A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Aegina vs. Caen for Attractions, Food, Nightlife, and Families

Should you visit Aegina or Caen?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Aegina or Caen? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Aegina

Aegina is a vibrant, fun, and active island. This is a charming small with plenty of activities, too. Other reasons to visit include food, beaches, and shopping.

Caen

Caen is a important, historic, and park-filled city. Because this is such a big city, visitors will find many sights and attractions around town. Other popular activities here include museums, nightlife, and food.

Aegina and Caen: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Aegina or Caen?

Visitors will usually find more to do in Caen than Aegina, as it offers more sights, attractions, and activities. Caen is better known for its food and big city activities, while Aegina is more popular for its nightlife, beaches, shopping, and small town charm. Aegina is more touristy than Caen and is popular for its local pistachio nuts, its nice seaside setting, and its easy access from Athens. Caen is well known for its role in World War II and its memorials and historical buildings. Also, Caen is famous for Pegasus Bridge.

How is Aegina different from Caen?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Caen and Aegina. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Aegina or Caen?

For an educational experience, head to a museum or a notable sight in either Aegina or Caen.

Aegina offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. There are several temples on the island such as the Temple of Athena Aphaia and the Temple of Apollo. There's also and Archeological Museum that is nice to visit.

Many visitors head to Caen specifically to visit some of its top-rated museums and other sights. There are many monuments around town commemorating the city's long history. You'll want to see Château de Caen, Pegasus Bridge, Mémorial de Caen, Musée de Normandie, and Musée des beaux-arts de Caen.

Is the Food Better in Aegina or Caen? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Caen is a great destination for its restaurant scene. Also, Aegina is still popular, but not quite as popular for its local flavors and cuisine.

Dining out in Caen is an experience not to be missed. There's a market that's at its best on Sundays where you'll find fresh produce and other local ingredients. There are also Michelin starred restaurants, seafood restaurants, and other traditional dishes. Head to the Vaugueux Quarter for traditional dishes.

There are plenty of up and coming restaurants around Aegina. There's a vibrant restaurant scene that includes traditional eateries serving seafood and refreshing ice cream shops where you can cool off with a scoop of your favorite flavor.

Is Aegina or Caen Better for Nightlife?

Aegina is a very popular place for nightlife. Also, Caen is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for nightlife and partying.

Aegina has a large number of nightlife venues. There's a great nightlife scene on the island. Most of the dance clubs are found in Agia Marina and you'll find more relaxing lounges around Aegina Town and other villages on the island.

Caen has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. The nightlife scene stays active thanks to the 30,000 students living in town. Head to the Rue Ecuyère for a pub crawl or hit up any of the other bars around town.

Is Aegina or Caen Better for Beaches?

Aegina is a good destination for its beaches. However, Caen is not a beach destination.

Aegina offers a nice beach destination. While most of the beaches are small and crowded, they do offer a number of tourist facilities such as nearby bars and restaurants, as well as hotels. The most popular beaches on the island are Souvala and Agia Marina.

Caen is not a beach destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Aegina or Caen?

Aegina is a good destination for shopping. However, Caen is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

Plenty of visitors enjoy shopping while in Aegina. You'll find the standard souvenir shops around town where you can buy trinkets or other items you may have forgotten.

Caen is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

Is Aegina or Caen Better for Families?

Kids will enjoy a visit to either Aegina or Caen.

You'll find plenty of kid-friendly things to do in Aegina. Kids will enjoy the ferry ride from Athens as well as the pirate stories they'll hear throughout their trip. There are places that the whole family can swim and great restaurants with kid-friendly food.

Caen offers lots of family activities. There are museums, parks, monasteries, and castles that kids and adults alike with enjoy visiting.

Is Aegina or Caen Better for Couples?

With fun activities for couples, both Aegina and Caen make for a notable place to visit.

Aegina is a good island for couples to visit. Couples will appreciate the beauty and great restaurants that this beautiful island offers. It's a charming day trip from Athens that is filled with impressive historical sights and a nice atmosphere.

Caen is a nice destination for couples. Couples that are fascinated by history will enjoy a visit to this town in Normandy. There are also abbeys, castles and parks.

Is Aegina or Caen Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Aegina and Caen are notable places to visit for backpackers and budget travelers.

Plenty of budget travelers visit Aegina. Like most visitors, backpackers can hop on a ferry in Athens and visit the island as a day trip. It makes a nice excursion with many affordable restaurants and fun activities.

Caen is popular with backpackers and budget travelers. You'll find more apartments and bed and breakfasts than hostels in town, but backpackers still make their way here.

Is Aegina or Caen Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Caen is a great destination for its public transit. Also, Aegina is still popular, but not quite as popular for times when you don't have a car.

