A Travel Price Comparison for Italy Lucca vs. Lake Garda for Families, Attractions, Food, and Nightlife

Should you visit Lucca or Lake Garda?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Lucca and Lake Garda can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Lucca

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

Lake Garda

Lake Garda is a fun, energetic, and scenic lake. With stunning beauty, it attracts visitors from all around. Other popular activities here include beaches, hiking, and shopping.

Lucca and Lake Garda: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Lucca or Lake Garda?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Lake Garda. Although Lucca and Lake Garda are both popular with visitors, Lake Garda has more sights, activities, and attractions for travelers. Lake Garda is more popular for its nightlife, beaches, and hiking, while Lucca is known for its museums and historical sights. Lucca is popular for its ancient city walls and its many historic buildings. Lake Garda is popular for its beautiful setting, charming towns, and fun amusement parks. It is also home to Sirmione.

How is Lucca different from Lake Garda?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Lucca or Lake Garda?

Lucca is an excellent place to visit for its museums and history. Also, Lake Garda is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its museums and landmarks.

Lucca offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. 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.

If you're looking for an educational opportunity, there are a decent number of museums and historical sights around Lake Garda. While most people come for the natural beauty, there are also great castles that you can explore. Castello Scaligeri, Grotte di Catullo, and Castello Scaligero.

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

Dining out at restaurants in both Lucca and Lake Garda can be an enjoyable experience.

Dining out in Lucca is an experience not to be missed. 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.

The food selection at local restaurants is excellent in Lake Garda. You'll find many great local restaurants in the area. Most make use of local ingredients such as olive oil, lemons, wine, and fish. Pasta and risotto are both popular throughout the area as well.

Is Lucca or Lake Garda Better for Nightlife?

Lake Garda is well known for its evening party scene. Also, Lucca is still popular, but not quite as popular for nightlife.

Lake Garda is a popular destination for visitors looking to party into the night. You'll find clubs and bars in various towns that make for a great nightlife scene. You'll even find beach parties and fireworks shows during the most popular times of the year.

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.

Is Lucca or Lake Garda Better for Beaches?

Lake Garda is well known for the beach. However, Lucca is not a beach destination.

The beaches at Lake Garda attract visitors from all over. Despite there being no ocean, there are many great swimming beaches in the area. Many have sand and great places to relax. There's also plenty of watersports to choose from.

Lucca is not a beach destination.

Is Lucca or Lake Garda Better for its Old Town?

Lucca is terrific for its old town. However, Lake Garda does not have a historic old town.

Lucca has a unique history which comes to life in its historic area. The historic city is surrounded by city walls, which you can walk around. Within the walls there are cobblestone streets and a charming atmosphere.

Lake Garda does not have a historic old town.

Is Lucca or Lake Garda Better for Hiking?

Lake Garda is well known for its hiking experiences. However, Lucca is not a hiking destination.

You'll find a nice variety of hiking trails around Lake Garda. There are many great walking and hiking trails in the area that take you through the natural beauty, connect the charming towns, and offer spectacular viewpoints.

Lucca is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Lucca or Lake Garda?

Shopping is a popular activity in both Lake Garda and Lucca.

Many visitors go to Lucca to go shopping. 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.

Plenty of visitors enjoy shopping while in Lake Garda. Many villages around the lake are great for shopping. You'll find clothing stores, jewelry shops, and souvenir vendors with something for everyone.

Is Lucca or Lake Garda Better for Families?

Lake Garda is an unbeatable place for its family-friendly activities. Also, Lucca is still popular, but not quite as popular for its kid-friendly activities.

Lake Garda is an extremely popular lake to visit for families. The nearby amusement parks, including Gardaland, make this a popular destination for families. The area also has many places to swim, trails to explore, and castles to experience. Kids and adults alike will love this amazing kid-friendly area.

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.

Is Lucca or Lake Garda Better for Couples?

Both Lucca and Lake Garda are excellent destinations for a couple's getaway.

Couples visit Lucca frequently as it offers plenty of romantic activities. 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.

Lake Garda is a great city if you're traveling as a couple. You'll find a lot of families in the area because of the amusement parks, but that doesn't mean that this isn't a romantic and beautiful spot for couples. There are many charming towns to explore and scenic viewpoints to check out. There are also excellent romantic restaurants that you should try.

Is Lucca or Lake Garda Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Lucca and Lake Garda are good places to visit for backpackers and budget travelers.

Lucca is a good city to visit for backpackers. While there aren't many traditional hostels around town, guesthouses are usually affordable.

Plenty of backpackers visit Lake Garda. There are a few good hostels around the lake that are affordable and fun. The area also see enough backpackers to keep the atmosphere fun and social.

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

Lake Garda is well known for its public transit. However, Lucca is not particularly known for times when you don't have a car.

Many visitors use the public transit system in Lake Garda. There are ferries, buses, and trains in the area.

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 Lucca or Lake Garda a more walkable city?

Lucca and Lake Garda both are excellent when exploring on foot.

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

Lake Garda is very walkable. There are walking trails that connect the villages around the lake and this how many people choose to get around.

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

Should I spend more time in Lake Garda or Lucca?

How long in Lucca or Lake Garda?

It's fun to spend time in either Lucca or Lake Garda. Generally, people tend to spend more time in Lake Garda due to the larger number of activities and things to do. Usually, 1-2 days is a good amount of time for Lucca, and 2-4 days is enough time in Lake Garda.

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

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

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

One day in Lucca or Lake Garda?

With museums and nightlife around the charming city of Lucca, there's plenty to do. Anyone can find something fun to do here. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Lucca, one day is sufficent for most.

In Lake Garda, many people enjoy the shopping and museums that this scenic destination offers. It's also a great beach destination, too. This lake offers a variety of activities to choose from. Since there is so much to do in the area, one day is probably not enough for all of it.

A weekend in Lucca or Lake Garda?

With nightlife and food around the destination of Lucca, there's plenty to do. Most visitors spend time around the old town while in the area. It offers something for everyone. Many people spend a weekend here. In a weekend, you should have a good grasp of this city.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Lake Garda. For many, it makes a great getaway for a weekend. Many travelers plan to spend time hiking while in the area. 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.

Five days in Lucca or Lake Garda?

Lucca, a popular city, is full of activities for travelers. Visiting the old town is also a must. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Lake Garda is a fun place to experience. Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the destination of Lake Garda. You'll find plenty of activities on the beach. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything.

A week in Lucca or Lake Garda?

Lucca is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. One week is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

You'll find food and shopping around the fun destination of Lake Garda. Most people come for the beaches. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One week is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Italy, The Best Historical Tours in Italy, The Best 10-Day Tours in Italy, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Italy.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Lucca and Lake Garda, we can see that Lake Garda 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 Lake Garda would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Lake Garda 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 Lucca Expensive? and Is Lake Garda Expensive?.