A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Coimbra vs. Playa de las Americas for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Coimbra or Playa de las Americas?

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

Should I visit Coimbra or Playa de las Americas? 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.

Where Should I go: Coimbra or Playa de las Americas?

Coimbra

Coimbra is located in Central Portugal in the Centro Region. It's the third largest city in the country with about 460,000 people living in the entire region. It is also where you'll find the University of Coimbra, which is one of the oldest universities in Europe and the oldest academic institution in the Portuguese speaking world. During the High Middle Ages, Coimbra served as the nation's capital and there are archaeological structures that date back to the Roman era.

Playa de las Americas

If you are looking to escape your life - to relax on a modern day pleasure island, then you need to book a trip to the Playa de las Americas resort town. Located on the south coast of Tenerife, this party, beach, and vacation capital never goes to sleep. Packed with nightclubs, bars, live music, shops and restaurants, Playa de las Americas is the stuff Hollywood movies are made of.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Portugal, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Portugal, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Barcelona, and The Best 10-Day Tours from Madrid.

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

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Coimbra Expensive? and Is Playa de las Americas Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Coimbra or Playa de las Americas?

Coimbra has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Playa de las Americas. When comparing the sizes of Coimbra and Playa de las Americas, 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 Coimbra or Playa de las Americas?

Both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. And since both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.

Should I visit Coimbra or Playa de las Americas in the Summer?

The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Coimbra and Playa de las Americas.

In July, Coimbra is generally around the same temperature as Playa de las Americas. Daily temperatures in Coimbra average around 23°C (73°F), and Playa de las Americas fluctuates around 24°C (75°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Playa de las Americas this time of the year. In Coimbra, it's very sunny this time of the year. Coimbra usually receives more sunshine than Playa de las Americas during summer. Coimbra gets 308 hours of sunny skies, while Playa de las Americas receives 268 hours of full sun in the summer.

In July, Coimbra usually receives more rain than Playa de las Americas. Coimbra gets 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain, while Playa de las Americas receives 2 mm (0.1 in) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit Coimbra or Playa de las Americas in the Autumn?

The autumn brings many poeple to Coimbra as well as Playa de las Americas.

Coimbra is cooler than Playa de las Americas in the autumn. The daily temperature in Coimbra averages around 18°C (65°F) in October, and Playa de las Americas fluctuates around 24°C (75°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Playa de las Americas. In the autumn, Coimbra often gets less sunshine than Playa de las Americas. Coimbra gets 184 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Playa de las Americas receives 200 hours of full sun.

Coimbra receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Coimbra usually gets more rain in October than Playa de las Americas. Coimbra gets 101 mm (4 in) of rain, while Playa de las Americas receives 20 mm (0.8 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Coimbra or Playa de las Americas in the Winter?

Both Playa de las Americas and Coimbra are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities.

In the winter, Coimbra is much colder than Playa de las Americas. Typically, the winter temperatures in Coimbra in January average around 11°C (51°F), and Playa de las Americas averages at about 19°C (66°F).

Coimbra usually receives less sunshine than Playa de las Americas during winter. Coimbra gets 124 hours of sunny skies, while Playa de las Americas receives 191 hours of full sun in the winter.

It's quite rainy in Coimbra. In January, Coimbra usually receives more rain than Playa de las Americas. Coimbra gets 139 mm (5.5 in) of rain, while Playa de las Americas receives 29 mm (1.1 in) of rain each month for the winter.

Should I visit Coimbra or Playa de las Americas in the Spring?

Both Playa de las Americas and Coimbra during the spring are popular places to visit.

In April, Coimbra is generally cooler than Playa de las Americas. Daily temperatures in Coimbra average around 15°C (59°F), and Playa de las Americas fluctuates around 20°C (68°F).

In Playa de las Americas, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Coimbra. In the spring, Coimbra often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Playa de las Americas. Coimbra gets 217 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Playa de las Americas receives 205 hours of full sun.

Coimbra usually gets more rain in April than Playa de las Americas. Coimbra gets 92 mm (3.6 in) of rain, while Playa de las Americas receives 11 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.

Typical Weather for Playa de las Americas and Coimbra