Our port stop at La Spezia

[CruiseIreland]

Taken from our trip report from July 2015:

 

La Spezia

La Spezia is located on the Ligurian coast and very close to the Cinque Terre villages. By train, they are a short trip away and a major attraction for cruisers. Based on this, my logic was to take the train to Pisa which we had sacrificed on our cruise on NCL Epic, in favour of Florence. The port offers a free shuttle to the port exit where there are taxis available.

 

Not being a mug, I had decided we might easily walk to the train station, it couldn’t be far, right? A helpful staffer at the port exit gave me a small brochure on La Spezia which contained a map of the town. She drew a line along the seafront and then right turn straight up the centre of town to the station. Looked to be about a mile. Not too bad huh?

 

Normally, it might not be but in the mid morning heat, it was a hellish walk, especially since the #17 bus stops at the port exit and the train station – I hadn’t done enough research!

There was a very pleasant seafront which was hosting a competition for detailed and tuned cars, with a separate category for outrageously oversized speakers, tweeters and woofers. (On our somewhat bedraggled return walk that evening, the audio section of the competition was in full swing. These things were unbelievably, earsplittingly, loud!) Much of the town was closed at this time, it being Sunday morning.

 

The walk was long and hot and we eventually arrived at Stazione Centrale Ferrovia – I’m throwing in lingo lessons for free. Queued for tickets at machine for what seemed like an eternity. Tip: there is another machine on the platform with no queues. A couple in front of me kept slipping a €50 note into the machine whereupon it promptly spat it back out! After numerous attempts, they finally inserted a card and collected their tickets. Tickets to Pisa were €7.30 each single. Train arrived and the carriage was air conditioned, thankfully.

 

Journey is about 1 hour and we got off at Pisa Santa Rossore, which is quite

close to the tower. I did try to buy tickets to this station but that threw the machine into a strop so I had bought tickets to Pisa Centrale. The difference is significant as you have a 20 minute walk or a bus trip to/from P. Centrale.

 

Exiting the station at P.S. Rossore, turn left and about 70-100m along, the first right takes you to a view of the tower, about 100m up a street to the Campo Miracoli.

 

While the bell tower of the Cathedral, known as "the leaning Tower of Pisa", is the most famous image of the city, it is one of many works of art and architecture in the city's Piazza del Duomo, also known, since the 20th century, as Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles), to the north of the old town centre. The Piazza del Duomo also houses the Duomo (the Cathedral), the Baptistry and the Campo Santo (the monumental cemetery). The medieval complex includes the above-mentioned four sacred buildings, the hospital and few palaces.(ref wiki) Admission to the area is free but, to climb the tower €18, pre-booking is essential and there is a charge to enter the Duomo. Well worth the visit.

[aubreyc1988]

Thanks for this info. I know it might be a bit outdated, but it definitely helps. I want to go to Pisa from La Spezia, and can't do an excursion since all of them don't allow time to climb the tower. Everyone tells me to do Cinque Terre, but since this is my first trip here, I want to try to see some really touristy things!

 

Does anyone else have some helpful tips on getting from the cruise terminal in La Spezia to Pisa? I have heard there is a free shuttle that takes you our of the port area, and then I have also heard that you need to taxi to the La Spezia train station, and when you get to the Pisa station, it's another taxi ride....any thoughts on total cost on this per person or have good tour guide recommendations? I am just traveling with my husband and its hard for me to find tours that arent REALLY expensive, as most tours have 8 people minimum before the 100.00 pp price kicks in!

[steamboats]

aubreyc1988,

 

Yes, you first have to take the free shuttle to the port building. From there it´s 20 - 30 min walking to the train station so you might take a taxi. If you get off the train as suggested you don´t need a taxi in Pisa. We walked from Pisa Central Station too and it´s not that far.

 

At the port building you may find a shared minivan transportation to Pisa too. It´s of course more than the train but less than a private excursion (I don´t remember the prices but I think Pisa was something like 30 or 40 Euro). This is based on first come first served.

 

For a private excursion check out the roll call of your cruise. You might find some fellow travelers there being interested in a tour to Pisa.

 

steamboats

[CruiseIreland]

@aubreyc. Take bus # 17 from port gate to train station. Get train to Pisa but get off before Pisa central, at Pisa S. Rossore, it's only a couple hundred metres from the tower.