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

Should you visit Caen 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 Caen 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.

Caen

Caen is a park-filled, important, and historic city. It's a large city, so you'll find plenty of things to do around town. And you can't forget about the food, museums, and nightlife.

Novalja

Novalja is a wild, energetic, and backpacker-filled town. This is also a very beautiful destination which attracts plenty of visitors. Other reasons to visit include nightlife and beaches.

Caen and Novalja: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Caen or Novalja?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Caen. Although Caen and Novalja are popular destinations, Caen has more sights and attractions for tourists. Caen is very popular for its museums, food, and big city activities, while Novalja attracts visitors for its nightlife, resorts, beaches, shopping, and impressive beauty. Novalja is more touristy than Caen and is popular for its crazy beach parties and popularity with the young backpacker crowd. Caen is famous for its role in World War II and its memorials and historical buildings. It is also well known for Pegasus Bridge.

How is Caen different from Novalja?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

Caen is a great destination for its museums and landmarks. However, Novalja is a town with minimal options for its historical sights.

Caen offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. 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.

If you're looking to pass the time, head to a museum or historic sight in Novalja. It's a beach and party destination, not somewhere you go for museums or historical sights.

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

Caen is a great destination for its restaurant scene. However, Novalja is a town with minimal options for its local flavors and cuisine.

Eating is part of the travel experience when you visit Caen. 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.

Novalja may not make the list for most foodies, but you'll find what you need while you're in town. You'll find a lot of places to grab a quick bite to eat or a cheap meal around town. There are pizzerias, fast food, and some nicer bistros to choose from.

Is Caen or Novalja Better for Nightlife?

Novalja is renowned for nightlife. Also, Caen is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for nightlife and partying.

Novalja is a destination that you simply have to visit at least once for nightlife. This is a party island, and you'll find most of the action around Zrce Beach, which is about a 20 minute drive from town. The party scene appeals to the young, backpacker crowd and there's live music, DJs, and parties that last well into the morning. Zrce Beach has a huge number of bars and clubs including three clubs that are listed on the Top 100 DJ's Magazine Best Clubs List.

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 Caen or Novalja Better for Resorts?

Novalja is a decent place to visit for its luxury resorts. However, Caen is not a resort destination.

Novalja has a few resort options worth checking out. Most of the accommodation is in the form of apartments or hostels. There are also some hotels on the island, but because the number is limited they can be quite expensive.

Caen is not a resort destination.

Is Caen or Novalja Better for Beaches?

Novalja is a very popular place for its beaches. However, Caen is not a beach destination.

Many people visit Novalja for it's beautiful beaches. You'll find a mix of beaches near town including hidden gems that feel remote and undiscovered as well as wild party beaches like the famed Zrce Beach. Many beaches are pebbly or have coarse sand with turquoise blue waters.

Caen is not a beach destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Caen or Novalja?

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

Shopping in Novalja can be found for those interested. This isn't the place to go shopping for clothing or local items. You will find some beach and souvenir shops around town though.

Caen is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

Is Caen or Novalja Better for Families?

Caen is a popular place for its family-friendly activities. However, Novalja is a town with minimal options for its kid-friendly activities.

You'll find plenty of kid-friendly things to do in Caen. There are museums, parks, monasteries, and castles that kids and adults alike with enjoy visiting.

For families, Novalja is not always the best place to visit. While there are family-friendly places to visit like some beaches and waterparks, at its heart this is a party destination that is known for its wild parties and crazy crowds.

Is Caen or Novalja Better for Couples?

Caen and Novalja both nice destinations for a couple.

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.

Novalja makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Stunning beaches, blue waters, and surreal landscapes make this a one-of-a-kind place to visit. But romance isn't on most people's minds, as this is first and foremost a party destination.

Is Caen or Novalja Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Novalja is renowned for backpackers and budget travelers. Also, Caen is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for backpackers.

Many backpackers frequent Novalja. Famous for its wild parties that attract backpackers and young travelers, this island destination has become a hotspot for backpackers and party-goers. There are hostels around town that offer a cheap place to crash.

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

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

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

Caen has some very good public transit options. There are buses and trams that travel throughout the city.

While Novalja offers some public transit options, it might not be your first choice. There are local buses around the island or you can rent a personal vehicle like a motorbike or scooter.

Is Caen or Novalja a more walkable city?

Caen and Novalja are nice when it comes to walkability.

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

Novalja is a somewhat walkable place. In town, you can reach most places on foot, but if you want to explore further you'll need to find another way to get around.

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

Should I spend more time in Novalja or Caen?

How long in Caen or Novalja?

It's fun to spend time in either Caen or Novalja. Generally, people tend to spend more time in Novalja due to the larger number of activities and things to do. Usually, 2-3 days is a good amount of time for Caen, and 2-4 days is enough time in Novalja.

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Novalja 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 Novalja.

One day in Caen or Novalja?

In Caen, you'll find museums and nightlife. This city offers something for everyone. One day is usually not enough time for a trip here as there is plenty to do.

Visitors enjoy the nightlife when visiting the destination of Novalja. People usually spend lots of time at the beach. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. With so much to do, one day is probably not enough time to see everything.

A weekend in Caen or Novalja?

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

Novalja is a fun place to experience. Most people visit for the nightlife. If you have a weekend, this is a great place to go. It's also a great beach destination, too. 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.

Five days in Caen or Novalja?

Caen is a great place to explore. 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.

You'll find nightlife around the wild destination of Novalja. This town offers something for everyone. It's a great spot for a beach vacation. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

A week in Caen or Novalja?

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

The backpacker-filled town of Novalja offers nightlife. You'll find plenty of activities on the beach. 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.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in France, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in France, The Best 2-Week Tours from Dubrovnik, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Split.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Caen and Novalja, we can see that Caen 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 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 Novalja.

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

Which is Bigger, Caen or Novalja?

Caen has a larger population, and is about 50 times larger than the population of Novalja. When comparing the sizes of Caen 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.