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

Should you visit Inverness or Chartres?

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 Chartres can help you decide which place is right for you.

Inverness

Inverness is a historic, cultural, and traditional city. With fun activities and sights, this is a small town worth visiting. Visitors also love the museums, nightlife, and food.

Chartres

Chartres is a grand, spectacular, and historic town. It's a very nice small town not to be missed. And you can't forget about the food and museums.

Inverness and Chartres: Pros and Cons

Pros
  • Popular museums and historical sights
  • Active nightlife
  • Fun shopping
  • Family-friendly
  • Good for couples and romance
  • Home to Loch Ness
Things to Consider
  • Less popular with backpackers
  • Public transit not as usable
Pros
  • Popular museums and historical sights
  • Good for couples and romance
  • Good for backpackers and budget travelers
  • Good public transit
Things to Consider
  • Less family-friendly


Is there more to do in Inverness or Chartres?

Visitors will usually find more to do in Inverness than Chartres, as it offers more sights, attractions, and activities. Inverness is more touristy than Chartres and is popular for its surrounding countryside, but also its regional heritage, local festivals and proximity to the famous Loch Ness. Also, Inverness is famous for Loch Ness. Chartres is well known for its beautiful cathedral and long running history.

How is Inverness different from Chartres?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Chartres 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 Chartres?

Inverness
Chartres

Inverness is great for its historical sights. Also, Chartres is not as popular, but is still a nice town for its sights and museums.

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.

If you're looking for an educational opportunity, there are a decent number of museums and historical sights around Chartres. Most visitors make the trip to see the spectacular Gothic cathedral, Cathédrale Notre-Dame. It was completed in 1220 and is famous for its beautiful stained glass windows.


Is the Food Better in Inverness or Chartres? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Inverness
Chartres

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

Inverness has a huge number of terrific restaurants. 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 many up and coming restaurants in the Chartres area. There are a number of restaurants around town so it's easy to grab lunch during a day trip.

Is Inverness or Chartres Better for Nightlife?

Inverness
Chartres

Inverness is a popular place for nightlife and partying. However, Chartres is not a destination with noteworthy nightlife.

If you're looking for night time activities Inverness has a few options to choose from. 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.

Chartres is not a destination with noteworthy nightlife.

Is the Shopping Better in Inverness or Chartres?

Inverness
Chartres

Inverness is great for its shopping opportunities. However, Chartres is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

Inverness is well-known for its shopping. 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.

Chartres is not a noteworthy shopping destination.


Is Inverness or Chartres Better for Families?

Inverness
Chartres

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

Inverness offers lots of family activities. The city has some parks and activities that are great for kids. Make sure you explore Inverness Castle and the Inverness Mystery Treasure Trail.

Chartres is not the most family-friendly destination. The main attraction in town is the cathedral, but the surrounding area is also filled with history. This may not keep your kids entertained for long, so you can also check out the Stained Glass Museum, La Tanière (a zoo), or one of the parks around town.

Is Inverness or Chartres Better for Couples?

Inverness
Chartres

Both Inverness and Chartres are notable 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.

Chartres is a good city for couples to visit. With its cathedral and rich history, many couples enjoy exploring the town. It is filled with history and interesting sights.

Is Inverness or Chartres Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Inverness
Chartres

Chartres is very good for backpackers. However, Inverness is not a good city for backpackers and budget travelers.

Chartres is popular with backpackers and budget travelers. It's easy enough to visit as a day trip from Paris, so backpackers and other tourists typically allow themselves a few hours to explore.

Inverness is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. There a some hostels and student hotels, but this isn't one of the major backpacker spots in the UK.


Is Inverness or Chartres Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Inverness
Chartres

Chartres is a well-known place for its public transit. However, Inverness is not a good city for times when you don't have a car.

Chartres has some very good public transit options. There are trains that leave Paris Montparnasse 1 Et 2 every half hour and travel to Chartres. The trip takes about 1 hour 15 minutes.

Public transit is mostly limited in Inverness. There are local buses that pass through the town.

Is Inverness or Chartres a more walkable city?

Inverness
Chartres

Inverness and Chartres both are great when exploring on foot.

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

Chartres is a very walkable destination. It's easy to see the sights around town on foot.

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

Should I spend more time in Chartres or Inverness?

