A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers La Rochelle vs. Sintra-Cascais National Park for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit La Rochelle or Sintra-Cascais National Park?

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

Should I visit La Rochelle or Sintra-Cascais National Park? 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.

Where Should I go: La Rochelle or Sintra-Cascais National Park?

La Rochelle

La Rochelle is a lovely French city in the province of Charente-Maritime. It's located in western France and is a seaport on the Bay of Biscay. Most people who visit the city enjoy exploring the "Vieux Port" or Old Harbour area. This area is the heart of the city and it is a beautiful neighborhood that has many seafood restaurants and nice architecture. It's particularly enjoyable to walk around during the evening hours. Ile de Re is connected to the city by a bridge and is also a nice place to visit. If you head out of town, the surrounding countryside is very rural. North of the city is Venise Verte, which is very marshy and has many small canals. It's a popular area for inland boating.

Sintra-Cascais National Park

The Sintra-Cascais Natural Park is located on the west coast of Portugal and is often called the place where "the land ends and the sea begins". The UNESCO listed park is famous for being home to Cabo da Roca, a seaside cliff that is actually the westernmost part of Europe. Sintra-Cascais is interesting due to their large diversity in landscape which includes sand dunes, lakes, forests, and ocean cliffs.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Paris, The Best 10-Day Tours from Paris, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Portugal, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Portugal.

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

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is La Rochelle Expensive? and Is Sintra-Cascais National Park Expensive?.

When is the best time to visit La Rochelle or Sintra-Cascais National Park?

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 La Rochelle or Sintra-Cascais National Park in the Summer?

Both Sintra-Cascais National Park and La Rochelle during the summer are popular places to visit. The beaches, the hiking, the small town charm, and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to La Rochelle this time of year.

In July, La Rochelle is generally cooler than Sintra-Cascais National Park. Daily temperatures in La Rochelle average around 20°C (67°F), and Sintra-Cascais National Park fluctuates around 23°C (73°F).

In Sintra-Cascais National Park, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in La Rochelle. In the summer, La Rochelle often gets less sunshine than Sintra-Cascais National Park. La Rochelle gets 267 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 352 hours of full sun.

La Rochelle usually gets more rain in July than Sintra-Cascais National Park. La Rochelle gets 35 mm (1.4 in) of rain, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit La Rochelle or Sintra-Cascais National Park in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both La Rochelle and Sintra-Cascais National Park. Many travelers come to La Rochelle for the hiking trails, the shopping scene, and the small town atmosphere.

La Rochelle is cooler than Sintra-Cascais National Park in the autumn. The daily temperature in La Rochelle averages around 15°C (59°F) in October, and Sintra-Cascais National Park fluctuates around 19°C (66°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Sintra-Cascais National Park this time of the year. La Rochelle usually receives less sunshine than Sintra-Cascais National Park during autumn. La Rochelle gets 141 hours of sunny skies, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 213 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In October, La Rochelle usually receives less rain than Sintra-Cascais National Park. La Rochelle gets 70 mm (2.8 in) of rain, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit La Rochelle or Sintra-Cascais National Park in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to La Rochelle as well as Sintra-Cascais National Park. Many visitors come to La Rochelle in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.

In the winter, La Rochelle is much colder than Sintra-Cascais National Park. Typically, the winter temperatures in La Rochelle in January average around 7°C (44°F), and Sintra-Cascais National Park averages at about 12°C (53°F).

In the winter, La Rochelle often gets less sunshine than Sintra-Cascais National Park. La Rochelle gets 72 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 144 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Sintra-Cascais National Park. La Rochelle usually gets less rain in January than Sintra-Cascais National Park. La Rochelle gets 81 mm (3.2 in) of rain, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit La Rochelle or Sintra-Cascais National Park in the Spring?

Both Sintra-Cascais National Park and La Rochelle are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Most visitors come to La Rochelle for the beaches and the small town charm during these months.

In April, La Rochelle is generally cooler than Sintra-Cascais National Park. Daily temperatures in La Rochelle average around 11°C (52°F), and Sintra-Cascais National Park fluctuates around 16°C (60°F).

It's quite sunny in Sintra-Cascais National Park. La Rochelle usually receives less sunshine than Sintra-Cascais National Park during spring. La Rochelle gets 187 hours of sunny skies, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 235 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, La Rochelle usually receives less rain than Sintra-Cascais National Park. La Rochelle gets 47 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 64 mm (2.5 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Sintra-Cascais National Park and La Rochelle