A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Chartres vs. Bilbao for Attractions, Families, Couples, and Backpackers

Should you visit Chartres or Bilbao?

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

Should I visit Chartres or Bilbao? 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.

Chartres

Chartres is a grand, spectacular, and historic town. Don't miss this spot, as it's a charming small town with plenty of activities. And you can't forget about the food and museums.

Bilbao

Bilbao is a friendly, industrial, and authentic city. It's a large city, so you'll find plenty of things to do around town. Visitors also love the shopping, museums, and nightlife.

Chartres and Bilbao: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Chartres or Bilbao?

Visitors will usually find more to do in Bilbao than Chartres, as it offers more sights, attractions, and activities. Bilbao is better known for its museums, nightlife, historical sights, shopping, and big city activities, while Chartres is more popular for its food and small town charm. Chartres is well known for its beautiful cathedral and long running history. Bilbao is well known for it's world-class culinary scene, its modern museums, and its lovely parks. Also, Bilbao is famous for The Guggenheim Museum.

How is Chartres different from Bilbao?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Chartres or Bilbao?

Bilbao is great for its historical sights. Also, Chartres is not as popular, but is still a nice town for its sights and museums.

Bilbao offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. A favorite museum in town is the popular Guggenheim Museum. From its iconic building to the unique exhibits, this is a must-see stop during your visit. Other highlights around town include the Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao, the Museo Vasco, as well as the city's unique bridges.

If you're looking for an educational opportunity, there are a decent number of museums and historical sights around Chartres. Most visitors make the trip to see the spectacular Gothic cathedral, Cathédrale Notre-Dame. It was completed in 1220 and is famous for its beautiful stained glass windows.

Is the Food Better in Chartres or Bilbao? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Chartres is a good destination for its restaurant scene. However, Bilbao is not a culinary destination.

Visitors will find a budding food and restaurant scene in Chartres. There are a number of restaurants around town so it's easy to grab lunch during a day trip.

Bilbao is not a culinary destination. The food scene is among the best in Spain. The city has several world renowned restaurants, including a few Michelin-starred restaurants, but there are also smaller eateries that cater to the locals and tourists alike. Make sure you try the pintxos, which are small dishes that are the Basque region's answer to tapas. Many include seafood and are cooked with olive oil and garlic.

Is Chartres or Bilbao Better for Nightlife?

Bilbao is great for nightlife and partying. However, Chartres is not a destination with noteworthy nightlife.

Many people head to Bilbao for the nightlife scene. There's a great late night scene that centers around eating and drinking. There are lively nightclubs, a good live music scene, and no shortage of people heading out on the town.

Chartres is not a destination with noteworthy nightlife.

Is Chartres or Bilbao Better for its Old Town?

Bilbao is a popular place for its old town. However, Chartres does not have a historic old town.

Plenty of visitors enjoy exploring the old town in Bilbao. The old town, often called Casco Viejo, is filled with historic architecture, great local bars, and some interesting shopping.

Chartres does not have a historic old town.

Is the Shopping Better in Chartres or Bilbao?

Bilbao is great for its shopping opportunities. However, Chartres is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

Bilbao is well-known for its shopping. Gran Vía is the most popular shopping street in town. There are also historic boutique shops around the old town.

Chartres is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

Is Chartres or Bilbao Better for Families?

Bilbao is a popular place for its kid-friendly activities. However, Chartres is not a good destination for its family-friendly activities.

Bilbao offers lots of family activities. The city offers some great museums such as the Guggenheim Museum. Families will also enjoy taking a ride of the Artxander Funicular, and exploring Mercado de la Ribera. You can also enjoy walking around Park Abandoibarra and exploring the creative sculptures.

Chartres is not the most family-friendly destination. The main attraction in town is the cathedral, but the surrounding area is also filled with history. This may not keep your kids entertained for long, so you can also check out the Stained Glass Museum, La Tanière (a zoo), or one of the parks around town.

Is Chartres or Bilbao Better for Couples?

With fun activities for couples, both Chartres and Bilbao make for a notable place to visit.

Chartres makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. With its cathedral and rich history, many couples enjoy exploring the town. It is filled with history and interesting sights.

Bilbao is a good town for couples to visit. The city is filled with a vibrant enjoy with parks and outdoor strolls that couples will enjoy. There are also many great museums and romantic restaurants as well as some great shopping streets.

Is Chartres or Bilbao Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

For backpackers, both Chartres and Bilbao are notable places to visit.

Plenty of budget travelers visit Chartres. It's easy enough to visit as a day trip from Paris, so backpackers and other tourists typically allow themselves a few hours to explore.

Bilbao is popular with backpackers and budget travelers. There are plenty of hostels to choose from and a good social scene that makes it easy to meet other backpackers.

Is Chartres or Bilbao Better for Students?

Bilbao is a popular place for its student-friendly activities. However, Chartres is not popular with students.

