Our time in La Spezia has been a bit laid back as the weather has kicked up a notch and summer has turned on the heat and humidity. It’s feeling a bit like December in Brisbane with a run of 30+ degrees days causing us to slow down a little and ensure we hydrate appropriately.

La Spezia itself is a pretty coastal city that has a good mix of ocean views, marinas, docks for the large cruise ships and streets packed with good shopping options as well as nice piazzas and examples of great architecture. It grows and shrinks daily as the cruise ships roll in and out, but it’s big enough to cope with the influx. Most visitors stop briefly before boarding trains, buses and ferries to visit the five villages of the Cinque Terre region, missing out on the opportunity to wander the streets and discover La Spezia’s hidden beauty.

The waterfront promenade is a lovely stroll, particularly in the late afternoon.

As are the high streets such as Via Domenico Chiodo and Via Del Prione which are littered with shops and eateries.

Then there is the castle that acts as a great vantage point for photos across the whole city and is also a collection of artefacts from across different cultures. A visit to Castello San Giorgio can mean a walk up a lot of stairs, or a trudge up the hilly streets, until you find out there is a funicular type lift available. Unluckily for us we didn’t realise it was there until we had trudged to the top of the hill. At least the exercise helped kill off some of the calories from the beer.

As mentioned before, La Spezia is located a short train ride from Cinque Terre which is made up of the five villages of Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore facing onto the Ligurian Sea. This is postcard photo scenery.

We organise our train day pass that allows us to visit each village and head to the furthest village, Monterosso, then work our way back towards La Spezia. It’s a village of two parts with a beach cove and a marina cove connected by stairs or tunnel depending on your preference.

Then there is Vernazza, with its colourful buildings and protected cove.

We skipped Corniglia due to the 380+ stairs that needed to be climbed and headed to Manarola. The walk to the top of the headland provides views up and down the coastline and of the village itself.

Then finally Riomaggiore, which seems to be the smallest of the coves, where we stop for a late lunch and take a few more photos for good measure.

The area is stunningly beautiful but very busy during the summer months, so it can feel crowded at times. Don’t let that, or the steep walkways at each village put you off, it’s worth the effort. This is a beautiful part of the Italian coastline and we are extremely happy to have visited the area.

Now it’s on to Pisa for a quick stop to see a renowned building that has dodgy footings before heading to Florence for the weekend. It’s forecast to have temperatures in the mid thirties so there will be a lot more hydration needed.