A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Calais vs. Turin (Torino) for Attractions, Food, Couples, and Backpackers

Should you visit Calais or Turin (Torino)?

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

Should I visit Calais or Turin (Torino)? 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 museums, nightlife, and food.

Turin (Torino)

Turin (Torino) is a beautiful, authentic, and historic city. With stunning beauty, it attracts visitors from all around. Other popular activities here include shopping, museums, and nightlife.

Calais and Turin (Torino): Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Calais or Turin (Torino)?

Visitors will generally find more to do in Calais than Turin (Torino). While Turin (Torino) is larger than Calais, Calais has more sights, attractions, and activities for tourists. Calais is very popular for its beaches and big city activities, while Turin (Torino) attracts visitors for its museums, food, and impressive beauty. Turin (Torino) is more touristy than Calais and is known for its grand squares, beautiful palaces, and easy access to the Alps. 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 Turin (Torino)?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Turin (Torino) 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 Turin (Torino)?

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

Turin (Torino) offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. The city boasts a number of museums including The Egyptian Museum, Museo Nazionale del Cinema, and Museo Nazionale dell'Automobile. Other landmarks include the Royal Armory, The Cathedral and the Holy Shroud, and Palazzo Madama.

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 Turin (Torino)? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Turin (Torino) 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 Turin (Torino) is an experience not to be missed. The region has been credited with being the birthplace of the Slow Food Movement. The dishes often use locally made ingredients and there are very diverse flavors and recipes. Local favorites include antipasto misto, risotto ai funghi (mushroom risotto), and carne cruda (beef tartare).

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 Turin (Torino) Better for Nightlife?

Party-goers will find similar levels of energy in Calais and Turin (Torino).

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 Turin (Torino) has a few options to choose from. There's a good nightlife scene that includes everything from bars to dance clubs. Via Po is one of the city's main bar hopping streets. For a more relaxed night out head to Via Garibaldi which has a number of restaurants and cocktail bars.

Is Calais or Turin (Torino) Better for Beaches?

Calais is a nice place to visit for the beach. However, Turin (Torino) is not a beach destination.

Calais has a beach worth visiting. 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.

Turin (Torino) is not a beach destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Calais or Turin (Torino)?

Shopping is a popular activity in both Turin (Torino) 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 Turin (Torino). The city has everything from high end shopping to local boutiques. For the best luxury shopping head to Via Roma. Via Garibaldi is another popular pedestrian street that has many shops and restaurants.

Is Calais or Turin (Torino) Better for Families?

Kids will enjoy a visit to either Calais or Turin (Torino).

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.

Turin (Torino) offers lots of family activities. If the kids need to stretch their legs, head to Valentino Park. For kid-friendly museums, check out The Cinema Museum The Egyptian Museum, or the Museum of Car. It's also fun to take a ride of the historic tram.

Is Calais or Turin (Torino) Better for Couples?

Turin (Torino) is well known for couples. Also, Calais is still popular, but not quite as popular for romance.

Couples visit Turin (Torino) frequently as it offers plenty of romantic activities. With grand squares, beautiful architecture, and excellent cuisine, couples will enjoy every minute of their trip to Turin. The city is also near the Alps, so outdoor adventure isn't far away.

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 Turin (Torino) Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Turin (Torino) is well known for backpackers. However, Calais is not particularly known for backpackers and budget travelers.

Turin (Torino) is a very popular city for backpackers and budget travelers. You'll find hostels around town and easy access to outdoor activities. The city also has great food and a lively atmosphere.

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 Turin (Torino) Better for Students?

Turin (Torino) is well known for students. However, Calais is not popular with students.

Turin (Torino) is a very popular city for students and younger travelers. It's relatively easy to find study abroad opportunities to the area. The city's atmosphere is diverse and fun with many activities that the student population can enjoy.

Calais is not popular with students.

Is Calais or Turin (Torino) Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Turin (Torino) is well known for its public transit. Also, Calais is still popular, but not quite as popular for times when you don't have a car.

Many visitors use the public transit system in Turin (Torino). The public transit system is operated by Gruppo Torinese Trasporti (GTT) and includes one metro line, nine tram lines, and a number of bus lines.

While Calais offers some public transit options, it might not be your first choice. 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.

Is Calais or Turin (Torino) a more walkable city?

Calais and Turin (Torino) both are nice when exploring on foot.

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

Turin (Torino) is somewhat walkable. While the city is large, the city center is generally compact and walkable.

For even more information, also check out Is Calais Worth Visiting? and Is Turin (Torino) Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Turin (Torino) or Calais?

How long in Calais or Turin (Torino)?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Calais and Turin (Torino). In our opinion, Turin (Torino) has more to see and do, so we recommend spending more time in Turin (Torino) than Calais. In general, 1-3 days is a good amount of time for Calais, and 2-3 days is enough time in Turin (Torino).

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Turin (Torino) 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 Turin (Torino).

One day in Calais or Turin (Torino)?

In Calais, you'll find museums and nightlife. So, one day is just the right amount of time to spend here.

Many travelers enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting the destination of Turin (Torino). But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

A weekend in Calais or Turin (Torino)?

Calais is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. Anyone can find something fun to do here. Because of this, a weekend is usually enough time for a trip here.

Turin (Torino) 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 Turin (Torino)?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Calais. It offers something for everyone. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Turin (Torino). 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 Turin (Torino)?

Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the city of Calais. Your budget might influence how long you stay. 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.

Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the authentic destination of Turin (Torino). This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. 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 Vineyard & Wine Tours in Italy, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Italy.

When comparing the travel costs between Calais and Turin (Torino), we can see that Turin (Torino) 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 Calais Expensive? and Is Turin (Torino) Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Calais or Turin (Torino)?

Turin (Torino) has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Calais. When comparing the sizes of Calais and Turin (Torino), 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.