A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Athens vs. Toledo for Attractions, Food, Nightlife, and Old Town

Should you visit Athens or Toledo?

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

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Athens and Toledo. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Athens

Athens is a ancient, vibrant, and energetic city. It's a large city with plenty of activites for visitors as well. It's a gorgeous place to visit. Other reasons to visit include food, shopping, and museums.

Toledo

Toledo is a beautiful, ancient, and medieval city. It offers plenty of beauty for visitors. It's also popular because of the museums, nightlife, and food.

Athens and Toledo: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Athens or Toledo?

You'll generally find more things to do in Athens than Toledo. Athens is bigger than Toledo, and it also has more attractions and activities for travelers. Toledo is more touristy than Athens and is known for its medieval buildings, ancient landmarks, and fascinating history. Athens is well known for its ancient temples and landmarks as well as its influence as the birthplace of democracy. Also, Athens is famous for The Acropolis.

The Acropolis

How is Athens different from Toledo?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Athens or Toledo?

Athens is an amazing city to visit for its museums and history. Also, Toledo is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its museums and landmarks.

Travelers visit Athens from around the world to see its many world-famous attractions. As a historical capital of the world, this city has countless museums and archeological sites including the famous Acropolis, the National Archaeology Museum, and the Ancient Agora.

You'll find a good number of museums and monuments packed into Toledo. This medieval city is filled with ancient landmarks including the iconic Catedral de Toledo. In the old town you'll find many many historic buildings and a fascinating Jewish Quarter. Other notable sights include the Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes, the Alcázar de Toledo, and the Museo de Santa Cruz.

Is the Food Better in Athens or Toledo? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Athens is an amazing city to visit for its restaurants. Also, Toledo is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its restaurant scene.

Known for it's food and restaurant scene, Athens is always at the top of any foodie's travel list. Make sure you try the souvlaki, moussaka, and dolmades at any of the many local restaurants throughout the city.

Eating is part of the travel experience when you visit Toledo. The city offers a great cuisine at a reasonable price. The dishes are influenced by the city's diverse past. You'll find many meat dishes due to the area's long running tradition of hunting. There are also classic dishes like carcamusas, which is pork covered in a tomato sauce. Dishes in general tend to be heavy and saucy with filling and delicious flavors.

Is Athens or Toledo Better for Nightlife?

Athens is an amazing city to visit for nightlife. Also, Toledo is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for nightlife and partying.

Athens has a colorful and one-of-a-kind nightlife scene. There are all-night dance clubs as well as local bars and chill live music venues.

Toledo has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. Most tourists visit the town as a day trip, so things can quiet down somewhat at night. There is a large student population that frequents the bars around town and help keep things lively.

Is Athens or Toledo Better for its Old Town?

Visitors enjoy the world-class old town areas in both Athens and Toledo.

With a famous historical old-town, Athens offers plenty to see. The city's "historic triangle" is between Syntagma, Omonia, and Monastiraki Squares. This area is also at the political and financial heart of the city.

The rich history of Toledo can be explored in its historical center. Perched on a hill and spilling out around the cathedral, this Spanish old town is filled with historic landmarks.

Is the Shopping Better in Athens or Toledo?

If you're looking to go shopping, Athens and Toledo both offer plenty of notable spots.

Athens has a variety of shopping areas worth visiting. Most neighborhoods have a shopping street but head to Ermou Street for some of the city's best shopping.

Toledo is a great destination for shopping. Calle Comercio is the main shopping street in town and there are two major shopping malls in the new part of town.

Is Athens or Toledo Better for Families?

Athens is a very popular place for its kid-friendly activities. Also, Toledo is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its family-friendly activities.

Athens is a very family-friendly destination. With its rich history, beautiful outdoor activities, and kid-friendly food, Athens is a fun place to explore with the whole family.

You'll find plenty of kid-friendly things to do in Toledo. The ancient streets are fun to explore. There are city gates, ancient Arab walls, and older kids will be fascinated by a visit to the Toledo Torture Museum. The city is known for its swords, and there are shops that you can visit to learn about this craft.

Is Athens or Toledo Better for Couples?

Athens and Toledo both notable destinations for a couple.

Athens is a good city for couples to visit. The city is historical, fascinating, and romantic, making it a beautiful place to explore as a couple.

Toledo is a nice destination for couples. It's an ancient city that is filled with fascinating history and impressive historic sights. Couples will enjoy wandering the medieval streets and visiting the ancient gates.

Is Athens or Toledo Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Athens is an amazing city to visit for backpackers and budget travelers. Also, Toledo is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for backpackers.

Many backpackers frequent Athens. The city has long been established as a backpackers destination with budget friendly food and plenty of hostels around town.

Toledo is a good city to visit for backpackers. Many travelers visit Toledo as a day trip from Madrid, but for backpackers who want to spend more time, there are a handful of hostels in town.

Is Athens or Toledo Better for Students?

For students, both Athens and Toledo are great places to visit.

Many students visit Athens. International students will appreciate the rich history, archaeological ruins, and unique opportunities that are available here.

Toledo is a very popular city for students and younger travelers. The city is popular with students, and you'll find many activities and a lively atmosphere both during the day and at night.

Is Athens or Toledo Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Athens is a very popular place for times when you don't have a car. Also, Toledo is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its public transit.

Many visitors rely on the effecient and affordable public transportation in Athens. The city's metro system has 3 lines that connect to bus, tram and commuter rail lines.

You'll find some public transit in Toledo, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. There is a good bus system through town.

Is Athens or Toledo a more walkable city?

Athens and Toledo are great when it comes to walkability.

Athens is a very walkable destination. You'll find the city's most walkable area's in the historical heart, where there are many pedestrian only streets and shopping areas.

Toledo is very walkable. It's a compact and easily walkable city, particularly within the old town. The bus and train stations are also about a 15 or 20 minute walk from the city center.

For even more information, also check out Is Athens Worth Visiting? and Is Toledo Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Toledo or Athens?

How long in Athens or Toledo?

You'll be able to find lots of things to do in Athens or Toledo to fill your time. Many travelers usually spend more of their time in Athens than Toledo because of the number of activities and things to do in the area. Usually, 3-7 days is a good amount of time for Athens, and 1-2 days is enough time in Toledo.

Families should spend more time in Athens than Toledo. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Athens, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Athens than Toledo 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 Athens.

One day in Athens or Toledo?

Athens is a bustling city that offers something for everyone. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

Many travelers enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting the destination of Toledo. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. One day is often enough time to do most activities.

A weekend in Athens or Toledo?

Athens is a great place to explore. With so much to do, a weekend is probably not enough time to see everything. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Toledo 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 Athens or Toledo?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Athens. For many, it makes a great getaway for five days. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill five days here. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Toledo. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. 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 Athens or Toledo?

Athens is a bustling city that offers something for everyone. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most visitors spend time around the old town while in the area. If you have one week, this is a great place to go. This would be the perfect place to spend one week, as it has just the right amount of activities.

Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the beautiful destination of Toledo. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most visitors spend time around the old town while in the area. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

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

When comparing the travel costs between Athens and Toledo, we can see that Athens is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Europe, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

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

Which is Bigger, Athens or Toledo?

Athens has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Toledo. When comparing the sizes of Athens and Toledo, 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.