A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Auxerre vs. Lucca for Attractions, Food, Couples, and Nightlife

Should you visit Auxerre or Lucca?

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

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Auxerre and Lucca can help you decide which place is right for you.

Auxerre

Auxerre is a undiscovered, authentic, and under-rated town. Don't miss this spot, as it's a charming small town with plenty of activities. Other popular activities here include food and museums.

Lucca

Lucca is a popular, historic, and charming city. With stunning beauty, it attracts visitors from all around. It's also popular because of the museums, nightlife, and food.

Auxerre and Lucca: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Auxerre or Lucca?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Lucca. Although Auxerre and Lucca are popular destinations, Lucca has more sights and attractions for tourists. Lucca is very popular for its museums, food, nightlife, historical sights, shopping, and impressive beauty, while Auxerre attracts visitors for its small town charm. Lucca is more touristy than Auxerre and is popular for its ancient city walls and its many historic buildings. It is also well known for The Guinigi Tower. Auxerre is famous for its food, wine, and art history.

How is Auxerre different from Lucca?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Auxerre or Lucca?

Lucca is great for its historical sights. Also, Auxerre is not as popular, but is still a nice town for its sights and museums.

Many visitors head to Lucca specifically to visit some of its top-rated museums and other sights. There are many interesting historic sights and buildings around this charming town. You can climb to the top of the Guinigi Tower or visit the Roman Amphitheater. Many visitors enjoy walking or biking around the city walls as well. Also make sure you visit the cathedral.

Auxerre is a good place to visit if you're interested in museums or other recognizable sights. Although the town is often overlooked by tourists, there are many nice cathedrals and churches around town.

Is the Food Better in Auxerre or Lucca? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Lucca is great for its local flavors and cuisine. Also, Auxerre is not as popular, but is still a nice town for its local cuisine and restaurants.

Lucca has a number of nationally recognized food spots and restaurants. There are many great Tuscan restaurants inside the city walls. Perhaps the most popular local dish is tordelli Lucchesi. Its a meat filled pasta that has a beef ragu sauce. There are also other Tuscan recipes that include steak, boar, or rabbit.

Auxerre offers number of good local restaurants to choose from. The town is a the heart of the wine industry, so you'll find many great restaurants where you can enjoy local food and wine.

Is Auxerre or Lucca Better for Nightlife?

Lucca is very good for its evening party scene. However, Auxerre is not a good destination for nightlife.

If you're looking for night time activities Lucca has a few options to choose from. The nightlife scene is most lively during the spring and summer months when tourists crowd into the city. For the highest concentration of bars, clubs, and lounges, head to Piazza Amfiteatro, Piazza San Michele and Via Fillungo.

Most people don't head to Auxerre specifically for the nightlife scene, but you can find a few options. It has a quiet nightlife with some nice bars and pubs.

Is Auxerre or Lucca Better for its Old Town?

Lucca is an amazing city to visit for its historic old town charm. However, Auxerre does not have a historic old town.

Lucca offers visitors a world-class historical old town to explore. The historic city is surrounded by city walls, which you can walk around. Within the walls there are cobblestone streets and a charming atmosphere.

Auxerre does not have a historic old town.

Is the Shopping Better in Auxerre or Lucca?

Lucca is very good for its shopping areas. However, Auxerre is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

Lucca has a variety of shopping areas worth visiting. The city is filled with a mix of tourist shops and more authentic local vendors. If you look hard, you can still find some interesting local items that make for a more unique and personal shopping experience.

Auxerre is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

Is Auxerre or Lucca Better for Families?

You'll find nice kid-friendly activities in either Auxerre or Lucca.

Auxerre offers lots of family activities. There's the Zoo de La Fleche and the Aquarium de Touraine. You can also wander through Musee de l'Avallon or des Plantes.

Lucca is a family-friendly place to visit. You can pass through town in a day or two, or stay longer and use it as a base for exploring Tuscany. There are playgrounds for the kids as well as some fun activities like cycling the city walls and climbing towers.

Is Auxerre or Lucca Better for Couples?

Lucca is great for couples. Also, Auxerre is not as popular, but is still a nice town for romance.

Lucca is a great city if you're traveling as a couple. It's a beautiful city with good restaurants and access to nice countryside. Couples who want to explore Tuscany can use this town as a base to take in much of the region.

Auxerre is a nice destination for couples. There are many great eateries as well nice architecture and, of course, excellent wine.

Is Auxerre or Lucca Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Lucca is very good for backpackers and budget travelers. However, Auxerre is not a good destination for backpackers.

Lucca is popular with backpackers and budget travelers. While there aren't many traditional hostels around town, guesthouses are usually affordable.

Auxerre is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. It's not a popular stop off on the backpacker circuit, but you will find some affordable accommodation options.

Is Auxerre or Lucca Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Auxerre is a town with good options for its public transit. However, Lucca is not particularly known for times when you don't have a car.

You'll find some public transit in Auxerre, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. There are buses around town.

Public transit is quite limited in Lucca. There's no public transit within the city so if you can't walk somewhere, you'll want to take a taxi. In general, walking is the best option though.

Is Auxerre or Lucca a more walkable city?

Lucca is great for its ease of walking around. Also, Auxerre is not as popular, but is still a nice town for its walkability.

Lucca is a very walkable destination. Much of the city can be explored on foot.

Auxerre is somewhat walkable. The center is walkable but it is a bit more difficult to navigate than some nearby towns.

For even more information, also check out Is Auxerre Worth Visiting? and Is Lucca Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Lucca or Auxerre?

How long in Auxerre or Lucca?

You'll be able to find lots of things to do in Auxerre or Lucca to fill your time. In our opinion, Lucca has more to see and do, so we recommend spending more time in Lucca than Auxerre. However, 1-2 days is a good amount of time to spend in either destination.

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Lucca than Auxerre 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 Lucca.

One day in Auxerre or Lucca?

In Auxerre, many people enjoy the food and museums that this undiscovered destination offers. This town offers a variety of activities to choose from. Because of this, one day is usually enough time for a trip here.

In Lucca, you'll find nightlife and food. Most visitors spend time around the old town while in the area. This city offers something for everyone. This would be the perfect place to spend one day, as it has just the right amount of activities.

A weekend in Auxerre or Lucca?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Auxerre. For many, it makes a great getaway for a weekend. This would be the perfect place to spend a weekend, as it has just the right amount of activities. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision.

In Lucca, you'll find food and shopping. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. A weekend here is typical. Visiting the old town is also a must. A weekend is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Lucca has to offer.

Five days in Auxerre or Lucca?

Auxerre is a fun place to experience. Travelers enjoy the food and museums when visiting the destination of Auxerre. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything.

Lucca is a great place to explore. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. Five days is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. Anyone can find something fun to do here.

A week in Auxerre or Lucca?

You'll find museums and food around the authentic destination of Auxerre. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One week is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Lucca. Many people enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting Lucca. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. One week may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in France, The Best 2-Week Tours in France, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Italy, and The Best Historical Tours in Italy.

When comparing the travel costs between Auxerre and Lucca, we can see that Auxerre 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 Auxerre Expensive? and Is Lucca Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Auxerre or Lucca?

Lucca has a larger population, and is about 97% larger than the population of Auxerre. When comparing the sizes of Auxerre and Lucca, 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.