As a stop on a Cinque Terre cruise, La Spezia is convenient, centrally located, and a little underrated. The city is a major stop for a variety of Mediterranean cruises, and passengers often continue on to Ligurian cities like Cinque Terre, Pisa, or Genoa from La Spezia.

Cruise ships do not dock directly in any of the five villages of Cinque Terre because they are part of a protected National Park with tiny, historic harbors. Instead, cruise ships dock at the nearby industrial port of La Spezia, which serves as the primary gateway to the region. From the La Spezia cruise terminal, passengers can easily reach Cinque Terre via a 10-minute train ride on the "Cinque Terre Express" or by taking a seasonal ferry that hops between the villages (except Corniglia, which has no water access). Some smaller, luxury cruise lines may also anchor in the "Gulf of Poets" near Portovenere and use "tenders" (small boats) to shuttle guests to the shore. In 2026, shore excursions from La Spezia to Cinque Terre are among the most popular in the Mediterranean, but travelers should be aware of the "over-tourism" management plans: the park sometimes restricts the number of people on the hiking trails during peak cruise days to preserve the delicate cliffside environment.