How long in Inverness or Chartres?

You'll be able to find lots of things to do in Inverness or Chartres to fill your time. Many travelers usually spend more of their time in Inverness than Chartres because of the number of activities and things to do in the area. Usually, 1-3 days is a good amount of time for Inverness, and 1-2 days is enough time in Chartres.

Families should spend more time in Inverness than Chartres. 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 Chartres. 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 Chartres than Inverness 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 Chartres.


  • How many days in Inverness or Chartres? Ideal Length of Stay
    Inverness 1-3 
    Chartres 1-2

One day in Inverness or Chartres?

The city of Inverness 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.

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


A weekend in Inverness or Chartres?

Inverness 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 Inverness, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

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

Five days in Inverness or Chartres?

Inverness 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.

Travelers enjoy the food and museums when visiting the spectacular town of Chartres. 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 Chartres?

Inverness 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.

Chartres 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 Vineyard & Wine Tours in France, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in France.


Which place is cheaper, Chartres or Inverness?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Inverness is £168, while the average daily cost in Chartres is £100. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Inverness and Chartres in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Inverness £91
    Chartres £51
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Inverness £182
    Chartres £102
Compare Hotels in Inverness and Chartres

Looking for a hotel in Inverness or Chartres? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Inverness


Hotels in Chartres


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Inverness Hotel Prices and Chartres Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Inverness £33
    Chartres £22

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Inverness

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Inverness:

  • Inverness to Glasgow Direct transfer: $781
  • Inverness to Edinburgh Direct transfer: $781
  • Inverness to Isle of Skye Direct transfer: $623
  • Inverness to Fort William Direct transfer: $374
  • Inverness Private Transfer to Aviemore: $229
  • Transfers / Tour from , inverness, Edinburgh ,Glasgow ,Aberdeen : $184
  • Inverness Airport to Glenshee Ski Resort - Round-Trip Transfer: $131
  • Arrival Private Transfer from Inverness INV to Inverness City by luxury vehicle: $105
  • Inverness Airport (INV) to Glenshee Ski Resort - Arrival Transfer: $66
  • Inverness Airport (INV) to Lecht Ski Resort - Arrival Transfer: $33

Is it cheaper to fly into Inverness or Chartres?

Prices for flights to both Chartres and Inverness change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Inverness £49
    Chartres £33

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Inverness £44
    Chartres £19

Tours and Activities in Inverness

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Inverness are as follows:

  • 1-Day Moray Coast Tour with Speyside Whisky from Inverness: $97
  • 2-Day Tour to Isle of Skye, The Fairy Pools & Highland Castles: $191
  • 2-Hour Private Celtic Handfasting Ceremony Experience: $108
  • 25 Shot Clay Pigeon Shooting Experience: $63
  • Applecross, Loch Carron & Wild Highlands Tour from Inverness: $69
  • Cawdor Castle, Inverness, Culloden, Outlander and Loch Ness Tour: $164
  • Chauffeur driven sightseeing Edinburgh to & from Inverness: $1,000
  • Clan Tour - Castle ,Whisky and History Tour: $172
  • Craigs Luxury Speyside Private Whisky Tour: $686
  • Day tour to Isle of Skye and Fairy Pools from Inverness: $126
  • From Cairngorms National Park and Whisky Tour: $76
  • From Glen Affric, Culloden and Clava Cairns Tour: $73

Tours and Activities in Chartres

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Chartres.

  • City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.41

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Inverness £23
    Chartres £10

Sample the Local Flavors in Inverness

Also in Inverness, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • From Invergordon Port Dunrobin Castle, Clynelish Distillery Tour : $203
  • Speyside Distillery Tour From Inverness: $1,124


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Inverness and Chartres, we can see that Inverness is more expensive. And not only is Chartres much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Chartres would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Chartres 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 Chartres.

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


Which is Bigger, Inverness or Chartres?

Chartres has a larger population, and is about 8% larger than the population of Inverness. When comparing the sizes of Inverness and Chartres, 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 Chartres?

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 Inverness or Chartres in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Inverness as well as Chartres. 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 Chartres because of the small town charm and the family-friendly experiences.

