A Travel Price Comparison for France Honfleur vs. Calais for Food, Couples, Attractions, and Nightlife

Should you visit Honfleur or Calais?

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

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Honfleur and Calais can help you decide which place is right for you.

Honfleur

Honfleur is a picturesque, scenic, and historic city. With stunning beauty, it attracts visitors from all around. Other popular activities here include museums, nightlife, and food.

Calais

Calais is a authentic, undiscovered, and coastal city. Since it's a large city, you'll find plenty of things to do. Other reasons to visit include shopping, museums, and nightlife.

Honfleur and Calais: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Honfleur or Calais?

Visitors will usually find more to do in Calais than Honfleur, as it offers more sights, attractions, and activities. Calais is better known for its beaches, shopping, and big city activities, while Honfleur is more popular for its food and impressive beauty. Honfleur is more touristy than Calais and is popular for its influence over Impressionist art, its stunning harbor, and its beautiful buildings. Calais is well known for being a gateway for travelers to France. Also, Calais is famous for The Town Hall.

How is Honfleur different from Calais?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Honfleur or Calais?

Spend time exploring the notable sights and museums in either Honfleur or Calais.

Honfleur is a good place to visit if you're interested in museums or other recognizable sights. Some of the most notable sights around the town include Saint Catherine's Church, Le Vieux Bassin, Notre-Dame de Grace, and the Normandy Bridge.

Calais offers a variety of museums and landmarks to choose from. It's a port city with a few good museums and landmarks to see. Check out the Town Hall, Burghers of Calais, La Cité de la Dentelle et de la Mode, and Musée de la Guerre de Calais, as well as the Calais Lighthouse.

Is the Food Better in Honfleur or Calais? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Honfleur is a must-visit destination for its restaurant scene. Also, Calais is still popular, but not quite as popular for its local flavors and cuisine.

For foodies, Honfleur is an obvious choice, as it is one of the food capitals of the world. Located on the coast of Normandy along the English Channel, seafood is a defining element for most dishes here. Foodies flock to this town for its Michelin starred restaurants as well as its local cafes and quaint eateries. For land-lovers, there's a popular local cider-braised pork that you must-try. And for dessert make sure you try the Tarte Tatin.

There are plenty of up and coming restaurants around Calais. The region is known for its mackerel, andouillette sausage, and endive and ham gratin. If you're passing through, this is also a good place to stock up on wine and cheese.

Is Honfleur or Calais Better for Nightlife?

Both Honfleur and Calais have notable vibes after the sun sets.

With a handful of venues, visitors can find a fairly lively vibe in Honfleur. Restaurants come to life at night when music flows out onto the streets. The town is not known for its partying, but that doesn't mean that it's a sleepy place that shuts down when the sun sets.

Calais has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. You'll find bars and pubs around town as well as a few clubs. Places range from trendy and high end to local dive bars.

Is Honfleur or Calais Better for Beaches?

Calais is very good for its beaches. However, Honfleur is lacking in options for the beache.

Many people head to Calais to enjoy the beach. There are some sandy beaches near town that have nice stretches of sand and plenty of sand dunes. Many locals enjoy sunbathing at the beaches.

You can check out the beach in Honfleur. The town sits by the estuary of the Seine and there are two beaches not far from town. Butin Beach is the closest to town and the most popular, but Vasouy Beach is more relaxed and natural.

Is the Shopping Better in Honfleur or Calais?

Calais is very good for shopping. However, Honfleur is lacking in options for its shopping opportunities.

Plenty of visitors enjoy shopping while in Calais. Many visitors stock up on wine and cheese when they're passing through. It's common to head straight to Auchan or Carrefour to stock up on some items.

If you're looking to go shopping, Honfleur has some nice offerings. It's a charming town with boutique shops, chocolate shops, and the standard tourist places that sell souvenirs and t-shirts.

Is Honfleur or Calais Better for Families?

You'll find notable kid-friendly activities in either Honfleur or Calais.

Honfleur is a family-friendly city. Located on the coast of Normandy, the town has boat rides, quirky museums, and Vieux Bassin, which is a beautiful and lively harbor. For kids who need to stretch their legs, there are many parks and outdoor spaces to enjoy.

You'll find plenty of kid-friendly things to do in Calais. There's the Nausicaa Aquarium, the Museum of the Atlantic Wall, and the Second World War Museum. There are also beaches and parks to explore as well as some nice playgrounds.

Is Honfleur or Calais Better for Couples?

Honfleur is well known for couples. Also, Calais is still popular, but not quite as popular for romance.

Couples visit Honfleur frequently as it offers plenty of romantic activities. It has, arguably, one of the area's most beautiful harbors. There are also many great seafood restaurants, relaxing gardens, and spas that are perfect for couples.

Calais is a nice destination for couples. Couples can picnic with wine and cheese or eat their way through the town's great restaurants. There are also some nice beaches where people enjoy sunbathing or relaxing.

Is Honfleur or Calais Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Calais is very good for times when you don't have a car. However, Honfleur is lacking in options for its public transit.

Calais has some public transit options. The city has 13 bus lines that run through town and into the surrounding areas. If you're arriving by ferry from the UK, there are shuttle buses that connect the ferry terminal to the train station.

Public transit is generally limited in Honfleur. HO Buses travel from the outskirts or town into the center and are used mainly by locals. If you plan to head into Normandy to see the countryside, you'll want to have a car.

Is Honfleur or Calais a more walkable city?

Honfleur is well known for its ease of walking around. Also, Calais is still popular, but not quite as popular for its walkability.

Honfleur is a very walkable destination. The city center is compact and easy to explore on foot. There are also many coastal walks leading out of town.

Calais is somewhat walkable. Parts of the town are more walkable than others.

For even more information, also check out Is Honfleur Worth Visiting? and Is Calais Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Calais or Honfleur?

How long in Honfleur or Calais?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Honfleur and Calais. You can spend similar amounts of time exploring each one. However, 1-3 days is a good amount of time to spend in either destination.

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Calais than Honfleur 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 Calais.

One day in Honfleur or Calais?

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

The city of Calais offers food and shopping. With all of its activities, you can easily fill one day here. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

A weekend in Honfleur or Calais?

Honfleur is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. Don't miss the food, 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.

Calais is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. If you have a weekend, this city makes for a great vacation. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Calais, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

Five days in Honfleur or Calais?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Honfleur. Don't miss the food, 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.

Calais is a popular choice for travelers. Five days 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. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

A week in Honfleur or Calais?

Travelers enjoy the food and museums when visiting the historic destination of Honfleur. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

Calais is a great place to explore. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. This city offers something for everyone.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in France, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in France, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in France, and The Best Luxury Tours to France.

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

Which is Bigger, Honfleur or Calais?

Calais has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of Honfleur. When comparing the sizes of Honfleur and Calais, 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.