La Spezia sucks. Plain and simple, it is not the place to be. My friend and I were staying there so we could explore the Cinque Terre parks (a highly recommended vacation for hikers and beach-goers alike). Unfortunately, all the hotels in Cinque Terre were either hard to access, full or too expensive. We don't have the most money so the hotel worked. We walked the 15 minutes to the train station everyday and back at night to the hotel (although you could also take
the bus) to take a convenient train that runs through the Cinque Terre villages. It was annoying to have to walk through La Spezia. I don't think it's that safe. In fact, I saw a man get beaten up on the street and a rat in a palm tree. There's nothing to do in the city.

If you can afford it, stay in a Cinque Terre town, but if you're on a budget, the place works. It's clean and functional.