A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Girona vs. Pompeii for Attractions, Families, Couples, and Backpackers

Should you visit Girona or Pompeii?

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 Girona and Pompeii. 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.

Girona

Girona is a beautiful, colorful, and medieval city. This is a charming small with plenty of activities, too. With stunning beauty, it attracts visitors from all around. Because of its quaint atmosphere, it draws plenty of visitors, too. It's also popular because of the museums, food, and shopping.

Pompeii

Pompeii is a ancient, famous, and iconic archeological site. And you can't forget about the museums.

Girona and Pompeii: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Girona or Pompeii?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Pompeii. Although Girona and Pompeii are both popular with visitors, Pompeii has more sights, activities, and attractions for travelers. Pompeii is more popular for its museums, while Girona is known for its food, nightlife, historical sights, shopping, small town charm, impressive beauty, and quaint atmosphere. Pompeii is more touristy than Girona and is popular for its well preserved archaeological ruins that are still intact following the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. It is also home to the Pompeii Archaeological Ruins. Girona is popular for its ancient ruins, colorful old town, grand cathedral, and impressive local cuisine.

The Pompeii Archaeological Ruins

How is Girona different from Pompeii?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Girona or Pompeii?

Pompeii is an unbeatable place for its sights and museums. Also, Girona is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for its museums and history.

The museums, monuments, and landmarks in Pompeii are among the most recognizable in the world. Pompeii is a city frozen in time and it is truly a one-of-a-kind destination. The streets remain as they once stood, lined with shops and homes. Highlights of a visit include the Forum, the Antiquarium, the Temple of Isis, and the Teatro Grande.

Girona offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. Wander the ancient city walls, explore the beautiful Girona Cathedral, and learn about the Church of Sant Feliu. There are also some interesting museums in town including the Museum of Jewish History, the Archaeology Museum, and the Film Museum. Also make sure you walk across the famed Eiffel Bridge.

Is the Food Better in Girona or Pompeii? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Girona is an excellent place to visit for its restaurants. However, Pompeii is lacking in options for its restaurant scene.

Girona has a number of nationally recognized food spots and restaurants. The small city is filled with cafes and restaurants that spill out into the street. There are also markets such as El Lleó Marketplace where you can check out fresh, local items. Many restaurants also have Catalonian style tapas, seafood such as octopus, and garlic shrimp. For breakfast, there are many pastry shops where you can enjoy a European breakfast.

While Pompeii is not famous for its food, you'll find what you need there. While there is a café near the Forum, the quality of the food isn't great and it can get crowded. You'd do best to bring your own food as the site is large and you'll want to eat on your own schedule.

Is Girona or Pompeii Better for Nightlife?

Girona is a decent place to visit for its evening party scene. However, Pompeii is lacking in options for nightlife.

Those looking for nightlife will find a few places to hang out in Girona. It's a surprisingly quiet town, especially compared to other nearby party cities, but there are some nightclubs, bars, and music venues that are worth checking out.

Things get quiet in the evenings in Pompeii. As a popular tourist destination, you'll find some bars nearby, but most people visit as a day trip and head out of town before the evening hours.

Is Girona or Pompeii Better for its Old Town?

Girona is renowned for its historic old town charm. However, Pompeii does not have a historic old town.

The old town of Girona is one of the most recognized in the world. It's a beautiful medieval old town with many wandering streets that are lined with storefronts and classic European cafes.

Pompeii does not have a historic old town.

Is the Shopping Better in Girona or Pompeii?

Girona is an excellent place to visit for its shopping areas. However, Pompeii is lacking in options for shopping.

Many visitors explore the shopping areas in Girona. In and around the old town you'll find modern shops, local eateries, charming markets, and anything you might need to purchase. There's also no shortage of souvenir and trinket shops, but they have a bit of personality and character to them.

Pompeii has some shopping areas for those that seek them out. There are some souvenir stands outside of the site where you can buy trinkets to remember your visit.

Is Girona or Pompeii Better for Families?

Pompeii is a well-known place for its family-friendly activities. However, Girona is not a good city for its kid-friendly activities.

Pompeii is a very kid-friendly archeological site. Its a city frozen in time, and even kids will get lost in the history and story behind Pompeii. The trick is to find a kid-friendly tour and understand the layout before you arrive. Because it's so big, you want to know which places to visit and which you might want to skip with kids who have short attention spans.

Girona is not always a place people visit with their families. While the old town is beautiful, with charming colorful buildings, the city itself doesn't have a wide number of activities for kids. There are ice cream shops where they can enjoy a sweet treat. There are also several museums and many restaurants have kid-friendly menus.

Is Girona or Pompeii Better for Couples?

Girona is an excellent place to visit for couples. Also, Pompeii is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for romance.

Girona makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. The setting is both beautiful and romantic. Couples can enjoy wandering the streets, popping in the many shops, and soaking up the atmosphere. There are also many great restaurants that make for a wonderful night out. Head up the hills towards the cathedral for the best viewpoints, or wander along the river and enjoy the colorful atmosphere.

Pompeii is a nice destination for couples. It's an iconic destination in Italy, and should be added to any Italian trip itinerary. It's not exactly a romantic destination, but it's something that every visitor should see.

Is Girona or Pompeii Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Both Girona and Pompeii are good destinations for backpackers.

Plenty of backpackers visit Girona. Prices aren't too crazy and it's not hard to find a place to stay for an affordable price, but you won't find the lively backpacker scene that is common in many nearby cities.

