Tips for La Spezia mini-bus and coach tourism

Useful tips for La Spezia bus groups with ‘what to see’ and ‘what to do’ items and  ‘bus- friendly’ or must see tourist sites in La Spezia . Check our list of attractions before planning your bus tour with a stop or departure in La Spezia . Let us know if your favourite attraction or ‘bus-stop’ is not there and you think we should add it to our list of La Spezia highlights.

What to see during your group tour of La Spezia with rental coach bus or minibus with driver

If you organize a group that gets down of a cruise ship in the port of La Spezia or perhaps arrives to the airport of Pisa and decides to rent a bus for trips in the surroundings of La Spezia, we recommend that you note down the following points of interest for the route:

Minibus, City Touring

Minibus from City Touring

Gulf of poets

The 19th-century English poets such as Lord Byron and Shelley fell in love with the Gulf of La Spezia and the same Napoleon said that it was none other than the most beautiful port in the world. Its promenade and its arsenal are certainly worth a visit.

Côte, Au loin, les Cinque Terre.

Côte, Au loin, les Cinque Terre. credit: Groume CC BY-SA 2.0

Museo Civico Amadeo Lio

This private museum is a surprise because it hosts a large number of masterpieces, including works by Titian, Lorenzetti and Desiderio. In addition, the Palace that houses the Museum is certainly worth the visit by itself.

Castle of San Giorgio

This fortress was built in the 13th century and from its position at the top of the rock you can see the city in all its beauty. So if you want to take pictures, this is the right time. Don"t forget the camera!

La Spezia - le mura medievali, Castello San Giorgio

La Spezia - le mura medievali, Castello San Giorgio credit: Cribegh Pubblico dominio

Bus trip to Cinque Terre

This natural park is part of Unesco’s World Heritage because of the undeniable beauty of its natural and architectural landscape. The five towns that form the "five lands" are all of them really charming and picturesque, and they are without a doubt a main attraction on the coast of Liguria, perhaps one of the less known by tourists. By its situation, even if it is not summer and there is no swimming on the beach, you can enjoy the visit to these five villages anyway. The roads leading from one to another offer the possibility to make pleasant excursions on foot, and there is also the option of visiting them by boat, provided that the weather is pleasant enough to allow it.

Corniglia, Cinque Terre

Corniglia, Cinque Terre credit: Pank Seelen CC BY-SA 2.0

Visiting Monterosso

The first village we find is Monterosso, which can be accessed down the road to the beach. The vegetation of the hills around is so green that it contrasts with a sea that can show incredible Turquoise tones.

Monterosso Beach

Monterosso Beach credit: Sam Renaut CC BY-SA 2.0

Rio Maggiore

From Monterosso you can walk along the path next to the rocks to Rio Maggiore, another of the five lands that is characterised by the colours of the houses of fishermen and their boats stranded on the sand. This land is also a land of farmers who for centuries have cultivated the vineyard and on top of one of the hills you will reach the farming village of Corniglia.

Corniglia and Manarola

From there, the view over the sea is impressive. Finally, we still have to visit two locations, and one of them is Manarola, precisely the heart of Cinque Terre. With the coloured houses stacked on a black rock, and the incredible blue sea in front, this town is a little-known gem.

Tasting the wines of Vernazza

As regards Vernazza, its wines are famous since the time of the Romans! Its little square facing the sea will be one of the best places where you can enjoy a glass of wine and give yourself a gastronomic treat.

Picnic lunch in Vernazza

Picnic lunch in Vernazza credit: Steve Moses CC BY 2.0

Do your route by minibus or by foot in La Spezia?

As we have already mentioned, La Spezia is not such a small city to explore it on foot, although it is definitely worth walking along the promenade. To travel to the Park of Cinque Terre you will have to be driven by your driver on the rented bus or minibus where he is allowed to arrive. Not all the roads are paved and depending on the type of vehicle that you bring you will able to pass or not. Therefore, while you are enjoying your walk along the charming paths of this park and a good meal with some wine of the region, the driver can take a nap while comfortably sitting on the bus and gather strength to continue carrying your group from one place to another!

Tours in the city of La Spezia and surroundings

You can rent a bus in La Spezia for tours in the city or in Liguria Region. You can choose between different possible tourist routes in the city, but you should not fail to visit the Church of the Sacred Heart, and the palaces Carletti and Bertagna, to name only a few places.

La spezia liguria italy

La spezia liguria italy credit: Mark Goebel CC BY 2.0

What to see and do in the city of La Spezia

La Spezia offers travellers who make a stop in their tour the incredible charm of its port and Paseo Morin or promenade. A walk by the sea and then a stop to rest in any place to eat or have a drink is one of the best activities you can enjoy in La Spezia.

