1. The port

2. On foot

3. Shuttlebus

4. Busses

5. Taxis

6. Car rental

7. By train

8. By boat

9. Excursion tips

10. Book shore excursions

      10.1 Meine Landausflüge

      10.2 GetYourGuide

The city with its approximately 110,000 inhabitants is beautifully situated on the Gulf of La Spezia along the Ligurian coast. The surrounding area offers much to explore. Pisa is just a few kilometers away, and not far from La Spezia, the steep mountains of the Cinque Terre rise up from the sea. Most cruise travelers use La Spezia as a base for excursions into the surrounding region.

The cruise ships dock at the 450-meter-long pier, which is located close to the city center. From here, you can take the shuttle bus to the Golfo dei Poeti Cinque Terre Cruise Terminal. From the terminal, you can walk along the beautiful seaside promenade into the town. The terminal houses the tourist information office, local tour operators, and taxis are also available. You can purchase tickets for excursions and the Cinque Terre Card here. Along the promenade, there are additional providers offering trips to Cinque Terre and the surrounding areas.

Timetables and prices can be viewed here.

La Spezia is easy to explore on foot. It’s just a few hundred meters from the harbor to the city center, along the beautiful promenade, and nearly two kilometers to the train station.

In the port of La Spezia, cruise passengers are not allowed to move around on foot. For this reason, free shuttle buses are provided to take you to the cruise terminal.

If you want to take the bus to the train station or the surrounding area, you can find information about routes and prices on the company's website. The nearest stop is located directly opposite the terminal, in front of the cathedral.

Radio Taxi La Spezia offers shore excursions for cruise passengers in the surrounding area.

You can find prices and routes here.

A good alternative to explore the area is by renting a car. Europcar has an office in La Spezia.

Cinque Terre is easily accessible by train. The journey to the village farthest from La Spezia takes approximately 30 minutes. On the website CinqueTerre.eu, you can view or download the train schedule. The schedule is also available for download here.

The Cinque Terre Express trains run every 20 minutes and stop at all five villages.

The Cinque Terre Card is recommended, as it includes unlimited train travel and access to the hiking trails.

An attractive alternative to visiting Cinque Terre is by boat. From the sea, you get a fantastic view of the coastline and the villages.

The Consorzio Maritimo Turistico Cinque Terre - Golfo dei Poeti offers excursions on several routes. You can find information about the routes and prices on the provider's website.

Tickets can be purchased at the terminal or directly at the ticket booth. To reach it, turn left at the terminal and follow the promenade. The ticket booth is located on the left side of the promenade and is easy to find.