It's common for students to visit Bilbao. This is a popular study abroad destination with many great museums and educational opportunities for international students.

Chartres is not popular with students.

Is Chartres or Bilbao Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Chartres and Bilbao both offer superb public transit to get you around.

The public transit in Chartres can get you around easily. There are trains that leave Paris Montparnasse 1 Et 2 every half hour and travel to Chartres. The trip takes about 1 hour 15 minutes.

Bilbao offers a very effecient public transportation network. The metro system has three lines. There is also a tram and bus system.

Is Chartres or Bilbao a more walkable city?

Chartres is well known for its high level of walkability. Also, Bilbao is still popular, but not quite as popular for its ease of walking around.

Chartres is a very walkable town. It's easy to see the sights around town on foot.

Bilbao is a somewhat walkable town. It's a fairly walkable city with several pedestrian-friendly areas.

For even more information, also check out Is Chartres Worth Visiting? and Is Bilbao Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Bilbao or Chartres?

How long in Chartres or Bilbao?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Chartres and Bilbao. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Bilbao than in Chartres. Usually, 1-2 days is a good amount of time for Chartres, and 2-3 days is enough time in Bilbao.

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Bilbao than Chartres 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 Bilbao.

One day in Chartres or Bilbao?

Many travelers enjoy the museums and food when visiting the destination of Chartres. One day is often enough time to do most activities.

The city of Bilbao offers nightlife and shopping. With so much to do, one day is probably not enough time to see everything. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

A weekend in Chartres or Bilbao?

Chartres 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.

Bilbao is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. If you have a weekend, this city makes for a great vacation. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Bilbao, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

Five days in Chartres or Bilbao?

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

Bilbao is a popular choice for travelers. Five days 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. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

A week in Chartres or Bilbao?

Travelers enjoy the food and museums when visiting the historic destination of Chartres. This town offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

Bilbao is a great place to explore. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. This city offers something for everyone.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in France, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in France, The Best G Adventures Tours to Spain, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Madrid.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Chartres or Bilbao?

Bilbao has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Chartres. When comparing the sizes of Chartres and Bilbao, 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 Chartres or Bilbao?

Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.

Should I visit Chartres or Bilbao in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Chartres as well as Bilbao. Most visitors come to Chartres for the small town charm and the family-friendly experiences during these months. Additionally, the summer months attract visitors to Bilbao because of the city activities and the family-friendly experiences.

Chartres is around the same temperature as Bilbao in the summer. The daily temperature in Chartres averages around 20°C (68°F) in July, and Bilbao fluctuates around 20°C (68°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Chartres this time of the year. In the summer, Chartres often gets more sunshine than Bilbao. Chartres gets 239 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Bilbao receives 188 hours of full sun.

Chartres usually gets more rain in July than Bilbao. Chartres gets 55 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Bilbao receives 51 mm (2 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Chartres or Bilbao in the Autumn?

Both Bilbao and Chartres are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The autumn months attract visitors to Chartres because of the small town atmosphere. Also, the city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene are the main draw to Bilbao this time of year.

In the autumn, Chartres is cooler than Bilbao. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Chartres in October average around 13°C (56°F), and Bilbao averages at about 16°C (62°F).

Chartres usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Bilbao during autumn. Chartres gets 126 hours of sunny skies, while Bilbao receives 125 hours of full sun in the autumn.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Bilbao. In October, Chartres usually receives less rain than Bilbao. Chartres gets 43 mm (1.7 in) of rain, while Bilbao receives 111 mm (4.4 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Chartres or Bilbao in the Winter?

Both Bilbao and Chartres during the winter are popular places to visit. The museums and the cuisine are the main draw to Chartres this time of year. Also, many travelers come to Bilbao for the museums and the shopping scene.

It's quite cold in Chartres in the winter. In January, Chartres is generally much colder than Bilbao. Daily temperatures in Chartres average around 5°C (40°F), and Bilbao fluctuates around 9°C (48°F).

In the winter, Chartres often gets less sunshine than Bilbao. Chartres gets 56 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Bilbao receives 77 hours of full sun.

Bilbao gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Chartres usually gets less rain in January than Bilbao. Chartres gets 55 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Bilbao receives 130 mm (5.1 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Chartres or Bilbao in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Chartres and Bilbao. Many travelers come to Chartres for the small town charm. Also, many visitors come to Bilbao in the spring for the activities around the city.

Chartres is around the same temperature as Bilbao in the spring. The daily temperature in Chartres averages around 11°C (52°F) in April, and Bilbao fluctuates around 12°C (54°F).

Chartres usually receives more sunshine than Bilbao during spring. Chartres gets 173 hours of sunny skies, while Bilbao receives 117 hours of full sun in the spring.

Bilbao receives a lot of rain in the spring. In April, Chartres usually receives less rain than Bilbao. Chartres gets 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Bilbao receives 129 mm (5.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Bilbao and Chartres