On way to/from CT, any reason to stop in La Spezia?

Not anything as good as what you'll find in Florence. I was "stuck" in La Spezia once during a train strike, so I just hung out along the waterfront.

While I'm sure La Spezia has its charms, I prefer not to spend any more time there than necessary when changing trains. The five towns are much nicer (IMO).

La Spezia may not be a top tourist destination, but it's reputation is based on old information. It has improved 100% in the last decade, and it's a pleasant place to stay to explore the area especially because it has good transport connections in all directions. For example, you can take the ferry to Cinque Terre and avoid the train crowds and see Portovenere as well. My favorite La Spezia site is the Lia Museum which has Renaissance art and Miniatures of superb quality. The Naval Museum is the best in Italy - especially for fans of old-fashioned get-up-close exhibits. Search for 'La Spezia travel guide attractions' to see the top ten.

Visit Porto Venere! Just as beautiful as CT but not as crowded.

You can see the submarine pens, and maybe a submarine if you are lucky...

Save your valuable time for somewhere else!

We stayed over night in La Spezia because we couldn't find any decent and affordable family accommodation in Cinque Terre. It was a very pleasant stay with one of our best restaurant experiences of the entire Italy trip. However, I would not extend a stop there to visit if I had a chance to continue on to a place like Florence. You want as much time as you can get there.

Here is a view from our hotel room and it does give you a pretty good impression of La Spezia: click

Ok thanks for the tips guys.