A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Caracas vs. La Serena for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Caracas or La Serena?

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

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Caracas and La Serena can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Caracas or La Serena?

Caracas

Caracas is the capital city of Venezuela, and also the country's largest city. It's in the northern portion of the country and is close to the Caribbean. While Caracas may not be a major travel destination in Venezuela, it can offer interesting insight into the country's urban character. It has a great art, culinary, and music culture that truly bring the city to life. The beautiful Mount Avila overlooks the city and separates the city from the Caribbean Sea. Many locals and visitors alike head to the mountain as a quick escape. You can reach it by taking a cable car that carries you up to the SWaraira Repano Park at the very top.

La Serena

La Serena is a charming town in Northern Chile. It is Chile's second-oldest city and the thriving capital of Region IV. With its beautiful architecture, its long golden shoreline, dignified stone churches, tree-shaded avenues and pretty plazas, La Serena has everything you could ask for!

Chileans on holidays flood in the city in January and February, though it is fairly peaceful outside the summer rush. Some of the city's architecture is from the colonial era, but most is actually neocolonial thanks to president Gabriel Gonzalez Videla, born in La Serena, and her 'Plan Serena' of the late 1940s.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in Chile, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Chile.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Caracas or La Serena?

Caracas has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of La Serena. When comparing the sizes of Caracas and La Serena, 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.

When is the best time to visit Caracas or La Serena?

La Serena has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Caracas experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit Caracas or La Serena in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Caracas as well as La Serena. Caracas attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

In July, Caracas is generally much warmer than La Serenain January. Daily temperatures in Caracas average around 27°C (81°F), and La Serena fluctuates around 18°C (64°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in La Serena. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Caracas this time of the year. In the summer, Caracas often gets around the same amount of sunshine as La Serenain January. Caracas gets 242 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Serena receives 247 hours of full sun.

Caracas usually gets more rain in July than La Serenain January. Caracas gets 57 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 4 mm (0.2 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Caracas or La Serena in the Autumn?

Both La Serena and Caracas are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Caracas throughout the year.

Caracas is much warmer than La Serena in the autumn. The daily temperature in Caracas averages around 28°C (83°F) in October, and La Serena fluctuates around 15°C (59°F)in April.

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Caracas. Caracas usually receives more sunshine than La Serena during autumn. Caracas gets 208 hours of sunny skies, while La Serena receives 159 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In October, Caracas usually receives more rain than La Serenain April. Caracas gets 56 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Caracas or La Serena in the Winter?

Both La Serena and Caracas during the winter are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Caracas because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

In the winter, Caracas is much warmer than La Serena. Typically, the winter temperatures in Caracas in January average around 26°C (78°F), and La Serena averages at about 12°C (54°F)in July.

It's quite sunny in Caracas. In the winter, Caracas often gets more sunshine than La Serenain July. Caracas gets 233 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while La Serena receives 160 hours of full sun.

Caracas usually gets more rain in January than La Serenain July. Caracas gets 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 3 mm (0.1 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Caracas or La Serena in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Caracas and La Serena. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Caracas year-round.

In April, Caracas is generally much warmer than La Serenain October. Daily temperatures in Caracas average around 27°C (80°F), and La Serena fluctuates around 14°C (57°F).

Caracas usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as La Serena during spring. Caracas gets 183 hours of sunny skies, while La Serena receives 190 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Caracas usually receives more rain than La Serenain October. Caracas gets 29 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while La Serena receives 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for La Serena and Caracas