La Spezia at the head of the Gulf of La Spezia in the Liguria region of northern italy is the capital city of the province of La Spezia. Located between Genoa and Pisa on the Ligurian Sea, it is one of the main Italian military and commercial harbours and hosts one of Italy's biggest military industries, OTO Melara.

Main sights

• Cristo Re dei Secoli ("Christ the King of Centuries", cathedral), consecrated in 1975. The project was by Adalberto Libera.
• Abbey church of Santa Maria Assunta ("Our Lady of the Assumption", 13th century). It houses a considerable series of artworks, some of them coming from other suppressed religious institutes. They include an Incoronation of the Virgin by Andrea della Robbia, the Multiplication of Bread by Giovanni Battista Casoni and st. Bartholomew's Martyrdom by Luca Cambiaso.
• Santi Giovanni e Agostino ("Saints John and Augustine", 16th century). It has a single nave with 18th and 19th century decorations.
• "Ubaldo Formentini" - Civic Museum in the Castle of San Giorgio
• "Amedeo Lia" Museum
• Palazzina delle Arti and Museum of Seals
• Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (CAMeC)
• Diocesan Museum
• Ethnographic Civic Museum
• Technical Naval Museum
• National Transportation Museum
• Castle of San Giorgio, recently restored. Probably originated from a watchtower, a first castle is known to have been built by Niccolò Fieschi in 1262. In 1273 the Genoese destroyed it, and a new fortification, along with a new line of walls, was erected by the podesteria of La Spezia from 1371. Annexed to this edifice, the Republic of Genoa added a new castle starting from 1607.
• Public Gardens
• Art Nouveau-style villas
• Futurist mosaic by Prampolini inside the Post Office

La Spezia is a point of departure for the Cinque Terre, either by train or boat. The boat also serves Lerici and Portovenere before turning into the open sea towards the Cinque Terre. These localities are reachable by public transport (15 km) from the central railway station of the city.