Caen offers a very effecient public transportation network. There are buses and trams that travel throughout the city.

While Aegina offers some public transit options, it might not be your first choice. You'll find the central bus station in Aegina Town and there you can catch buses that travel around the island.

Is Aegina or Caen a more walkable city?

Aegina and Caen both are notable when exploring on foot.

Aegina is a somewhat walkable island. The town is walkable, but to explore elsewhere on the island, it's easiest to have your own vehicle.

Caen is somewhat walkable. The city center is best explored on foot.

For even more information, also check out Is Aegina Worth Visiting? and Is Caen Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Caen or Aegina?

How long in Aegina or Caen?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Aegina and Caen. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Caen than in Aegina. Usually, 1-2 days is a good amount of time for Aegina, and 2-3 days is enough time in Caen.

Couples should spend more time in Aegina than Caen. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Aegina that are great for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Aegina than Caen if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Aegina.

One day in Aegina or Caen?

Visitors enjoy the food and shopping when visiting the destination of Aegina. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One day is usually enough time to experience most activities.

Many travelers enjoy the food and museums when visiting the destination of Caen. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

A weekend in Aegina or Caen?

Aegina is a fun place to experience. If you have a weekend, this is a great place to go. A weekend is often enough time to do most activities. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

Caen is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Five days in Aegina or Caen?

You'll find museums and nightlife around the relaxing destination of Aegina. This island offers something for everyone. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Caen. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

A week in Aegina or Caen?

The vibrant island of Aegina offers nightlife and food. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. One week is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips.

Travelers enjoy the food and museums when visiting the park-filled destination of Caen. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Honeymoon Tours in Greece, The Best Luxury Tours to Greece, The Best 10-Day Tours in France, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in France.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Aegina and Caen, we can see that Caen is more expensive. And not only is Aegina much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Aegina would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Aegina and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Caen would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Caen than you might in Aegina.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Aegina Expensive? and Is Caen Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Aegina or Caen?

Caen has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Aegina. When comparing the sizes of Aegina and Caen, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.

When is the best time to visit Aegina or Caen?

Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.

Should I visit Aegina or Caen in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Aegina as well as Caen. Most visitors come to Aegina for the beaches, the small town charm, and the family-friendly experiences during these months. Also, the summer months attract visitors to Caen because of the city activities and the family-friendly experiences.

In the summer, Aegina is much warmer than Caen. Typically, the summer temperatures in Aegina in July average around 27°C (81°F), and Caen averages at about 18°C (64°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Caen. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Aegina this time of the year. In the summer, Aegina often gets more sunshine than Caen. Aegina gets 357 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Caen receives 227 hours of full sun.

Aegina usually gets less rain in July than Caen. Aegina gets 6 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Caen receives 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Aegina or Caen in the Autumn?

Both Caen and Aegina are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The autumn months attract visitors to Aegina because of the shopping scene and the small town atmosphere. Also, the city's sights and attractions are the main draw to Caen this time of year.

In October, Aegina is generally much warmer than Caen. Daily temperatures in Aegina average around 19°C (67°F), and Caen fluctuates around 12°C (54°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Aegina. Aegina usually receives more sunshine than Caen during autumn. Aegina gets 206 hours of sunny skies, while Caen receives 128 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In October, Aegina usually receives less rain than Caen. Aegina gets 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Caen receives 68 mm (2.7 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Aegina or Caen in the Winter?

Both Caen and Aegina during the winter are popular places to visit. The museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Aegina this time of year. Furthermore, many travelers come to Caen for the museums and the cuisine.

Be prepared for some very cold days in Caen. Aegina is much warmer than Caen in the winter. The daily temperature in Aegina averages around 10°C (51°F) in January, and Caen fluctuates around 5°C (41°F).

In the winter, Aegina often gets more sunshine than Caen. Aegina gets 143 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Caen receives 70 hours of full sun.

Aegina usually gets less rain in January than Caen. Aegina gets 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain, while Caen receives 64 mm (2.5 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Aegina or Caen in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Aegina and Caen. Many travelers come to Aegina for the beaches and the small town charm. Furthermore, many visitors come to Caen in the spring for the activities around the city.

In the spring, Aegina is much warmer than Caen. Typically, the spring temperatures in Aegina in April average around 16°C (60°F), and Caen averages at about 9°C (49°F).

In Aegina, it's very sunny this time of the year. Aegina usually receives more sunshine than Caen during spring. Aegina gets 226 hours of sunny skies, while Caen receives 171 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Aegina usually receives less rain than Caen. Aegina gets 25 mm (1 in) of rain, while Caen receives 46 mm (1.8 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Caen and Aegina