La Spezia

We will be porting in La Spezia next October off the Symphony. We have been to Florence and Pisa before. We don't mind spending a few more hours in Florence possibly pairing it with Lucca. Are there other suggestions you have? Just don't want the standard "first time Med" excursion.

It seems more difficult to set up shared private tours on CC roll calls. This becomes even more difficult if you wish to do something a little different. We don't mind DIY to a certain extent......a cruise or private transfer is ok but we are not that adventurous to start taking trains on our own.

Any suggestions would be great.

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Or, would a visit to one or more of the Cinque Terre Villages be an option from the port in La Spezia

Just look down the board. Many discussions about going to Cinque Terre from La Spezia. Pretty easy. Florence is further away, more complicated.

If you're interested in the Cinque Terre, La Spezia is a good port for a visit there. It's quite a distance from Florence, even more so than when you port in Livorno.

Forget Firenze from La Spezia, change of trains at Viareggio and lots of stops .

Either go to villages of the CT from La Spezia by train. Monterosso has two halves joined by a shared use pedestrian/road tunnel. The train station is in NEW Monterosso, and the Ferries are in OLD Monterosso .

Or train from La Spezia to Viareggio, then change trains and a quick sprint over to magical Lucca .

Also possible from La Spezia by urban bus P is Portovenere (35 mins) departs from Stop P in Corso Cavour near Via Garabaldi . (Departs evert 30 mins.).

In seson from Portovenere waterfront ferry to the Riomaggiore, Manarola, Vernazza and Monterosso el Mare. Ferries depart Portovenere at 1000, 1100 and Noon . The trip takes 90 minites frpm Portovenere to Monterosso e Mare .