A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Inverness vs. Calais for Attractions, Food, Nightlife, and Families

Should you visit Inverness 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 Inverness and Calais can help you decide which place is right for you.

Inverness

Inverness is a local, historic, and cultural city. Don't miss this spot, as it's a charming small town with plenty of activities. Other popular activities here include shopping, museums, and nightlife.

Calais

Calais is a undiscovered, coastal, and authentic city. It's a large city, so you'll find plenty of things to do around town. And you can't forget about the shopping, museums, and nightlife.

Inverness and Calais: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Inverness or Calais?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Calais. Although Inverness and Calais are both popular with visitors, Calais has more sights, activities, and attractions for travelers. Calais is more popular for its beaches and big city activities, while Inverness is known for its museums, food, shopping, and small town charm. Inverness is more touristy than Calais and is known for its surrounding countryside, but also its regional heritage, local festivals and proximity to the famous Loch Ness. Calais is popular for being a gateway for travelers to France. It is also home to The Town Hall.

How is Inverness different from Calais?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

Inverness is well known for its museums and landmarks. Also, Calais is still popular, but not quite as popular for its historical sights.

Inverness offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. As a city rich in culture and heritage, you'll find a number of sights and museums in town. Check out the Highland House of Fraser, Culloden Moor, and Clava Cairns.

Calais is a good place to visit if you're interested in museums or other recognizable sights. 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 Inverness or Calais? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Inverness is well known for its restaurant scene. Also, Calais is still popular, but not quite as popular for its local flavors and cuisine.

Dining out in Inverness is an experience not to be missed. The city makes a great spot to fill your belly after a few days exploring the Scottish Highlands. You'll find local restaurants that serve up regional specialties, and when the weather's nice, there are some spots with outdoor seating.

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 Inverness or Calais Better for Nightlife?

Both Inverness and Calais are good when it comes to partying.

There's a variety of activities in the evening in Inverness. Nightlife isn't the first thing that comes to mind with this town, but there are actually lots of distilleries in the area and there's a surprising number of high quality bars and pubs that make for a fun evening.

With a handful of venues, visitors can find a fairly lively vibe in Calais. 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 Inverness or Calais Better for Beaches?

Calais is very good for the beache. However, Inverness is not a beach destination.

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.

Inverness is not a beach destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Inverness or Calais?

Inverness is well known for its shopping areas. Also, Calais is still popular, but not quite as popular for shopping.

Browsing through shops is a popular activity in Inverness. The town is at the cultural heart of the Scottish Highlands you'll find plenty of local shops where you can pick up local products. Make sure you check out the Inverness Victorian Market.

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.

Is Inverness or Calais Better for Families?

You'll find good kid-friendly activities in either Inverness or Calais.

Inverness is a family-friendly place to visit. The city has some parks and activities that are great for kids. Make sure you explore Inverness Castle and the Inverness Mystery Treasure Trail.

Calais is a family-friendly city. 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 Inverness or Calais Better for Couples?

Both Inverness and Calais are good destinations to visit as a couple.

Inverness makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Located in the Scottish Highlands, there ae many scenic spots and nice activities that couples can enjoy in the area.

Calais is a good city for couples to visit. 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 Inverness or Calais Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Calais is very good for its public transit. However, Inverness is not a good city for times when you don't have a car.

Calais has a few 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 mostly limited in Inverness. There are local buses that pass through the town.

Is Inverness or Calais a more walkable city?

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

Inverness is a very walkable destination. It's compact enough that you can explore much of the town on foot.

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

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

Should I spend more time in Calais or Inverness?

How long in Inverness or Calais?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Inverness and Calais. In our opinion, Inverness has more to see and do, so we recommend that you spend more time in Inverness than Calais. However, 1-3 days is a good amount of time to spend in either destination.

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

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

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

One day in Inverness or Calais?

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

You'll find shopping and museums around the city of Calais. One day is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Calais has to offer. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

A weekend in Inverness or Calais?

Inverness 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.

You'll find museums and nightlife around the coastal destination of Calais. This is a popular place to visit for a weekend.A weekend should give you a good understanding of everything this city has to offer. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from.

Five days in Inverness or Calais?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Inverness. 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.

Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the undiscovered city of Calais. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

A week in Inverness or Calais?

Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the local destination of Inverness. 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 popular choice for travelers. 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. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from London, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Edinburgh, The Best Budget Tours to France, and The Best Tours for Seniors to France.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Inverness or Calais?

Calais has a larger population, and is about 83% larger than the population of Inverness. When comparing the sizes of Inverness 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.

When is the best time to visit Inverness or Calais?

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 Inverness or Calais in the Summer?

The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Inverness and Calais. Most visitors come to Inverness for the small town charm and the family-friendly experiences during these months. Also, the summer months attract visitors to Calais because of the beaches, the city activities, and the family-friendly experiences.

In the summer, Inverness is cooler than Calais. Typically, the summer temperatures in Inverness in July average around 14°C (58°F), and Calais averages at about 17°C (63°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Calais this time of the year. Inverness usually receives less sunshine than Calais during summer. Inverness gets 147 hours of sunny skies, while Calais receives 212 hours of full sun in the summer.

In July, Inverness usually receives more rain than Calais. Inverness gets 55 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Calais receives 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit Inverness or Calais in the Autumn?

The autumn brings many poeple to Inverness as well as Calais. The autumn months attract visitors to Inverness because of the shopping scene and the small town atmosphere. Also, the city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene are the main draw to Calais this time of year.

In October, Inverness is generally cooler than Calais. Daily temperatures in Inverness average around 9°C (49°F), and Calais fluctuates around 12°C (54°F).

In the autumn, Inverness often gets less sunshine than Calais. Inverness gets 84 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Calais receives 119 hours of full sun.

Inverness usually gets less rain in October than Calais. Inverness gets 56 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Calais receives 62 mm (2.4 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Inverness or Calais in the Winter?

Both Calais and Inverness are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Inverness this time of year. Also, many travelers come to Calais for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.

Be prepared for some very cold days in Calais. It's quite cold in Inverness in the winter. Inverness is cooler than Calais in the winter. The daily temperature in Inverness averages around 3°C (38°F) in January, and Calais fluctuates around 4°C (40°F).

Inverness usually receives less sunshine than Calais during winter. Inverness gets 42 hours of sunny skies, while Calais receives 57 hours of full sun in the winter.

In January, Inverness usually receives more rain than Calais. Inverness gets 53 mm (2.1 in) of rain, while Calais receives 46 mm (1.8 in) of rain each month for the winter.

Should I visit Inverness or Calais in the Spring?

Both Calais and Inverness during the spring are popular places to visit. Many travelers come to Inverness for the small town charm. Furthermore, many visitors come to Calais in the spring for the beaches and the activities around the city.

In the spring, Inverness is cooler than Calais. Typically, the spring temperatures in Inverness in April average around 7°C (44°F), and Calais averages at about 9°C (47°F).

In the spring, Inverness often gets less sunshine than Calais. Inverness gets 136 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Calais receives 162 hours of full sun.

Inverness usually gets less rain in April than Calais. Inverness gets 36 mm (1.4 in) of rain, while Calais receives 42 mm (1.7 in) of rain this time of the year.

Typical Weather for Calais and Inverness