A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Aveiro vs. Novalja for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Aveiro or Novalja?

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 Aveiro and Novalja. 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.

Where Should I go: Aveiro or Novalja?

Aveiro

Aveiro has great canals that are lined by houses. Because of this ambiance, the town has earned its nickname the "Portuguese Venice." While it's similar, don't put too much into the name. The town is also known for it's colorful boats, referred to as moliceiros, that ride along the canals and under the bridges.

While the canals are lovely, most visitors actually come for the beaches. Aveiro's beaches are known for their clean and pristine sand. The shore is referred to as the Silver Coast, and has comfortably warm water, which is another major draw to the area.

Aveiro is comfortable year around because it's winters are mild and warm and its summer is somewhat cool. The winter months get the most rain and the summer is usually the driest. If you're there during the fall and winter, the winds will be strong making it the best time for surfing, sailing, and other water sports.

Novalja

Novalja is a Croatian town in the north of the island of Pag in the Adriatic Sea. Novalja is known internationally as party central because of the infamous party beach, Zrce, which boasts 4 clubs open around the clock. The pumping house/techno music and dance parties typically start at around 4 pm and continue well past 2 in the morning. During the summer, many well-known DJs and groups from around the world, including Benni Benassi, Jamie Jones, and Swanky Tunes, host concerts in these nightclubs. Zrce is not just for party-goers though. Many families lay out their towels for a day at the beautiful stone beach. This Novalja beach has cafe-bars and restaurants so you can easily grab a bite to eat or quick drink at your convenience. In addition to Zrce, Novalja offers tourists a number of other gorgeous beaches. Cista and Babe and both are perfect if you're looking for a calmer location. Both of these beaches have a lot less activity than Zrce, making for a relaxing afternoon, and their waters tend to be a bit warmer too.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Portugal, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Portugal, The Best 2-Week Tours from Dubrovnik, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Split.


Which place is cheaper, Novalja or Aveiro?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Aveiro is €80, while the average daily cost in Novalja is €58. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Aveiro and Novalja in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Aveiro 46
    Novalja 31
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Aveiro 92
    Novalja 62
Compare Hotels in Aveiro and Novalja

Looking for a hotel in Aveiro or Novalja? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Aveiro


Hotels in Novalja


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Aveiro Hotel Prices and Novalja Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Aveiro 8.57
    Novalja 12

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Aveiro

Also for Aveiro, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Aveiro Private Transfer:To/From the Oporto Airport: $128

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Novalja

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Novalja:

  • Zrce, Private Transfer to/from Zadar Airport: $170
  • Private Transfer from Crikvenica to Rijeka Airport (RJK): $74

Is it cheaper to fly into Aveiro or Novalja?

Prices for flights to both Novalja and Aveiro change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Aveiro 28
    Novalja 20

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Aveiro 8.57
    Novalja 6.07

Tours and Activities in Aveiro

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Aveiro.

  • From Porto: e-Bike Tour in Aveiro, Boat Trip and Costa Nova!: $84
  • Aveiro Privat City Tour w/ Local Boat 1 H Cruise & Egg Sweet: $96
  • Coimbra & Aveiro Amazing Cultural Full Day Tour from Porto: $102
  • Aveiro Private Tour, Bairrada Wine Cellars & Roasted Piglet: $117
  • Private Tour to Aveiro and Costa Nova unique striped houses: $117
  • Aveiro Tour: $139
  • From Lisbon: Aveiro, Moliceiro Boat and Coimbra Tour: $139
  • Half Day Tour with Boat Ride: $150
  • From Porto Private Tour Half Day in Aveiro and Costa Nova: $273
  • Porto to Lisbon private Tour, choose 2 or 3 stops on the way: $312

Tours and Activities in Novalja

Here are a few actual costs in Novalja for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • From Metajna/Pag Bay Guided Sea Kayaking Tour: $49
  • From Kolan Bike Tour: $47
  • From Svetojanj Bike Tour: $47
  • Kayak and Via Ferrata Adventure: $71
  • Bungee Tower Ticket with Zrce Beach Panoramic Views: $32
  • Glowing Standup Paddleboard Guided Night Tour: $58
  • Pag Island Light-Up Kayak Night Tour: $62
  • Standup Paddleboard Guided Tour: $47
  • Zrce Beach Bungee Jumping Experience: $74
  • Zrce Booze Cruise - Novalja Boat Party: $52

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Aveiro 17
    Novalja 7.27


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Aveiro and Novalja, we can see that Aveiro is more expensive. And not only is Novalja much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Novalja would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Novalja 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 Aveiro would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Aveiro than you might in Novalja.

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


Which is Bigger, Aveiro or Novalja?

Aveiro has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Novalja. When comparing the sizes of Aveiro and Novalja, 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.