Cinque Terre City GuideLa Spezia or Levanto for the Cinque Terre?
La Spezia or Levanto is the base question for anyone approaching the Cinque Terre from the south or the north. The two towns sit at opposite ends of the same regional railway, and both make workable bases for a trip to the Cinque Terre. They are very different towns though. La Spezia is a naval city of 92,119 people with a cruise terminal, a castle and a large hotel stock. Levanto is a former Malaspina stronghold of 5,140 people at the mouth of a river valley, with its own beach and a direct trail link to Monterosso. This page compares the two on trains, parking, sights, ferries and boat tours so you can choose with confidence.
Quick answer The short answer
Choose La Spezia if you want a bigger city with more hotels, naval history, a cruise gateway and the southern anchor of the Cinque Terre Express line. Choose Levanto if you want a smaller beach town close to the trail network's northern end, with its own castle and a short ride to Monterosso. Both sit on the same line, so either works as a base for a visit the Cinque Terre. Single train fares anywhere on the line run from $5.68 (€5) to $11.37 (€10) depending on the fare band.
Key takeaways
- La Spezia is the southern rail anchor and cruise gateway, see La Spezia.
- Levanto is the northern trail gateway, see Levanto and Cinque Terre hikes.
- Both sit on the same line, fares from the train guide.
Two Very Different Towns
Before comparing trains and parking, it helps to understand what kind of place each town is. They share a coastline and a railway, but almost nothing else.
La Spezia, a working naval city
La Spezia is the second-largest city in Liguria and the capital of its own province, sitting on the Ligurian Sea roughly midway between Genoa and Pisa. After 1861 the Kingdom of Italy commissioned a great naval arsenal here, and the city grew into one of the main Italian military harbours and a major Navy base. That history still shapes the place.
The Castello San Giorgio began as a watchtower, saw a first castle built in 1262, destroyed in 1273, and rebuilt from 1371 onward. Today it houses the city's archaeology museum. The Museo Tecnico Navale documents the maritime heritage, and the modern cathedral Cristo Re dei Secoli anchors the city centre.
You can read more on our La Spezia page.
Levanto, a small valley-mouth resort
Levanto has 5,140 residents and sits at the mouth of a river valley between hills of olive and pine, immediately north of the Cinque Terre. A Roman-era settlement called Ceula stood on the site. The town was later a Malaspina family stronghold, passed to the Da Passano family, and came under the influence of Genoa from 1229.
Its best-known landmark is the 13th-century Church of Sant'Andrea, built in Ligurian Gothic style with a black and white striped facade. A medieval castle survives in good condition. Part of Levanto's territory lies inside the Cinque Terre National Park, which makes it a genuine park gateway rather than just a nearby town.
See our Levanto page for more.
Both Sit on the Same Train Line
This is the single most practical fact in the comparison. La Spezia Centrale and Levanto are the two endpoints of the Cinque Terre Express regional line, so a stay in either town puts you on the same track as all five villages.
The line and the fare bands
La Spezia Centrale is the southern anchor of the line and Riomaggiore is one stop up from it, which makes La Spezia the natural first stop for anyone arriving from the south. Levanto is the westernmost, or northern, terminus and the gateway into the park from that side. Trenitalia single fares on the Levanto-La Spezia line are distance-independent within bands: Fascia A costs $5.68 (€5), Fascia B costs $9.09 (€8), and Fascia C costs $11.37 (€10).
One useful note on timing: no official source in our research gives a journey time in minutes between La Spezia Centrale and Levanto, or between either town and each individual village, so we will not quote one. Our Cinque Terre train page covers the service pattern in detail, and our getting around page compares it with other options.
| Fare band | Adult single fare |
|---|---|
| Fascia A | $5.68 (€5) |
| Fascia B | $9.09 (€8) |
| Fascia C | $11.37 (€10) |
Parking and Driving
If you arrive by car, parking prices and availability will shape your choice more than anything else. Both towns have paid parking near the station.
Parking in La Spezia
La Spezia offers a generous deal at the ATC MP interchange car park at the station: the first 12 hours are free, then it costs $2.27 (€2) per hour. A separate paid area near the station charges $1.71 (€1.50) per hour between 08:00 and 20:00 and $1.14 (€1) per hour overnight, operating around the clock. One honest caveat: these rates for the separate paid area have not been independently confirmed on an official page, so treat them as indicative.
