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

Should you visit Calais or Novalja?

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

Should I visit Calais or Novalja? 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 undiscovered, coastal, and authentic city. It's a large city, so you'll find plenty of things to do around town. And you can't forget about the beaches, shopping, and museums.

Novalja

Novalja is a backpacker-filled, wild, and energetic town. With stunning beauty, it attracts visitors from all around. Other popular activities here include nightlife and beaches.

Calais and Novalja: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Calais or Novalja?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Calais. Although Calais and Novalja are both popular with visitors, Calais has more sights, activities, and attractions for travelers. Calais is more popular for its museums, food, shopping, and big city activities, while Novalja is known for its nightlife, resorts, beaches, and impressive beauty. Novalja is more touristy than Calais and is known for its crazy beach parties and popularity with the young backpacker crowd. Calais is popular for being a gateway for travelers to France. It is also home to The Town Hall.

How is Calais different from Novalja?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Novalja 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 Novalja?

Calais is a popular place for its museums and landmarks. However, Novalja is a town with minimal options for its historical sights.

Calais offers a variety of museums and landmarks to choose from. 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.

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 Calais or Novalja? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Calais is a popular place for its restaurant scene. However, Novalja is a town with minimal options for its local flavors and cuisine.

Visitors will find a budding food and restaurant scene in 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.

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 Calais or Novalja Better for Nightlife?

Novalja is a must-visit destination for its evening party scene. Also, Calais is still popular, but not quite as popular for nightlife.

Novalja is a world class party destination. 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.

If you're looking for night time activities Calais has a few options to choose from. 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.

Is Calais or Novalja Better for Resorts?

Novalja is a town with a few options for its resorts. However, Calais is not a resort destination.

You might not think of Novalja as a resort destination, but it has a few places. 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.

Calais is not a resort destination.

Is Calais or Novalja Better for Beaches?

Novalja is well known for the beach. Also, Calais is still popular, but not quite as popular for its beaches.

Novalja is considered a top beach destination. 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.

Many people head to Calais to enjoy the beach. 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.

Is the Shopping Better in Calais or Novalja?

Calais is a popular place for its shopping opportunities. However, Novalja is a town with minimal options for its shopping areas.

Calais offers some nice shopping areas. 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.

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.

Is Calais or Novalja Better for Families?

Calais 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 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.

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 Calais or Novalja Better for Couples?

With fun activities for couples, both Calais and Novalja make for a good place to visit.

Calais is a good city for couples to visit. 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.

Novalja is a nice destination for couples. 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 Calais or Novalja Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Novalja is a must-visit destination for backpackers. However, Calais is not particularly known for backpackers and budget travelers.

Novalja is a very popular town to visit for backpackers. 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.

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

You'll find somewhat comparable public transit options in both Calais and Novalja.

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.

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 Calais or Novalja a more walkable city?

Calais and Novalja both are good when exploring on foot.

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

Novalja is somewhat walkable. 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 Calais Worth Visiting? and Is Novalja Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Novalja or Calais?

How long in Calais or Novalja?

It's fun to spend time in either Calais or Novalja. Generally, people tend to spend more time in Novalja due to the larger number of activities and things to do. Usually, 1-3 days is a good amount of time for Calais, and 2-4 days is enough time in Novalja.

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

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

One day in Calais or Novalja?

In Calais, you'll find nightlife and food. 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.

Many travelers enjoy the nightlife when visiting the destination of Novalja. It's a great spot for a beach vacation. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

A weekend in Calais or Novalja?

In Calais, you'll find food and shopping. 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 Calais has to offer.

Novalja is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. Don't miss the nightlife, as that's what most people do. 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 Novalja?

Calais 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.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Novalja. Don't miss the nightlife, as that's what most people do. Most people come for the beaches. 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 Novalja?

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

Travelers enjoy the nightlife when visiting the energetic destination of Novalja. This town offers a variety of activities to choose from. Many visitors spend time at the beach while visiting 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 2-Week Tours from Dubrovnik, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Split.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Calais or Novalja?

Calais has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Novalja. When comparing the sizes of Calais 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.