.

Search for flights to Genoa (nearest airport to La Spezia)

History

The real history of the city began in 1797, when the notorious Napoleon Bonaparte entered Liguria and captured La Spezia. In those days, it was not so difficult to do this, La Spezia was a quiet village, where no less than three thousand inhabitants lived. Paying tribute to the talents of his army, the emperor could not help but admire the harbor of the city, calling it the most beautiful in the world. In addition, Napoleon appreciated its location, which from a military point of view was almost win-win.

Since then, a military port has been built in La Spezia, and from the middle of the 19th century, the city itself began to be intensively rebuilt. In addition to classic Italian sights in the form of chapels and mansions, La Spezia is home to several museums, including a worthy Museum of Fine Arts, which has recently updated its collection.

Kitchen

Once in La Spezia for at least half an hour (not to mention those who spend a couple of days here), you will certainly find some shabby pizzeria in the old alleys of the city. It is there that you can try Pizza Forinata, a famous local delicacy made from pea flour. The recipe is surprisingly simple: batter is poured into a huge frying pan and fried at a high temperature. 10-15 minutes and the pancake pizza is ready. It is usually eaten sprinkled with black pepper. The cost of a serving is 2-2.5 EUR.

La Spezia

Popular hotels in La Spezia

Attractions and Attractions La Spezia

The powerful walls of the fortress of St. George of the 12th century are the main attraction of the city. It was built by the influential Fieschi clan, then rebuilt more than once by the Genoese in the 14th and 16th centuries. At the foot of the fortress is the charming church of Santa Maria Assunta, which for centuries was considered cathedral city, but in 1975 ceded this honor to the Cristo Re temple. As a consolation, she got a chic terracotta sculpture by Andrea della Robbia (1435-1525) “Coronation of the Virgin Mary”. New Duomo in La Spezia - designed by the architect Adalberto Liber (1903-1963).

In addition, it is worth taking a walk in the Umberto I quarter, which is north of the city museum, which is considered the ideal (architecturally, of course) working quarter in the style of rationalism. Numerous museums of the city are also noteworthy, for example, the naval engineering one. Here are models of ancient Greek and Roman ships, Columbus' caravels, Bourbon sailboats and a collection of figures that once adorned ships.

In the Municipal Museum of Spezia, you can see the stelae found in Lunigiana - male and female figures of the Bronze and Iron Ages. Also exhibited is an excellent collection of mosaic floors, busts (many of which date from the early Middle Ages), photographs and documents from the life of the city.

• Where to stay: in the most prestigious and expensive resorts of Liguria - in Alassio and San Remo, in the democratic Diano Marina, on the pebble beach of Arenzano, on the "island" of peace and tranquility in Camogli or in the picturesque Portofino. Rapallo - the city of ancient cathedrals and Portovenere - the pearl of the Ligurian coast, listed by UNESCO, awaits its guests. Arma di Taggia will appeal to family tourists for its gently sloping beach and calm waters. Fans of evening entertainment should pay attention to