Our Cinque Terre parking guide lists options across the whole area.
| Car park | Rate |
|---|---|
| ATC MP interchange, station | First 12 hours free, then $2.27 (€2) per hour |
| Station paid area | $1.71 (€1.50) per hour 08:00-20:00, $1.14 (€1) per hour overnight, 24/7 (not independently confirmed) |
Parking in Levanto
Levanto has two paid car parks near the station with about 100 spaces combined. P4 on Via On. Zoppi, reserved for cars only, costs $2.27 (€2) per hour, $14.78 (€13) for 8 hours or $27.30 (€24) for 24 hours.
P20 sits at the new station area. Both are managed by Levante Multiservizi, the comune's own operator, which is reassuring if you dislike anonymous private lots. The small total number of spaces is worth noting in high season: arrive early or plan to park in La Spezia instead and take the train.
| Car park | Hourly | 8 hours | 24 hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| P4, Via On. Zoppi (cars only) | $2.27 (€2) | $14.78 (€13) | $27.30 (€24) |
| P20, new station area | $2.27 (€2) | not stated | not stated |
What Each Town Offers on Its Own
You will spend some days in your base town rather than on the train. Here is what each one gives you for those hours.
La Spezia's sights and its cruise port
La Spezia's headline sights are the Castello San Giorgio with its archaeology museum, the Museo Tecnico Navale and the modern cathedral Cristo Re dei Secoli. The city is also a cruise gateway. Its terminal, Terminal Crociere Golfo dei Poeti, opened at Molo Garibaldi in 2015 and is shared with Marina di Carrara.
If you arrive by ship, our La Spezia cruise port page explains how to get from the quay to the trains. Beyond the city, the day trips from La Spezia reach Porto Venere and Lerici along the Golfo dei Poeti, which adds sightseeing depth that little Levanto cannot match.
Levanto's landmarks and its trail to Monterosso
Levanto rewards a slower pace. The Church of Sant'Andrea with its 13th-century striped facade and the surviving medieval castle give the town real history for its size. The big practical draw is the park trail north of the Cinque Terre: trail 590 (SVA) runs from Monterosso over Punta Mesco, graded Escursionistico with an official time of 1h15 from Monterosso to S. Antonio Mesco, and trail 591 continues toward Levanto.
The exact combined time for the full Monterosso to Levanto chain is not stated in a single official figure in our sources, so plan a serious half-day rather than a casual stroll. Our Cinque Terre hikes page sets this route alongside the classic coastal paths. Levanto also has a beach of its own, which neither La Spezia nor most of the villages offer in the same way.
La Spezia and Levanto Side by Side
The table below pulls the key numbers into one place.
| Dimension | La Spezia | Levanto | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (1 Jan 2023) | 92,119 | 5,140 | La Spezia is a city, Levanto a town |
| Rail role | Southern anchor of the Cinque Terre Express | Northern terminus of the line | Both are first and last stops |
| Station parking | 12 hours free at ATC MP, then $2.27 (€2) per hour | P4 $27.30 (€24) per 24 hours, about 100 spaces total | La Spezia for volume, Levanto for simplicity |
| Main landmark | Castello San Giorgio, rebuilt from 1371 | Church of Sant'Andrea, 13th century | Tie, both are genuine medieval heritage |
| Ferry access | Day ticket $47.70 (€42), one-way to Riomaggiore or Manarola $25.00 (€22) | Day ticket $47.70 (€42), one-way to Monterosso $13.64 (€12) | Levanto is cheaper per hop to the villages |
Figures current in Q3 2026.
Which Town Should You Choose?
Four simple rules cover most travellers.
If you arrive on a cruise ship
choose La Spezia. The Terminal Crociere Golfo dei Poeti opened there in 2015 and the train to Riomaggiore starts one stop away.
If you want to hike into the park from the north
choose Levanto. Trail 590 toward Monterosso over Punta Mesco starts from your base town.
If hotel choice matters most
choose La Spezia. A city of 92,119 people will always out-offer a town of 5,140, and our where to stay page reflects that.
If you want a quieter beach town with a castle and a striped Gothic church
choose Levanto.
If you want the cheapest ferry hops into the villages
lean Levanto, where a one-way sailing to Monterosso or Vernazza costs $13.64 (€12) against $25.00 (€22) from La Spezia to Riomaggiore or Manarola.
Boat Tours: Currently a La Spezia Story
If a boat tour is on your wishlist, the base-town choice is settled for you.
