A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Carcassonne vs. Costa Vicentina for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Carcassonne or Costa Vicentina?

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 Carcassonne and Costa Vicentina. 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.

Where Should I go: Carcassonne or Costa Vicentina?

Carcassonne

Carcassonne is a hilltop town in southern France. Inhabited since the Neolithic period, Carcassonne is located in the Aude plain between historic trade routes, linking the Atlantic to the Mediterranean sea and the Massif Central to the Pyrenees. The Romans recognized its strategic importance and occupied its hilltop until the demise of the Western Roman Empire and was later taken over in the fifth century by the Visigoths who founded the city. Its desirable location led successive rulers to expand its fortifications until the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659. It is famous for its medieval citadel, La Cite, which has numerous watchtowers and double-walled fortifications. The first walls were built in Gallo-Roman times, with major additions made in the 13th and 14th centuries. With its position on a rocky hilltop, zigzag battlements, stout walls and spiky turrets, the fortified city of Carcassonne looks like something out of a children's storybook when it's seen from afar. A Unesco World Heritage Site since 1997, it's most people's idea of the perfect medieval castle. It attracts over four million visitors every year, peaking in high summer. Time your visit for late in the day (or even better in spring or fall) to truly appreciate the old town's medieval charm.

Costa Vicentina

Costa Vicentina is the beautiful coastal area in southwest Portugal which runs through both the Algarve and Alentejo Regions along the southern coast. This is actually part of the longest stretch of protected coastline in Portugal, making it one of the best places to experience the unadulterated beauty and nature of the country. Costa Vicentina offers miles of some of the best Portugal beaches, fantastic hiking trails, and lovely old villages to explore. The area sees far more Portuguese tourists than international ones, so expect Portuguese to be the only language spoken by many people, especially in the smaller villages.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in France, The Best Historical Tours in France, The Best Walking Tours in Portugal, and The Best Luxury Tours to Portugal.


Which place is cheaper, Costa Vicentina or Carcassonne?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Carcassonne is €106, while the average daily cost in Costa Vicentina is €125. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Carcassonne and Costa Vicentina in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Carcassonne 61
    Costa Vicentina 66
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Carcassonne 122
    Costa Vicentina 132
Compare Hotels in Carcassonne and Costa Vicentina

Looking for a hotel in Carcassonne or Costa Vicentina? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Carcassonne


Hotels in Costa Vicentina


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Carcassonne Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Carcassonne 7.14
    Costa Vicentina 40

Is it cheaper to fly into Carcassonne or Costa Vicentina?

Prices for flights to both Costa Vicentina and Carcassonne change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Carcassonne 39
    Costa Vicentina 34

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Carcassonne 14
    Costa Vicentina 17

Tours and Activities in Carcassonne

For Carcassonne, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • City Exploration Game and Tour: $6.42
  • Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $6.42
  • Castle and Ramparts Entry Ticket: $12
  • A Self-Guided Tour of Carcassonne’s Ancient Basilica: $20
  • Medieval Walls Self-Guided Smartphone App Tour: $20
  • Carcassonne 's Medieval Walls: A Self-Guided Tour: $20
  • Languedoc: Tour and Tasting at Domaine de Baronarques: $21
  • Unusual guided tour of Carcassonne at the time of the Builders: $22
  • Unusual Guided Tour of the Medieval City of Carcassonne: $22
  • Small group tour of the Cité de Carcassonne: $49
  • Complete Private Tour City and Castle of Carcassonne: $109
  • Cité de Private Guided Tour: $160

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Carcassonne 13
    Costa Vicentina 8.71

Sample the Local Flavors in Carcassonne

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Carcassonne:

  • Wine tour Cathar country: $471


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

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