Inverness is cooler than Chartres in the summer. The daily temperature in Inverness averages around 14°C (58°F) in July, and Chartres fluctuates around 20°C (68°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Chartres. In the summer, Inverness often gets less sunshine than Chartres. Inverness gets 147 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Chartres receives 239 hours of full sun.

Inverness usually gets around the same amount of rain in July as Chartres. Inverness gets 55 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Chartres receives 55 mm (2.2 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Summer Average Temperatures July
    Inverness 14°C (58°F) 
    Chartres 20°C (68°F)

Should I visit Inverness or Chartres in the Autumn?

Both Chartres and Inverness are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The autumn months attract visitors to Inverness because of the shopping scene and the small town atmosphere. Also, the small town atmosphere are the main draw to Chartres this time of year.

In the autumn, Inverness is cooler than Chartres. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Inverness in October average around 9°C (49°F), and Chartres averages at about 13°C (56°F).

Inverness usually receives less sunshine than Chartres during autumn. Inverness gets 84 hours of sunny skies, while Chartres receives 126 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In October, Inverness usually receives more rain than Chartres. Inverness gets 56 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Chartres receives 43 mm (1.7 in) of rain each month for the autumn.


  • Autumn Average Temperatures October
    Inverness 9°C (49°F) 
    Chartres 13°C (56°F)

Should I visit Inverness or Chartres in the Winter?

Both Chartres and Inverness during the winter are popular places to visit. The museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Inverness this time of year. Furthermore, many travelers come to Chartres for the museums and the cuisine.

Be prepared for some very cold days in Chartres. It's quite cold in Inverness in the winter. In January, Inverness is generally cooler than Chartres. Daily temperatures in Inverness average around 3°C (38°F), and Chartres fluctuates around 5°C (40°F).

In the winter, Inverness often gets less sunshine than Chartres. Inverness gets 42 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Chartres receives 56 hours of full sun.

Inverness usually gets around the same amount of rain in January as Chartres. Inverness gets 53 mm (2.1 in) of rain, while Chartres receives 55 mm (2.2 in) of rain this time of the year.


  • Winter Average Temperatures January
    Inverness 3°C (38°F) 
    Chartres 5°C (40°F)

Should I visit Inverness or Chartres in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Inverness and Chartres. Many travelers come to Inverness for the small town charm. Furthermore, many visitors come to Chartres in the spring for the small town charm.

Inverness is much colder than Chartres in the spring. The daily temperature in Inverness averages around 7°C (44°F) in April, and Chartres fluctuates around 11°C (52°F).

Inverness usually receives less sunshine than Chartres during spring. Inverness gets 136 hours of sunny skies, while Chartres receives 173 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Inverness usually receives less rain than Chartres. Inverness gets 36 mm (1.4 in) of rain, while Chartres receives 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain each month for the spring.


  • Spring Average Temperatures April
    Inverness 7°C (44°F) 
    Chartres 11°C (52°F)

Typical Weather for Chartres and Inverness

Inverness Chartres
Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Temp (°C) Rain (mm)
Jan 3°C (38°F) 53 mm (2.1 in) 5°C (40°F) 55 mm (2.2 in)
Feb 3°C (38°F) 39 mm (1.5 in) 6°C (42°F) 48 mm (1.9 in)
Mar 5°C (41°F) 46 mm (1.8 in) 8°C (47°F) 49 mm (1.9 in)
Apr 7°C (44°F) 36 mm (1.4 in) 11°C (52°F) 48 mm (1.9 in)
May 10°C (50°F) 46 mm (1.8 in) 15°C (59°F) 57 mm (2.2 in)
Jun 13°C (55°F) 49 mm (1.9 in) 18°C (64°F) 51 mm (2 in)
Jul 14°C (58°F) 55 mm (2.2 in) 20°C (68°F) 55 mm (2.2 in)
Aug 14°C (57°F) 71 mm (2.8 in) 20°C (67°F) 46 mm (1.8 in)
Sep 12°C (54°F) 58 mm (2.3 in) 17°C (63°F) 55 mm (2.1 in)
Oct 9°C (49°F) 56 mm (2.2 in) 13°C (56°F) 43 mm (1.7 in)
Nov 5°C (42°F) 62 mm (2.4 in) 8°C (47°F) 63 mm (2.5 in)
Dec 4°C (39°F) 52 mm (2 in) 5°C (42°F) 51 mm (2 in)