La Spezia, Italy Port Reviews

Loved the port. Had to suffer through an excursion provided by Royal Caribbean... too many people to enjoy all the sights.

This port is pretty far to Florence and required a 2 hour bus ride.

We were supposed to do a cruise to Cinque Terre, which was the one I was most looking forward to. Due to bad sea conditions, it was canceled. So we walked off the ship and explored La Spezia. I was pleasantly surprised. There were so many shops and restaurants right in walking distance. We found a little leather shop and the owners/staff were so friendly. They gave us a recommendation for lunch and it was delicious!

Lots of really nice independent boutiques and coffee shops, something you don’t really get home in England anymore Boutiques wise

We booked our own tour to Pisa and Cinque Terre. It was a long day, but it Cinque Terre is beautiful. Pisa was a long ride and we weren’t there for very long. Think I would skip Pisa next time. The tour guide said we were smart not to go for Florence. They said it’s so hot right now we be miserable.

We did an excursion to Florence. We had an excellent guide and enjoyed the beautiful, historical city.

Took the excursion into Florence. Not well organized! The leather factory bathroom break should've only taken 20-30 min, but thanks to a couple of people who disregard the meeting time, we were there 50 minutes. Also be aware that the drop off/pick up points for the bus are far away. There is a lot of walking. Plus you have to pay to use public restrooms. I also found that people are not friendly to tourists. Our tour was also late getting back to the ship because we were waiting on 4 people who were late to the meeting point. We missed our dinner at the main dining. This excursion wasn't really worth the hassle. Florence was too far away and with so many variables that can affect the timeliness, next time I will just explore La Spezia.

It's a 30 min walk to the train station if you want to get a train to Pisa. Be aware that trains are not always reliable so if time is limited you would be better taking an excursion to be certain you get there and back. La Spezia is a pretty town and worth spending your time in the port. Walk up towards the castle/museum. You will find a bar in the grounds (before you pay to get in to the castle). Staff are extremely welcoming and they serve good local beer.

I did the Pisa City Sights tour. A bus took us to the Arno River for a scenic cruise on a small boat. Once we arrived at Pisa, a trolley took us inside the walls of Pisa. Our guide took us around the tower and cathedral and gave us a very informative talk about the history of the area. We were treated to a Gelato and given free time to walk around before being escorted back to the ship via trolley and bus.

No excursion booked for this port. We got a cab to the train station and got tickets straight to SM Ligure. Explored that for a while, Bus ride from there (SM Ligure) to Portofino. It was about 30 min drive with bus stops along the way. Totally worth it!! After that bus ride back to Sm Ligure and train to Cinque de Terre. This is a port if your on your own you have to plan ahead of time. If not Cinque de Terre is close enough to. Buy the day pass and you can stop at all five. Recommend starting at furthest and heading back to la Spezia not the other way around to make sure your timing is right. Bought lots of pasta and pesto to take home. Got beautiful pictures and views!