A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Giverny vs. Lucca for Attractions, Food, Couples, and Families

Should you visit Giverny or Lucca?

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

Should I visit Giverny or Lucca? 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.

Giverny

Giverny is a inspiring, picturesque, and peaceful town. Don't miss this spot, as it's a charming small town with plenty of activities. The famous beauty of this place is one of the main draws. Other popular activities here include food and museums.

Lucca

Lucca is a popular, historic, and charming city. The beauty of this spot is also one of the main reasons why visitors come. Visitors also love the museums, nightlife, and food.

Giverny and Lucca: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Giverny or Lucca?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Lucca. Although Giverny and Lucca are both popular with visitors, Lucca has more sights, activities, and attractions for travelers. Lucca is more popular for its food, nightlife, historical sights, and shopping, while Giverny is known for its small town charm and impressive beauty. Giverny is more touristy than Lucca and is popular for being the home and inspiration for Claude Monet. Lucca is popular for its ancient city walls and its many historic buildings. It is also home to The Guinigi Tower.

How is Giverny different from Lucca?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Giverny or Lucca?

Visiting museums and landmarks is a fun activity in both Giverny and Lucca.

Giverny offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. The town is most notable as the home of Claude Monet between 1883 and 1926. Highlights of a visit include visiting Jardin d'Eau (The Water Garden), The Normandy Garden, and Monet's House.

Many visitors head to Lucca specifically to visit some of its top-rated museums and other sights. There are many interesting historic sights and buildings around this charming town. You can climb to the top of the Guinigi Tower or visit the Roman Amphitheater. Many visitors enjoy walking or biking around the city walls as well. Also make sure you visit the cathedral.

Is the Food Better in Giverny or Lucca? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Lucca is great for its local flavors and cuisine. Also, Giverny is not as popular, but is still a nice town for its local cuisine and restaurants.

Lucca has a huge number of terrific restaurants. There are many great Tuscan restaurants inside the city walls. Perhaps the most popular local dish is tordelli Lucchesi. Its a meat filled pasta that has a beef ragu sauce. There are also other Tuscan recipes that include steak, boar, or rabbit.

There are many up and coming restaurants in the Giverny area. There are cozy cafes and charming restaurants in the town. If you visit as part of a tour, a restaurant stop may be included.

Is Giverny or Lucca Better for Nightlife?

Lucca is a popular place for nightlife and partying. However, Giverny is not a destination with noteworthy nightlife.

If you're looking for night time activities Lucca has a few options to choose from. The nightlife scene is most lively during the spring and summer months when tourists crowd into the city. For the highest concentration of bars, clubs, and lounges, head to Piazza Amfiteatro, Piazza San Michele and Via Fillungo.

Giverny is not a destination with noteworthy nightlife.

Is Giverny or Lucca Better for its Old Town?

Lucca is an amazing city to visit for its old town. However, Giverny does not have a historic old town.

Lucca offers visitors a world-class historical old town to explore. The historic city is surrounded by city walls, which you can walk around. Within the walls there are cobblestone streets and a charming atmosphere.

Giverny does not have a historic old town.

Is the Shopping Better in Giverny or Lucca?

Lucca is a popular place for its shopping opportunities. However, Giverny is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

Shopping is a popular activity when visiting Lucca. The city is filled with a mix of tourist shops and more authentic local vendors. If you look hard, you can still find some interesting local items that make for a more unique and personal shopping experience.

Giverny is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

Is Giverny or Lucca Better for Families?

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

Lucca offers lots of family activities. You can pass through town in a day or two, or stay longer and use it as a base for exploring Tuscany. There are playgrounds for the kids as well as some fun activities like cycling the city walls and climbing towers.

Giverny is not the most family-friendly destination. The gardens are stunning and the house is impressive, but it's best to prepare younger kids with some activities beforehand. Even the most art-minded children will appreciate a hands-on activity that helps bring the experience to life.

Is Giverny or Lucca Better for Couples?

With fun activities for couples, both Giverny and Lucca make for a excellent place to visit.

Giverny is a great town if you're traveling as a couple. The setting seeped in romance and the gardens bring art to life. On occasion you may even see a young couple get engaged during their visit.

Lucca is a very popular place to visit for couples. It's a beautiful city with good restaurants and access to nice countryside. Couples who want to explore Tuscany can use this town as a base to take in much of the region.

Is Giverny or Lucca Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

For backpackers, both Giverny and Lucca are good places to visit.

Plenty of budget travelers visit Giverny. Many people, backpackers included, visit the town as a day trip from Paris. It's possible to visit by train and shuttle bus.

Lucca is popular with backpackers and budget travelers. While there aren't many traditional hostels around town, guesthouses are usually affordable.

Is Giverny or Lucca Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Giverny is a town with good options for its public transit. However, Lucca is not particularly known for times when you don't have a car.

You'll find some public transit in Giverny, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. You can reach Giverny by train from Paris. You'll leave from the Gare Saint-Lazare train station in Paris and arrive in the town of Vernon. The trip is about 45 minutes. From there you can take a bus or taxi on to Giverny.

Public transit is quite limited in Lucca. There's no public transit within the city so if you can't walk somewhere, you'll want to take a taxi. In general, walking is the best option though.

Is Giverny or Lucca a more walkable city?

Lucca is great for its high level of walkability. Also, Giverny is not as popular, but is still a nice town for its ease of walking around.

Lucca is a very walkable city. Much of the city can be explored on foot.

Giverny is a somewhat walkable town. Many people choose to walk between the town of Vernon and Giverny, both of which are worth visiting. They're separated by about 6 kilometers (3.5 miles).

For even more information, also check out Is Giverny Worth Visiting? and Is Lucca Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Lucca or Giverny?

How long in Giverny or Lucca?

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

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Lucca than Giverny 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 Lucca.

One day in Giverny or Lucca?

In Giverny, many people enjoy the food and museums that this inspiring destination offers. This town offers a variety of activities to choose from. Because of this, one day is usually enough time for a trip here.

In Lucca, you'll find nightlife 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.

A weekend in Giverny or Lucca?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Giverny. For many, it makes a great getaway for a weekend. This would be the perfect place to spend a weekend, as it has just the right amount of activities. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision.

In Lucca, 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 Lucca has to offer.

Five days in Giverny or Lucca?

Giverny is a fun place to experience. Travelers enjoy the food and museums when visiting the destination of Giverny. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything.

Lucca 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.

A week in Giverny or Lucca?

You'll find museums and food around the picturesque destination of Giverny. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One week is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Lucca. Many people enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting Lucca. 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.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Coach Bus Tours in France, The Best Adventure Tours to France, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Italy, and The Best Historical Tours in Italy.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Giverny or Lucca?

Lucca has a larger population, and is about 150 times larger than the population of Giverny. When comparing the sizes of Giverny and Lucca, 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.