La Spezia: Maritime History, Art and the Golfo dei Poeti

On July 17, 1897, messages were exchanged in Morse code in the Gulf of La Spezia during the world’s first experiments in maritime wireless telegraphy. The Museo Tecnico Navale preserves original equipment from Marconi and the associated messages. Its collections also include artifacts relating to seafaring, exploration, battles, scientific experiments, inventions and innovations. The city’s maritime history can therefore be encountered not only by the water, but also through tangible technical evidence.

Experience the City’s History and Culture

Another historical perspective is offered by the Palio del Golfo, a historic rowing regatta held each year on the first Sunday in August in front of the waterfront promenade. The promenade overlooks the gulf, first called the Golfo dei Poeti by playwright Sem Benelli. When planning, it is worth checking the dates for the relevant edition of the regatta. The Galleria Quintino Sella recalls La Spezia during the bombings of the Second World War with an immersive multimedia tour.

The Museo del Castello San Giorgio houses archaeological collections spanning prehistory to the Middle Ages. The museum is accessible and has no architectural barriers; check the latest access information before your visit. The Museo Civico Etnografico Giovanni Podenzana focuses on the ethnography of Lunigiana and non-European cultures. It is housed in a former 15th-century oratory.

The Museo Amedeo Lia traces a path through art from the classical period, late antiquity and the Middle Ages to modern times. Its holdings include more than 70 panels by the so-called “Primitives,” as well as works by Titian and Canaletto and a work believed to be an early piece by Raphael. The museum is in a pedestrian zone and is therefore inaccessible to cars and coaches.

At the Palazzina delle Arti “L. R. Rosaia,” a permanent exhibition presents Agostino Fossati through 49 paintings from the city’s art collections, arranged in seven thematic sections. This venue is also accessible and has no architectural barriers. CAMeC permanently brings together art holdings from editions of the Premio del Golfo with the Cozzani and Battolini donations. It also hosts exhibitions of contemporary production and historical modern art. Art education for schools and the general public includes art therapy programs and workshops.

Those interested in an unusual collection can discover sphragistics at the Museo del Sigillo: the collection, assembled by private individuals, is considered the most complete of its kind. The museums thus offer a range of subjects, from archaeological finds and ethnography to art, technology and the study of seals.

Walking Tours, Walls and Trails

WALK! La Spezia offers themed walking tours with multilingual historical and cultural information linked via QR codes. The project also connects cultural sites with walking and cycling routes. For the cycling routes, you can use conventional or electric bicycles, as well as the city’s bike-sharing service; infrastructure and services may change. The digital tour “Tesori nascosti” connects cultural institutions, sites of remembrance, historic architecture and scenic trails in La Spezia.

The Parco delle Mura offers a distinctive view of the city’s architectural heritage: it is an uphill walking route along the 19th-century city walls. Check access conditions before visiting. After restoration work, the former Convento delle Clarisse was also opened to the public; five restored marble inscriptions are accessible to visitors. Visiting conditions may change, so it is worth checking in advance.

Built in 1880, Batteria Valdilocchi stands out for its rare pentagonal layout. Following initial safety work, it reopened to the public. Access conditions may change while improvement work is underway, so check before your visit. Each of these places invites a different perspective: on historic architecture, objects of remembrance or the paths along the city fortifications.

The Golfo dei Poeti and the Surrounding Area

The nearby Cinque Terre National Park also offers opportunities for active days out: its trail network is more than 130 kilometers long and includes coastal, hillside and ridge paths, as well as vertical connecting paths. Individual trails may change or close, so check conditions for your planned hike. On the Pisa–Genoa route, La Spezia is the railway hub or terminus designated by the national park for train journeys to the Cinque Terre. If this connection is part of your trip, check the current timetable.

The local character is also reflected in the cuisine. Mesciua is a traditional dish from La Spezia, made with legumes and grains. Muscoli della Spezia, cultivated in the Gulf of La Spezia, have a local tradition dating back approximately to 1887; production continues using traditional methods. Together with the waterfront promenade and its views of the Golfo dei Poeti, these culinary and maritime connections offer another way to experience the city, alongside its museums, sites of remembrance and trails.

Discover more destinations: Sesta Godano, Borghetto Di Vara, Colombiera-Molicciara, San Terenzo, Bolano, Castelnuovo Magra, Ameglia, Bonassola, Corniglia, Deiva Marina, Framura, La Foce, La Spezia, Lavaggiorosso, Lerici, Tellaro, Vernazza, Ortonovo, Rio, Piano di Follo, Tivegna, Bovecchio, San Pietro Vara, Ceparana, Fiumaretta di Ameglia, Ponzano Superiore, Calice Al Cornoviglio, Vezzano Ligure, Cerreta, Isola, Pegui, Bracelli, Vignana, Cembrano, Nicola, Pitelli, Carro, Tavarone, Zignago, Biassa, Castello, Luni Mare, Le Grazie, Torza, Brugnato, Cavanella Vara, Falcinello, Casale, L'ago, Pignone, Carrodano, Volastra, Beverino, Follo, Maissana, Rocchetta Di Vara, San Bernardino, Corvara, Piana Battolla, Fiascherino, Campiglia, Marinella Di Sarzana, Santo Stefano Di Magra, Varese Ligure, Tirolo, Sorbolo, Sarzana, Mattarana, Riccò Del Golfo Di Spezia, Madonna di Buonviaggio, Manarola, Caranza, Riomaggiore, Arcola, Levanto, Montemarcello, Monterosso Al Mare, Portovenere, Valeriano Lunense, Bocca Di Magra.

For the broader travel overview: Liguria.