La Spezia day trips can add a little extra fun to your trip to north of Italy. Set aside at least one day to get out of La Spezia and see more of what the country has to offer, such as these locations accessible from La Spezia in one day:

Genoa

Genoa is only 50 miles west of La Spezia, meaning you can get there by car in about an hour. Or you can forget the hassle of driving across the Italian countryside and take a train that can traverse the distance in 90 minutes and costs a ridiculously inexpensive price of about US$15 each way.

Genoa is a seaport city with stunning architecture and an incredible night view. You can see revolutionary examples of Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo art in locations across the city such as the Church of San Danto and the Genoa Cathedral. Or you can tour the hot tourist locations such as the Via XX Settembre (the main shopping street), the San Lorenzo Cathedral, the Baroque and Renaissance Palaces and the Aquarium of Genoa.

Bologna

A day-long excursion to Bologna, a "college city" that's home to the oldest university in the West (the University of Bologna, which is almost 1000 years old) can make an incredible addition to your La Spezia trip. Bologna is approximately 145 miles east of La Spezia, which means you can drive there in around two and a half hours. You can also take a train, but that will require a brief layover, so the trip will take about three hours--but will cost only US$30 or so each way.

Besides the historical colleges and universities, you may be interested in touring Bologna for the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca or any of Bologna's many historical churches. You may even enjoy walking along the Portico of San Luca, one of the world's longest sheltered arcades (walkway covered with arches).