Where the tours actually depart
Every boat-tour card on this site departs from La Spezia. None of them leaves from Levanto, so we will not pretend otherwise. A Levanto-based reader who wants a guided boat has two honest options: take the train to La Spezia for the departure, or skip the small-group boats and use the public Cinque Terre ferry from Levanto's own quay, with a day ticket at $47.70 (€42) or a one-way to Monterosso at $13.64 (€12).
The scheduled ferry is the cheaper and simpler answer for most people. For the full picture see our Cinque Terre boat tours round-up.
The La Spezia Boats Worth Knowing
The strongest card is a two-hour sunset cruise from Porto Mirabello with an aperitivo of prosecco and snacks and one swim stop. If you would rather be on foot, a guided hiking day runs from La Spezia to Manarola and then along the coastal path to Corniglia, with the train card for the villages built in. And for the Gulf of Poets side, a three-hour Portovenere sailing pairs the coastline with local food and wine, at lunch or sunset.
All three are listed below.
Boat and Hiking Tours from La Spezia
from $102.00
La Spezia: Sunset Boat Tour with Aperitivo and Snacks
A 10-metre boat leaves Porto Mirabello in La Spezia for a two-hour sunset cruise along the coast, with one stop to swim and an on-board aperitif of prosecco, snacks and soft drinks. The boat carries a shower and a minibar but does not put anyone ashore.
Check Availability
from $91.00
La Spezia: Cinque Terre Guided Hiking Tour, Manarola to Corniglia
Shore Emotion leads a 3-hour trek along the coastal path from Manarola to Corniglia, with the Cinque Terre Card for the connecting trains built into the price. It rules out children under 8 and anyone with heart or back problems, since the path is uneven in places.
Check Availability
from $97.00
La Spezia: Portovenere Sunset or Lunch Boat Tour with Local Food
Polpara Boat Tour sails from La Spezia around Portovenere with a full spread of food and wine, either for sunset or as a lunch cruise, plus music and pool floats aboard. It has the highest rating of the Portovenere listings here.
Check AvailabilityPrices, ratings and details are the platform's own. Dollar figures are the listed prices. The platform bills in your account's currency.
La Spezia or Levanto: Your Questions
Is Levanto inside the Cinque Terre?
Partly. Levanto is the northern terminus of the Cinque Terre Express and part of its territory lies inside the Cinque Terre National Park. It is not one of the five villages, but it functions as a true gateway from the north.
Can I stay in La Spezia and still see all five villages in one day?
The line makes it possible, since La Spezia Centrale anchors the southern end and Riomaggiore is one stop away. No official source in our research publishes journey times in minutes between the towns, so build your day around the train timetable rather than assumptions.
Which town is cheaper to park in?
Levanto's P4 car park costs $27.30 (€24) for 24 hours. La Spezia's ATC MP interchange gives the first 12 hours free, then $2.27 (€2) per hour, which can work out cheaper for a short stay. For a full 24 hours the two are close, and La Spezia has far more spaces overall.
Does Levanto have boat tours to the Cinque Terre?
Levanto has no boat-tour card on this site yet. All the guided boats we list depart from La Spezia. From Levanto you can either take the train to a La Spezia departure or use the public ferry, whose day ticket costs $47.70 (€42) and whose one-way to Monterosso costs $13.64 (€12).
How much does the train cost between La Spezia and the villages?
Trenitalia singles on the Levanto-La Spezia line cost the same for any distance within a band: $5.68 (€5) in Fascia A, $9.09 (€8) in Fascia B and $11.37 (€10) in Fascia C.
Which base is better for hiking?
Levanto, if the northern trails appeal. Trail 590 (SVA) links Monterosso to S. Antonio Mesco over Punta Mesco in an official 1h15, and trail 591 continues toward Levanto. La Spezia suits hikers who want a guided day instead, such as the Manarola to Corniglia trek listed above.
Video Gallery
Three videos on this page's subject.
Top 10 Best Things to Do in La Spezia, Italy
An overview of La Spezia's own sights beyond the station.
Video: Vacation IdeaTop 5 Things to Do in La Spezia, Italy
A shorter tour of La Spezia's highlights near the Cinque Terre.
Video: Vacation PlusLa Spezia Cruise Port: 10 Things You Need to Know
Practical detail on the port and city, useful for either base.
Video: Solo Travel 1974