La Spezia

[luv2travel90266]

Looking for some advise. Or ship will be in La Spezia for 1 day, 6:30AM-5:30PM. Prior to our cruise we are spending 3 days in Riomaggorie hiking so will have seen Cinque Terre. Previous trips to Italy have included Florence and Pisa. My thought is either to go to Porto Venere by bus or Lucca if I can figure out how best to get there and back to the ship. Our interest is the architecture of the old cities.  Thank you. 

[euro cruiser]

I would look at three possibilities, all offering a long history and a range of architectural styles to explore:

• Lucca (reached by train, via Viareggio, in just under 90 minutes)
• Genoa (a little over an hour and a half by direct train)
• Pisa (a little over an hour by direct train)

I know you've said you have been to Pisa but if you've only explored the Piazza dei Miracoli area you've missed a lot of the history and architecture of the city.  There are some ideas here:  https://mytravelintuscany.com/the-things-to-do-in-pisa-beyond-the-leaning-tower/

[edinburgher]

Useful website is the rome2rio one. Inpute departure and destination and all forms of travel will be shown together with approx. timings and costs and links to the mode of travel operators.

 

We visited Santa Margherita and took the ferry over to Portofino and back to Santa Margherita this summer on a shorex. Both very attractive although your timings might not allow for the return ferries accross to Portofino even with such a short crossing time.

 

Have also been to Lucca a couple of times. Walked the walls, explored the old town. That too worth a visit.

You could maybe even squeeze in a stop at Pisa and explore some of the older town too.

 

Not been to Genoa but have heard it was a surprisingly interesting city to visit, packed with history.

 

Suggest you read up on all three and compare journey times and logistics by using the website to see which option might suit your interests and timings best.

 

Whichever you choose you should have an enjoyable day.

[watertraveler]

I'd vote for a trip to Lucca.  Great walled city that is totally walkable.

[Wisteria101958]

Porto Venere is my favorite place on the planet. I have a large framed photo that I took a few years back hanging on the wall near my bed. It’s the last thing and the first that I see each day. You can’t go wrong with whatever you choose. Enjoy.

[bonsai3s]

Sorry, not meaning to hijack this thread...just looking help from euro cruiser or anyone that can help.  First time stopping in La Spezia (always been Livorno) and thinking perhaps going to Florence may take too much time on travel.

We usually DIY.  How far is the train station from the La Spezia cruise terminal?

Thinking of going to Cinque Terre, Lucca, or Lucca then Pisa for the day.

Thank you.

[euro cruiser]

In most cases you can't leave the port area on foot, you must take the provided shuttle to the cruise terminal.  From there to La Spezia Centrale on foot is 1.9 km/one and a quarter miles.

 

Cinque Terre is the easiest option, Lucca or Lucca and Pisa are certainly possible.