La Spezia’s event calendar revolves around the sea. The Palio del Golfo in June fills the waterfront with rowing boats, Ferragosto in August brings fireworks over the gulf, and the Festa del Mare in July celebrates the city’s maritime identity with seafood feasts and boat parades. Most events are free and open to the public, with the main action concentrated along the Passeggiata Morin and in the historic centre. La Spezia weather by month.
La Spezia Events & Festivals: Spring (March to May)
Festa di San Giuseppe (March 19)
Saint Joseph’s Day is celebrated across Italy, and in La Spezia the tradition revolves around the “fiera di San Giuseppe,” a street fair that takes over the historic centre. Stalls sell local crafts, food, and plants. The fair usually runs for three days around March 19 along Via del Prione and Piazza Verdi. Churches hold special Masses, and traditional zeppole (fried dough pastries filled with custard) appear in every bakery window. best time to visit La Spezia.
Easter Weekend (March or April, dates vary)
Easter draws the first significant tourist wave of the year to La Spezia and the Cinque Terre. The city hosts religious processions on Good Friday evening through the streets of the old town. On Easter Sunday, restaurants serve traditional Ligurian holiday dishes including torta pasqualina (savoury pie with greens, ricotta, and eggs). Book restaurants and accommodation at least three weeks ahead if visiting over Easter weekend. things to do in La Spezia.
La Spezia Events & Festivals: Summer (June to August)
Palio del Golfo (First Sunday in June)
The Palio del Golfo is La Spezia’s signature event. Thirteen neighbourhoods (borgate) compete in a traditional rowing race across the Gulf of Poets, covering a 2,000-metre course. Each team rows a heavy wooden gozzo, a traditional Ligurian fishing boat, with four rowers and a coxswain. The race starts around 5:00 PM from the Morin waterfront, and thousands of spectators line the promenade and watch from boats. The winning neighbourhood earns bragging rights for the year and a painted banner. The Palio has run annually since 1925, making it one of Italy’s oldest continuous rowing competitions. Get to the waterfront by 3:00 PM to secure a good viewing spot. La Spezia neighborhoods guide.
Festa del Mare (First weekend of July)
The Festival of the Sea is a weekend-long celebration of La Spezia’s maritime heritage. Highlights include a boat parade of decorated fishing vessels through the gulf, open-air seafood dinners along the waterfront (set menus cost 25 to 35 EUR per person), and free concerts in Piazza Europa. The Italian Navy opens sections of the Arsenale Militare to the public for guided tours, a rare opportunity to see inside one of Italy’s largest naval bases. Tour slots book out quickly; reserve through the tourism office at least two weeks in advance. where to stay in La Spezia.
Ferragosto (August 15)
Ferragosto is Italy’s national summer holiday, and La Spezia celebrates with a large fireworks display over the gulf at around 10:30 PM. The best viewing spots are along the Passeggiata Morin and the Molo Italia pier. Many locals head to the beaches at Lerici and San Terenzo for the day, returning to the city for the evening fireworks. Note that many small shops and family-run restaurants close for the entire week around Ferragosto (roughly August 12 to 18). Larger establishments, especially along the waterfront, remain open. La Spezia travel tips.
La Spezia Events & Festivals: Autumn (September to November)
Festa della Marineria (Late September)
This maritime heritage festival, held over a weekend in late September, showcases traditional shipbuilding and sailing crafts. The Morin waterfront hosts displays of restored wooden boats, knot-tying demonstrations, and maritime history exhibitions. It is a smaller, more local event than the summer festivals, attracting mostly residents and boating enthusiasts.
Fiera di San Martino (Around November 11)
A traditional autumn fair held in the streets around Piazza Verdi and Via del Prione. Stalls sell roasted chestnuts, new-season olive oil, local wines from the Colli di Luni DOC, and handicrafts. It runs for a weekend close to November 11 (the feast of Saint Martin). This is a good opportunity to buy local food products at producer prices.
La Spezia Events & Festivals: Winter (December to February)
Christmas Market (December, dates vary)
La Spezia’s Christmas market sets up in Piazza Verdi from the first week of December through Christmas Eve (December 24). Wooden chalets sell Christmas decorations, local crafts, panettone, mulled wine (vin brulé), and Ligurian food products. The lights display along Via del Prione and the waterfront promenade runs from early December through January 6 (Epiphany). An ice-skating rink appears in Piazza Europa from mid-December through mid-January.
Carnevale (February or March, dates vary)
La Spezia’s Carnevale is modest compared to Viareggio or Venice, but the city puts on a children’s parade through the historic centre on the Sunday before Ash Wednesday. Kids dress in costume, and piazza events include face painting and mask-making workshops. Local pastry shops sell chiacchiere (fried dough strips dusted with powdered sugar) throughout the Carnival period.
