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

Should you visit Calais or Lucca?

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

Should I visit Calais or Lucca? 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.

Calais

Calais is a coastal, authentic, and undiscovered city. Because this is such a big city, visitors will find many sights and attractions around town. Other popular activities here include nightlife, food, and beaches.

Lucca

Lucca is a quaint, popular, and historic city. With stunning beauty, it attracts visitors from all around. Other popular activities here include shopping, museums, and nightlife.

Calais and Lucca: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Calais or Lucca?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Calais. Although Calais and Lucca are popular destinations, Calais has more sights and attractions for tourists. Calais is very popular for its beaches and big city activities, while Lucca attracts visitors for its museums, food, historical sights, and impressive beauty. Lucca is more touristy than Calais and is known for its ancient city walls and its many historic buildings. Calais is famous for being a gateway for travelers to France. It is also well known for The Town Hall.

How is Calais different from Lucca?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

Lucca is well known for its museums and landmarks. Also, Calais is still popular, but not quite as popular for its historical sights.

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

Calais is a good place to visit if you're interested in museums or other recognizable sights. It's a port city with a few good museums and landmarks to see. Check out the Town Hall, Burghers of Calais, La Cité de la Dentelle et de la Mode, and Musée de la Guerre de Calais, as well as the Calais Lighthouse.

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

Lucca is well known for its restaurant scene. Also, Calais is still popular, but not quite as popular for its local flavors and cuisine.

Dining out in Lucca is an experience not to be missed. 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.

There are plenty of up and coming restaurants around Calais. The region is known for its mackerel, andouillette sausage, and endive and ham gratin. If you're passing through, this is also a good place to stock up on wine and cheese.

Is Calais or Lucca Better for Nightlife?

Party-goers will find similar levels of energy in Calais and Lucca.

Calais has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. You'll find bars and pubs around town as well as a few clubs. Places range from trendy and high end to local dive bars.

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.

Is Calais or Lucca Better for Beaches?

Calais is a city with good options for the beach. However, Lucca is not a beach destination.

Plenty of visitors enjoy relaxing on the beach in Calais. There are some sandy beaches near town that have nice stretches of sand and plenty of sand dunes. Many locals enjoy sunbathing at the beaches.

Lucca is not a beach destination.

Is Calais or Lucca Better for its Old Town?

Lucca is a must-visit destination for its historic old town charm. However, Calais does not have a historic old town.

The rich history of Lucca can be explored in its historical center. The historic city is surrounded by city walls, which you can walk around. Within the walls there are cobblestone streets and a charming atmosphere.

Calais does not have a historic old town.

Is the Shopping Better in Calais or Lucca?

Shopping is a popular activity in both Lucca and Calais.

Many visitors go to Calais to go shopping. Many visitors stock up on wine and cheese when they're passing through. It's common to head straight to Auchan or Carrefour to stock up on some items.

Plenty of visitors enjoy shopping while in Lucca. 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.

Is Calais or Lucca Better for Families?

Kids will enjoy a visit to either Calais or Lucca.

You'll find plenty of kid-friendly things to do in Calais. There's the Nausicaa Aquarium, the Museum of the Atlantic Wall, and the Second World War Museum. There are also beaches and parks to explore as well as some nice playgrounds.

Lucca offers lots of family activities. 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 Calais or Lucca Better for Couples?

Lucca is well known for couples. Also, Calais is still popular, but not quite as popular for romance.

Couples visit Lucca frequently as it offers plenty of romantic activities. 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.

Calais is a nice destination for couples. Couples can picnic with wine and cheese or eat their way through the town's great restaurants. There are also some nice beaches where people enjoy sunbathing or relaxing.

Is Calais or Lucca Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Lucca is a popular place for backpackers. However, Calais is not particularly known for backpackers and budget travelers.

Plenty of budget travelers visit Lucca. While there aren't many traditional hostels around town, guesthouses are usually affordable.

Calais is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. This part of France is often overlooked by tourists so you won't find many backpackers or hostels in the area. It does offer a glimpse into an authentic side of France.

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

Calais is a city 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 Calais, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. The city has 13 bus lines that run through town and into the surrounding areas. If you're arriving by ferry from the UK, there are shuttle buses that connect the ferry terminal to the train station.

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 Calais or Lucca a more walkable city?

Lucca is well known for its ease of walking around. Also, Calais is still popular, but not quite as popular for its walkability.

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

Calais is somewhat walkable. Parts of the town are more walkable than others.

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

Should I spend more time in Lucca or Calais?

How long in Calais or Lucca?

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

Families should spend more time in Lucca than Calais. 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 Calais. 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 Calais 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 Calais or Lucca?

In Calais, many people enjoy the shopping and museums that this authentic destination offers. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Because of this, one day is usually enough time for a trip here.

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

A weekend in Calais or Lucca?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Calais. 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.

Lucca 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 Calais or Lucca?

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

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Lucca. 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 Calais or Lucca?

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

Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the charming destination of Lucca. 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 Budget Tours to France, The Best Tours for Seniors to France, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Italy, and The Best Historical Tours in Italy.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Calais or Lucca?

Lucca has a larger population, and is about 10% larger than the population of Calais. When comparing the sizes of Calais 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.