Gulf of La Spezia and Bassa Val di Magra

<< Liguria

The Gulf of La Spezia, also known as Gulf of Poets (Golfo dei Poeti) is located at the eastern end of Liguria. At the center of this coast is La Spezia, while the two popular seaside resorts of Porto Venere and Lerici are located on its extremities. Further east is the valley crossed by the Magra river, which stretches into Tuscany.

La Spezia

La Spezia is the second largest city in Liguria, located on a gulf at the eastern end of the region, near the Cinque Terre. Inhabited since ancient times, the city emerged in the Late Middle Ages, after the destruction of the nearby town of Luni. La Spezia developed as the most important port in the area and it was mostly ruled by Genoa. After the unification of Italy, La Spezia experienced a huge development with the construction of the arsenal of the Italian Navy in the city.

✪ Technical Naval Museum of La Spezia

The Technical Naval Museum of La Spezia (Museo Tecnico Navale della Spezia) is a naval museum hosted in the 19th-century arsenal of the city. The museum features a large collection of models of historic vessels, along with ancient ship figureheads, weapons, medals, and more, with a focus on the equipment of the Italian Navy.

Passeggiata Costantino Morin

The Passeggiata Costantino Morin is the promenade of La Spezia, which offers a great view on the gulf and it is richly adorned with trees. A park known as Public Gardens (Giardini Pubblici) is located at the southern end of the promenade, and it features a large equestrian monument of Giuseppe Garibaldi.

San Giorgio Castle

The San Giorgio Castle is a medieval fortress located on top of a small hill in La Spezia. Originally erected by the Genoese in the Late Middle Ages over a previous castle, it was expanded various times. The castle now hosts an archaeological museum with a rich collection that spans from the Neolithic to the Middle Ages. Some sections of the ancient walls that, together with the castle, formed the fortifications of the city still survive to this day.

Giovanni Podenzana Ethnographic Museum

The Giovanni Podenzana Ethnographic Museum (Museo Etnografico Giovanni Podenzana) is an ethnographic museum hosting a collection of objects from all over the world, along with an exhibition on the traditional culture of La Spezia and the surrounding area. The Diocesan Museum (Museo Diocesano) is hosted in the same building and it features various religious artworks.

Amedeo Lia Civic Museum

The Amedeo Lia Civic Museum (Museo Civico Amedeo Lia) is an art gallery in the center of La Spezia hosted in a former monastery. The collection of the museum includes a wide range of paintings, bronzes, and other artworks spanning different ages and styles, and it also features numerous archaeological findings.

Museum of Seals

The Museum of Seals (Museo del Sigillo) is hosted in the Palazzina delle Arti adjacent to the Amedeo Lia Civic Museum. The museum houses one of the richest collections of sigillography, with over a thousand pieces from all over the world and spanning from prehistory until today.

Center of Modern and Contemporary Art of La Spezia

The Center of Modern and Contemporary Art of La Spezia (Centro di Arte Moderna e Contemporanea della Spezia) is an art museum focused on modern and contemporary art, with paintings and sculptures mostly dating from the 20th century.

Porto Venere

Porto Venere is a town located at the end of the western promontory of the Gulf of La Spezia, along the same rugged coast of the Cinque Terre. Probably founded by the Romans as a fishing village, the town briefly became the naval base of the Byzantine fleet in the Early Middle Ages. Over the following centuries, Porto Venere was an important fortified position, often attacked and contested. Since the 19th century, the town has turned into a major tourist destination thanks to its beauty, and it is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its territory includes a small archipelago located just off the coast.

✪ Doria Castle

The Doria Castle is a large fortress located on the hill overlooking Porto Venere. The current structure was erected starting in the 12th century and it is still well preserved. Thanks to its dominating position, a breathtaking panoramic view of the sea, the coast, and the nearby islands can be enjoyed from the castle. Other historic fortifications survive in Porto Venere, such as some sections of the ancient walls and the city gate called Porta del Borgo.

Sanctuary of Madonna Bianca

Also known as: Church of San Lorenzo

The Sanctuary of Madonna Bianca (Santuario della Madonna Bianca) is Romanesque church erected in the 12th century in Porto Venere, and later reworked. The church, located under the Doria Castle on the main square of the old town, hosts various historic artworks and decorations.

Church of San Pietro

The Church of San Pietro is a 12th-century Gothic church built on the site of a previous Paleochristian site and maybe an even older Roman temple. The church is located at the very end of a promontory, and it offers a great panoramic view on the sea and Palmaria.

