Pasta, tiramisu and aperitifs: La Spezia’s cuisine waiting to be discovered

The city of La Spezia is located practically on the border between Liguria and Tuscany. It is the ideal starting point to visit the splendid Cinque Terre and other characteristic villages in the area, such as Lerici and Porto Venere. With the sea in front of the city and the mountains behind, it is fascinating to admire it from above from San Giorgio castle, and experience its unique flavor through its culinary offerings, which reflect a combination of land and sea, evolution and experimentation. At my table, I bring you traditional recipes. I’m Daniela, your Cesarina, and I offer you the typical cuisine of La Spezia, the harmonious result of the meeting of different traditions from the neighboring regions. I prepare my dishes using simple ingredients. However, once combined, they give life to both strong and delicate flavors at the same time, recipes like 'sgabei' – raised bread dough that is cut into strips, fried, stuffed with cheeses or locally cured cold cuts, 'muscoli' (mussels) in a variety of versions and, of course, an absolute must, 'pesto' (sauce made from basil).