Hi Everyone,
I am taking a Virgin cruise and one of the ports we will stop at is La Spezia on June 24th, 2026. I am thinking about either going to Pisa or Santa Margherita or Portofino. We arrive at 8:30am and leave at 8pm. Would love to know what you think of these places. I am mindful of the trains being crowded, can you buy tickets online? Also, we stop in Cannes France and Ibiza on this cruise so any suggestions for activities to see in these places is greatly appreciated!
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
17818 posts
At first glance I thought you were asking if you should have a spice (spezia=spice in Italian) on a Pizza Margherita.
It’s really up to you. There is also the Cinque Terre option which is closer albeit likely crowded on a cruise ship day.
The time of travel by train is exactly the same (~1 hour). Portofino is sort of next to SML but requires a short bus ride, unless you want to walk over one hour from the station to Portofino. I’m not a big fan of Portofino or SML, but maybe it’s because I’ve been there so many times (often to take friends and relatives).
If you go to Pisa, take the train to the Pisa San Rossore station. It’s before Pisa Centrale and it’s a short walk to the Piazza dei Miracoli.
Posted by
Wengen
3908 posts
To buy train tickets just get the Trenitalia App, and just buy tickets on the day itself. Regional trains do not require advance purchase, this is just mass transit.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32680 posts
ruth,
Both Pisa and Santa Margherita are about the same travel time from La Spezia Centrale, about an hour each way, if you can connect with a direct train. Santa Margherita and Portofino are a bit more problematic, as you'll have to walk down the hill from the train station to the town. If you're going to Portofino, you'll have to wait for the next boat, and be sure that you can get back in time to connect with your ship. Also keep in mind that trains in Italy can be late or crowded at times, so that could complicate getting back to the ship in time.
You can buy tickets online on the Trenitalia website or just buy locally when you arrive at La Spezia, either from a staffed ticket office or from a Kiosk. If you buy a paper ticket locally, you MUST validate the ticket before boarding the train.. Failure to do so may result in hefty fines collected on the spot!
For things to see and do in each location you're visiting, I'd suggest having a look at the Rick Steves guidebook for those locations. You should be able to find copies in your local library. There's also a RS book on cruising which may answer some of your questions - https://store.ricksteves.com/products/mediterranean-cruise-ports-guidebook?variant=46199565385884 .
Posted by
Coral Gables, Florida
566 posts
SML and Portofino are fine, but I would go to Pisa. The piazza with the tower, duomo and baptistery are spectacular. The duomo has great art inside. The cemetery is also worth a visit.