La Spezia

La Spezia is a scenic seaside city with interesting museums

La Spezia, though it’s the capital city of the province of the same name, is best known for being the port city at the coast's south tip that serves as the point of departure (by rail or ferry) to Italy’s more celebrated Cinque Terre region.

However, there’s reason to travel to this city at the eastern edge of Liguria; La Spezia boasts many interesting churches and cathedrals, including Cristo Re dei Secoli and Santa Maria Assunta, the latter of which maintains an impressive art collection. Museums here enable visitors to see excellent examples of traditional and modern art, as well as items of anthropological and technological significance. The fort-like Castle of San Giorgio is also a draw; though it was destroyed and rebuilt several times since, it was initially designed and built by Nicolo Fieschi in 1262.

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