A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Coimbra vs. Playa del Ingles for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Coimbra or Playa del Ingles?

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

Should I visit Coimbra or Playa del Ingles? 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 del Ingles?

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 del Ingles

Translating to "Englishman's Beach," Playa del Ingles is a sea resort located on the south coast of the Gran Canaria island of Spain's Canary Islands. Since the 1960s it has been built up to accommodate tourists from around the world, especially from Europe. Some of the most popular attractions include an abundance of bars and clubs as well as beachside activities like swimming, surfing, scuba, and snorkeling.

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 Contiki Tours to Spain, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Spain.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Coimbra and Playa del Ingles, we can see that Playa del Ingles 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 del Ingles would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Playa del Ingles 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 del Ingles Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Coimbra or Playa del Ingles?

Coimbra has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Playa del Ingles. When comparing the sizes of Coimbra and Playa del Ingles, 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 del Ingles?

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 del Ingles in the Summer?

Both Playa del Ingles and Coimbra are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities.

In the summer, Coimbra is around the same temperature as Playa del Ingles. Typically, the summer temperatures in Coimbra in July average around 23°C (73°F), and Playa del Ingles averages at about 22°C (72°F).

It's quite sunny in Playa del Ingles. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Coimbra. Coimbra usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Playa del Ingles during summer. Coimbra gets 308 hours of sunny skies, while Playa del Ingles receives 293 hours of full sun in the summer.

In July, Coimbra usually receives more rain than Playa del Ingles. Coimbra gets 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain, while Playa del Ingles receives 0 mm (0 in) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit Coimbra or Playa del Ingles in the Autumn?

Both Playa del Ingles and Coimbra during the autumn are popular places to visit.

In October, Coimbra is generally cooler than Playa del Ingles. Daily temperatures in Coimbra average around 18°C (65°F), and Playa del Ingles fluctuates around 23°C (73°F).

In Playa del Ingles, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the autumn, Coimbra often gets less sunshine than Playa del Ingles. Coimbra gets 184 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Playa del Ingles receives 213 hours of full sun.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Coimbra. Coimbra usually gets more rain in October than Playa del Ingles. Coimbra gets 101 mm (4 in) of rain, while Playa del Ingles receives 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Coimbra or Playa del Ingles in the Winter?

The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Coimbra and Playa del Ingles.

Coimbra is much colder than Playa del Ingles in the winter. The daily temperature in Coimbra averages around 11°C (51°F) in January, and Playa del Ingles fluctuates around 17°C (63°F).

Coimbra usually receives less sunshine than Playa del Ingles during winter. Coimbra gets 124 hours of sunny skies, while Playa del Ingles receives 187 hours of full sun in the winter.

Coimbra gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In January, Coimbra usually receives more rain than Playa del Ingles. Coimbra gets 139 mm (5.5 in) of rain, while Playa del Ingles receives 17 mm (0.7 in) of rain each month for the winter.

Should I visit Coimbra or Playa del Ingles in the Spring?

The spring brings many poeple to Coimbra as well as Playa del Ingles.

In the spring, Coimbra is cooler than Playa del Ingles. Typically, the spring temperatures in Coimbra in April average around 15°C (59°F), and Playa del Ingles averages at about 19°C (66°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Playa del Ingles. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Coimbra this time of the year. In the spring, Coimbra often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Playa del Ingles. Coimbra gets 217 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Playa del Ingles receives 225 hours of full sun.

Coimbra usually gets more rain in April than Playa del Ingles. Coimbra gets 92 mm (3.6 in) of rain, while Playa del Ingles receives 6 mm (0.2 in) of rain this time of the year.

Typical Weather for Playa del Ingles and Coimbra