Plenty of budget travelers visit Pompeii. It's touristy and crowded, but also world renowned and not-to-be-missed. Whether you're a backpacker or a luxury traveler, Pompeii is on most itineraries.

Is Girona or Pompeii Better for Students?

Girona and Pompeii are both good destinations for students and younger travelers.

Girona is a good city to visit for students. It's a smaller city with affordable accommodation and many great restaurants. It has a quintessential European atmosphere that makes it a fun place to spend some time as a student

Plenty of students visit Pompeii. It's history and educational significance make it a great study abroad destination, whether you visit alone, with friends, or as part of a tour group.

Is Girona or Pompeii Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Both Girona and Pompeii offer good public transit options.

Girona has a few public transit options. The town is small enough that you can likely walk anywhere you want to go, but if you need transit, there are 10 local bus routes.

Pompeii has some public transit options. Many visitors from Sorrento and Naples arrive via the the Circumvesuviana train. There are also buses from many different locations.

Is Girona or Pompeii a more walkable city?

Girona and Pompeii both are first-rate when exploring on foot.

It is easy to get around Girona on foot. Everything is easily accessible on foot and its best not to bring a car into town.

It's very easy to get around on foot in Pompeii. You can walk around the entire site in about 4 hours, but you'll really want to allow a full day if you want to see everything in depth.

For even more information, also check out Is Girona Worth Visiting? and Is Pompeii Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Pompeii or Girona?

How long in Girona or Pompeii?

You'll be able to find lots of things to do in Girona or Pompeii to fill your time. In our opinion, Girona has more to see and do, so we recommend that you spend more time in Girona than Pompeii. However, 1-2 days is a good amount of time to spend in either destination.

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Girona than Pompeii 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 Girona.

One day in Girona or Pompeii?

In Girona, you'll find museums and food. Most visitors spend time around the old town while in the area. This city offers something for everyone. This would be the perfect place to spend one day, as it has just the right amount of activities.

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

A weekend in Girona or Pompeii?

In Girona, you'll find food and shopping. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. A weekend here is typical. Visiting the old town is also a must. A weekend is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Girona has to offer.

Pompeii is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. Don't miss the museums, as that's what most people do. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Five days in Girona or Pompeii?

Girona is a great place to explore. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. Five days is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. Anyone can find something fun to do here.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Pompeii. Don't miss the museums, as that's what most people do. 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.

A week in Girona or Pompeii?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Girona. Many people enjoy the museums and food when visiting Girona. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. One week may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing.

Travelers enjoy the museums when visiting the famous destination of Pompeii. This archeological site offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

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

When comparing the travel costs between Girona and Pompeii, we can see that Pompeii 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 Girona Expensive? and Is Pompeii Expensive?.

When is the best time to visit Girona or Pompeii?

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 Girona or Pompeii in the Summer?

Both Pompeii and Girona during the summer are popular places to visit. Many travelers come to Girona for the small town charm and the family-friendly experiences. Furthermore, many visitors come to Pompeii in the summer for the family-friendly experiences.

In the summer, Girona is around the same temperature as Pompeii. Typically, the summer temperatures in Girona in July average around 24°C (75°F), and Pompeii averages at about 23°C (74°F).

In Pompeii, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Girona. In the summer, Girona often gets less sunshine than Pompeii. Girona gets 279 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Pompeii receives 313 hours of full sun.

Girona usually gets more rain in July than Pompeii. Girona gets 38 mm (1.5 in) of rain, while Pompeii receives 26 mm (1 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Girona or Pompeii in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Girona and Pompeii. Many visitors come to Girona in the autumn for the shopping scene, the small town atmosphere, and the natural beauty of the area.

In October, Girona is generally around the same temperature as Pompeii. Daily temperatures in Girona average around 16°C (61°F), and Pompeii fluctuates around 17°C (63°F).

Girona usually receives less sunshine than Pompeii during autumn. Girona gets 170 hours of sunny skies, while Pompeii receives 189 hours of full sun in the autumn.

Pompeii receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In October, Girona usually receives less rain than Pompeii. Girona gets 79 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Pompeii receives 132 mm (5.2 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Girona or Pompeii in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Girona as well as Pompeii. Most visitors come to Girona for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine during these months. Additionally, the winter months attract visitors to Pompeii because of the museums.

Girona is around the same temperature as Pompeii in the winter. The daily temperature in Girona averages around 8°C (46°F) in January, and Pompeii fluctuates around 8°C (47°F).

In the winter, Girona often gets more sunshine than Pompeii. Girona gets 148 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Pompeii receives 115 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Pompeii. Girona usually gets less rain in January than Pompeii. Girona gets 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Pompeii receives 111 mm (4.4 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Girona or Pompeii in the Spring?

Both Pompeii and Girona are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The spring months attract visitors to Girona because of the small town charm and the natural beauty.

In the spring, Girona is around the same temperature as Pompeii. Typically, the spring temperatures in Girona in April average around 13°C (55°F), and Pompeii averages at about 13°C (55°F).

Girona usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Pompeii during spring. Girona gets 177 hours of sunny skies, while Pompeii receives 189 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Girona usually receives around the same amount of rain as Pompeii. Girona gets 73 mm (2.9 in) of rain, while Pompeii receives 71 mm (2.8 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Pompeii and Girona