Lungomare La Spezia

Lungomare La Spezia credit: roger kolly CC BY-ND 2.0

Tours in Liguria and its surroundings

The region has many attractions for tourists who are touring Italy, especially natural beauties, your tour with private transport in a rented bus with driver around Ligura can start for example at the Riviera dei Fiori (Rivera of flowers), Portofino and Cinque Terre (five lands). As anywhere in Italy, gastronomy is another important attraction to enjoy in the Liguria region. Wine, focaccia, pasta, assorted baked goods, very tempting desserts and many other delicacies will make the tourist visit to this region much more enjoyable.

Portofino

Portofino credit: Jukka CC BY 2.0

The Province of Genoa

This is the most important since the city of Genoa is the capital of the region, and it is a very suitable destination for tourists who want to visit architecturally relevant places, but who also wish to get to know coastal villages with charm and natural beauty and landscapes of all kinds.

Savona, Imperia and Spezia

The other three provinces, Savona, Imperia and Spezia, are geographically rich, since they contain a huge variety of landscapes, and also some locations that offer hospitality, charm and cuisine in equal parts. The port of the capital of the province of Spezia (which is called "La Spezia") is one of the largest in Italy and an obligatory stop for every cruise ship that makes tours of the Mediterranean Sea.

Grotta di Byron, Portovenere, Liguria, Italy

Grotta di Byron, Portovenere, Liguria, Italy credit: Andrea CC BY 2.0

If you and your group of tourists are arriving by plane or cruise to the region of Liguria, we recommend you to arrange at least one or two routes in advance. On your tour with transportation in a rental “Pullman” with chauffeur around Liguria you can choose a trip to national parks such as Antola, in the province of Genoa, or a visit to places that are World’s Heritage according to Unesco, such as Cinque Terre and Porto Venere. Naturally, coastal towns with their sailor charm and their gastronomic delights are an attraction that you should not miss.

Bordighera or enjoying the coast

This coastal village famous for its large number of palm trees was a favourite for English tourists in the 19th century and today it is still a destination very appreciated by visitors from anywhere. The beauty of its coastline, as well as the interest of its historic centre, make Bordighera a highly recommended stop. Apart from walking along the promenade and enjoying the beautiful beach, in the village you can visit the Pallanca garden, a botanical garden with views over the city. The Villa Regina Magherita is also worth visiting. It is a magnificent mansion, summer residence of the Queen Margarita de Saboya and it houses an important collection of paintings as well.

Bordighera, GRAF1110

Bordighera, GRAF1110 credit: youflavio CC BY-SA 2.0

Visit to the Regional Natural Park of Antola

If you are nature lover or if you travel with children, you can certainly enjoy a visit to the Natural Park of Antola, about 50 kilometres from Genoa. The Park, more than 4,000 hectares large, is situated between the Apennines and the Genoese inside, and it possesses a great diversity of flora and fauna, including wolves, deer and a multitude of birds. Among the activities that you can do in this natural space trekking is, of course, the main one, since there are multiple routes that will allow you to enjoy unbeatable views, but you can also travel in canoe on the lakes and, at the appropriate time, you can enjoy skiing.

Cinque Terre

Italy - Cinque Terre - Manarola

Italy - Cinque Terre - Manarola credit: Harshil Shah CC BY-ND 2.0

The name of "Cinque terre" (literally five lands) refers to the set of five towns in the province of La Spezia. The villages are Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore, and they are located on a piece of mountain so steep that it provides a spectacular view next to the sea, to such an extent that this piece of land has been declared World’s Heritage by Unesco. Since not all villages are accessible by bus, once the driver leaves you where he has to park, you will have no choice but to walk along the beautiful mountain paths from one town to another, and discover them on foot. There is also the option of reaching Cinque Terre on the local train, or by ferry.

Corniglia

Corniglia credit: Pank Seelen CC BY-SA 2.0

The oldest villages are Monterosso and Vernazza, dating from the 11th century. The beaches are all different from each other, but all beautiful. Monterosso is one of which is more worthwhile visiting and enjoying, because it toggles a fine and very white sand with pitfalls of suggestive shapes and crystal clear water whose background gives it a beautiful Turquoise colour. It is clear that a visit to Cinque Terre should include the leisurely stroll through the villages, a swim in the wonderful beaches if it is the proper season, and a tasting of gastronomy in any of the villages.

Port of Portofino

You cannot leave the Liguria region without knowing one of its jewels, or one of the most beautiful ports of its coast, Portofino. The charm of this village is divided between the colour of the sea, the beauty of its coloured houses on the slopes of the mountain and the whole of the fishing port. Taking a leisurely promenade of Portofino, enjoying the views on both sides, choosing where to have a drink and taste a seafood dish are pleasures that you cannot avoid in your tour around the Ligurian region.

  Portofino, Italia

Portofino, Italia credit: justinknabb CC BY-SA 2.0
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More about La Spezia

Would you like to organize a bus tour to see all these beautiful highlights? Request quotes and compare the different bus and coach hire companies:

Bus tours in La Spezia
Coach hire in La Spezia