Grotta dell’Arpaia

Also known as: Byron’s Grotto (Grotta di Byron)

The Grotta dell’Arpaia is a seaside natural cave located under the promontory of Porto Venere. The cave is also known as Byron’s Grotto, as it was visited by English poet Lord Byron, and it is famous for its clear waters.

Palmaria

Palmaria is the largest of the three islands located near the coast of Porto Venere. The coast of Palmaria features some natural caves, such as the Blue Cave (Grotta Azzurra), only reachable by boat. The island also hosts the ruins of a few historic fortifications, while the 17th-century Scola Tower is instead located on a rock just off the northeastern tip of Palmaria.

Tino and Tinetto

Tino is a small island located south of Palmaria, and it is said to be the place where Saint Venerius, patron saint of La Spezia, lived as a hermit and abbot until his death in 630. The island houses the ruins of an ancient abbey erected in the Early Middle Ages. The tiny islet of Tinetto, which also features the ancient ruins of some religious buildings, is just south of Tino. Both islands are administered by the Italian Navy, and Tino can only be visited during the celebrations for Saint Venerius in September.

Lerici

Lerici is a town located along the coast of the Gulf of La Spezia. Founded in ancient times, the village became an important port in the Late Middle Ages, mostly ruled by Genoa. Lerici became a major toruist destination in the 19th century.

Lerici Castle

The Lerici Castle is a fortification built by the Genoese in the Late Middle Ages on a promontory in Lerici. Contested between Genoa and Pisa for centuries, the castle is still well preserved to this day and can be visited.

San Terenzo Castle

The San Terenzo Castle is a historic castle located in San Terenzo, a small village on the coast just north of Lerici. The fortification was erected starting in the Late Middle Ages, and it was later reworked.

Tellaro

Tellaro is a small village on the coast south of Lerici, perched on the cliffside overlooking the sea. The hamlet features a small port and many narrow alleys, and various panoramic points around the village offer a great view on the sea.

Sarzana

Sarzana is the second largest city in the Province of La Spezia, located near the Magra river. Originally a small village, it rose to prominence in the Late Middle Ages after the destruction of nearby Luni. Sarzana became the main religious and military center in the area, and it was mostly ruled by Genoa. The city still features a few historic attractions.

Sarzana Cathedral

Also known as: Co-Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta (Concattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta)

The Sarzana Cathedral is the main church of Sarzana, erected in the Late Middle Ages. The church features a blend of Romanesque and Gothic styles and its interiors are adorned with Baroque decorations. Numerous artworks are hosted in the church, such as a cross painted in 1138, and its chapels house elaborate sculptures. The cathedral also hosts various ancient relics.

Diocesan Museum of Sarzana

The Diocesan Museum (Museo Diocesano) of Sarzana is a museum of religious art hosted in a former oratory. The collection includes various artworks from the territory around Sarzana including paintings, sculptures, and numerous historic religious objects.

Firmafede Fortress

Also known as: Sarzana Citadel (Cittadella di Sarzana)

The Firmafede Fortress (Fortezza Firmafede) is a historic citadel originally erected in the 13th century in Sarzana. After being destroyed during a war, the fortress was rebuilt in the 15th century. After being used as military barracks and prison, now it hosts exhibitions and cultural events. Some other sections of the ancient city walls and gates can still be seen around the old town of Sarzana.

Sarzanello Fortress

The Sarzanello Fortress (Fortezza di Sarzanello) is an ancient fortification located on top of a hill overlooking Sarzana. The fortress was built over some previous fortifications in the Late Middle Ages, and later expanded during the Renaissance, becoming one of the most important castles in the area. The fortress is still well preserved to this day, and it can be visited.

Luni

Luni is a municipality in the Province of La Spezia, at the border between Liguria and Tuscany. While the main settlement is Ortonovo, the municipality takes its name from the ancient Roman city of Luna, founded in 177 BCE, and later known as Luni. The town flourished as a port thanks to its proximity to the marble quarries of Carrara, and it was later the seat of a bishopric. In the 9th century, the city was destroyed by the Vikings who, according to legend, mistook Luni for Rome. After being partially rebuilt, Luni was abandoned around the 11th century. Various remains of the ancient city have now been unearthed. The name of the historic region of Lunigiana, located between Liguria and Tuscany, comes from Luni.

National Archaeological Museum of Luni

The National Archaeological Museum of Luni (Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Luni) is an archaeological museum housing numerous findings unearthed in the ruins of Luni. The collection features various sculptures, mosaics, decorations, and other ancient objects. The archaeological area of the museum includes a theater and an amphitheater.