Property for Sale in La Spezia, Liguria
La Spezia is the port city at the head of the Gulf of La Spezia, at the eastern end of the Ligurian Riviera and the capital of the Province of La Spezia. It is a working city rather than a resort, but it sits between two of the most sought-after stretches of coast in Italy: the Cinque Terre to the west and the Gulf of Poets to the east.
The City and the Gulf
The city grew around its naval base and arsenal, and its centre is a grid of shopping streets, a seafront park and a long promenade along the harbour. The Castello di San Giorgio overlooks the town from the hill, and the Amedeo Lia museum holds an important art collection. Behind the city, terraced hills of olives and vines climb towards the mountains.
Portovenere lies at the western tip of the gulf, while Lerici and its neighbouring villages line the eastern shore.
Property for Sale in La Spezia
The homes listed here are mostly villas, with a couple of apartments, and they sit firmly at the top of the market: all are priced above €1 million.
Everyday Life and Getting There
As a provincial capital, La Spezia has a hospital, schools, markets and a full range of shops, and it stays lively all year. Trains along the coast connect it with the Cinque Terre villages, Genoa and Pisa, and the A12 and A15 motorways meet nearby. Pisa airport is the most convenient, with Genoa as an alternative.
Buying in La Spezia
Hillside villas are often reached by narrow, steep lanes, so look at access, parking and the state of any terraces and retaining walls. Properties near the water need checking for salt damage on render and ironwork.
Parts of the coast fall under landscape protection, which limits extensions and new pools. A geometra working in the province can compare the house with its cadastral plan and building permits so that nothing unauthorised slips through.