A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Faro vs. Toledo for Old Town, Food, Nightlife, and Families

Should you visit Faro or Toledo?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Faro or Toledo, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Faro

Faro is a popular, busy, and active resort town. Other reasons to visit include scuba diving and snorkeling, beaches, and shopping.

Toledo

Toledo is a beautiful, ancient, and medieval city. It's a gorgeous place to visit. Other reasons to visit include museums, nightlife, and food.

Faro and Toledo: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Faro or Toledo?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Toledo. Although Faro and Toledo are both popular with visitors, Toledo has more sights, activities, and attractions for travelers. Toledo is more popular for its museums, food, historical sights, and impressive beauty, while Faro is known for its nightlife, resorts, scuba diving & snorkeling, and beaches. Toledo is more touristy than Faro and is known for its medieval buildings, ancient landmarks, and fascinating history. It is also home to the Catedral de Toledo. Faro is popular for its historical sights and rich culture.

How is Faro different from Toledo?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Faro or Toledo?

Toledo is great for its historical sights. However, Faro does not have museums and landmarks.

With a variety of museums, monuments, and historical sights, a trip to Toledo can be an interesting and educational experience. This medieval city is filled with ancient landmarks including the iconic Catedral de Toledo. In the old town you'll find many many historic buildings and a fascinating Jewish Quarter. Other notable sights include the Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes, the Alcázar de Toledo, and the Museo de Santa Cruz.

Faro does not have museums and landmarks.

Is the Food Better in Faro or Toledo? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Toledo is great for its local flavors and cuisine. However, Faro is not a good destination for its local cuisine and restaurants.

The food selection at local restaurants is excellent in Toledo. The city offers a great cuisine at a reasonable price. The dishes are influenced by the city's diverse past. You'll find many meat dishes due to the area's long running tradition of hunting. There are also classic dishes like carcamusas, which is pork covered in a tomato sauce. Dishes in general tend to be heavy and saucy with filling and delicious flavors.

You'll find the standard options when it comes to food in Faro. It has become a major tourist town, so you have to get a bit creative to find a more traditional restaurant. Look for fresh seafood like cod, monkfish, or shellfish if you want some local flavors.

Is Faro or Toledo Better for Nightlife?

Faro is a very popular place for nightlife. Also, Toledo is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for nightlife and partying.

Faro has a large number of nightlife venues. The city's bustling party scene thrives along Rua de São Pedro, Rua Conselheiro Bívar, and Rua do Prior.

Toledo has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. Most tourists visit the town as a day trip, so things can quiet down somewhat at night. There is a large student population that frequents the bars around town and help keep things lively.

Is Faro or Toledo Better for Resorts?

Faro is an amazing resort town to visit for its luxury resorts. However, Toledo is not a resort destination.

Faro offers an unforgettable resort vacation. Popular resorts include Vila Vita Parc Resort and Spa, Conrad Algarve, and Tivoli Carvoeiro.

Toledo is not a resort destination.

Is Faro or Toledo Better for Scuba Diving and Snorkeling?

Faro is a nice place to visit for the nearby scuba diving and snorkeling. However, Toledo is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Faro has a few areas where visitors often go scuba diving or snorkeling. There are both snorkeling and scuba diving opportunities in the area. It's possible to snorkel off of several beaches or arrange a scuba diving excursion with a local dive shop.

Toledo is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Is Faro or Toledo Better for Beaches?

Faro is a nice place to visit for its beaches. However, Toledo is not a beach destination.

Faro has a beach worth visiting. The most popular beach in the area is Faro Beach. It can get crowded during the summer months but if you walk a bit you can often get away from the crowds. To reach the beach you'll need a car or you can take the bus as the beach is about 10 km away.

Toledo is not a beach destination.

Is Faro or Toledo Better for its Old Town?

Toledo is a must-visit destination for its historic old town. Also, Faro is not as popular, but is still a nice resort town for its old town.

The rich history of Toledo can be explored in its historical center. Perched on a hill and spilling out around the cathedral, this Spanish old town is filled with historic landmarks.

Many people head to Faro to see the old town. You'll find historic buildings and cobblestone streets in the old town. It's a nice place to explore, grab a bite to eat, and do a little shopping.

Is the Shopping Better in Faro or Toledo?

If you're looking to go shopping, Faro and Toledo both offer plenty of good spots.

Plenty of visitors enjoy shopping while in Faro. The town isn't as big as some others, so it's shopping scene isn't as comprehensive, but you will find the major brands as well as souvenir shops to peruse when you need a break from the beach.

Toledo offers some nice shopping areas. Calle Comercio is the main shopping street in town and there are two major shopping malls in the new part of town.

Is Faro or Toledo Better for Families?

Toledo is a nice place to visit for its kid-friendly activities. However, Faro is not a good destination for its family-friendly activities.

Toledo offers lots of family activities. The ancient streets are fun to explore. There are city gates, ancient Arab walls, and older kids will be fascinated by a visit to the Toledo Torture Museum. The city is known for its swords, and there are shops that you can visit to learn about this craft.

Faro is not the most family-friendly destination. There are some nice nature reserves in the area so kids who love wildlife will enjoy a visit.

Is Faro or Toledo Better for Couples?

Faro and Toledo are both good to visit as a couple.

Faro is a nice destination for couples. With the beautiful natural areas and historic old town, this seaport makes a nice couples vacation.

Toledo makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. It's an ancient city that is filled with fascinating history and impressive historic sights. Couples will enjoy wandering the medieval streets and visiting the ancient gates.

Is Faro or Toledo Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

For backpackers, both Faro and Toledo are good places to visit.

It's common for backpackers to visit Faro. The are some good hostels in the area, but it's a bit tricky to get around without a car.

Toledo is a good resort town to visit for backpackers. Many travelers visit Toledo as a day trip from Madrid, but for backpackers who want to spend more time, there are a handful of hostels in town.

Is Faro or Toledo Better for Students?

Toledo is great for its student-friendly activities. However, Faro is not popular with students.

Toledo is a great city to visit as a student. The city is popular with students, and you'll find many activities and a lively atmosphere both during the day and at night.

Faro is not popular with students.

Is Faro or Toledo Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Faro and Toledo both offer good public transit to get you around.

While Faro offers some public transit options, it might not be your first choice. There are buses that connect the city to the beach, the airport, and other outlying areas.

Toledo has a few public transit options. There is a good bus system through town.

Is Faro or Toledo a more walkable city?

Toledo is great for its walkability. Also, Faro is not as popular, but is still a nice resort town for its high level of walkability.

Toledo is very walkable. It's a compact and easily walkable city, particularly within the old town. The bus and train stations are also about a 15 or 20 minute walk from the city center.

Faro is a somewhat walkable place. The city's old town is particularly walkable.

For even more information, also check out Is Faro Worth Visiting? and Is Toledo Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Toledo or Faro?

How long in Faro or Toledo?

You'll be able to find lots of things to do in Faro or Toledo to fill your time. Many travelers usually spend more of their time in Faro than Toledo because of the number of activities and things to do in the area. Usually, 2-5 days is a good amount of time for Faro, and 1-2 days is enough time in Toledo.

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Toledo than Faro 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 Toledo.

One day in Faro or Toledo?

Many travelers enjoy the scuba diving and snorkeling and shopping when visiting the destination of Faro. You can also relax and pamper yourself at one of the resorts. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

Visitors enjoy the food and shopping when visiting the destination of Toledo. Visiting the old town is also a must. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One day is usually enough time to experience most activities.

A weekend in Faro or Toledo?

Faro 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.

Toledo is a fun place to experience. If you have a weekend, this is a great place to go. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. A weekend is often enough time to do most activities. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

Five days in Faro or Toledo?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Faro. For many, it makes a great getaway for five days. People enjoy relaxing at one of the resorts. With all of its activities, you can easily fill five days here. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

You'll find museums and nightlife around the medieval destination of Toledo. This city offers something for everyone. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

A week in Faro or Toledo?

Travelers enjoy the scuba diving and snorkeling and shopping when visiting the popular destination of Faro. This resort town offers a variety of activities to choose from. Travelers enjoy the resorts in the area as well. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

The fascinating city of Toledo offers nightlife and food. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. One week 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.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Portugal, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Portugal, The Best Adventure Tours to Spain, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Spain.

When comparing the travel costs between Faro and Toledo, we can see that Faro is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Europe, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

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

Which is Bigger, Faro or Toledo?

Toledo has a larger population, and is about 80% larger than the population of Faro. When comparing the sizes of Faro and Toledo, 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.