A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Messina vs. Playa de las Americas for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Messina or Playa de las Americas?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Messina and Playa de las Americas 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.

Where Should I go: Messina or Playa de las Americas?

Messina

Messina is a city in the northwest area of Sicily. There are only five kilometers across the Straits of Messina to the Calabria region of mainland Italy. You can reach Messina by boats which travel every hour from the town of Villa San Giovanni in mainland Italy. There are also a couple of hydrofoils that make the trip every day from Reggio di Calabria. During the summer season don't be surprised to see cruise ships arriving with crowds of tourists. They are usually docked right downtown and are therefore hard to miss. Messina is also connected to mainland Italy by train, which are transported across the Straits of Messina by ferry.

Playa de las Americas

If you are looking to escape your life - to relax on a modern day pleasure island, then you need to book a trip to the Playa de las Americas resort town. Located on the south coast of Tenerife, this party, beach, and vacation capital never goes to sleep. Packed with nightclubs, bars, live music, shops and restaurants, Playa de las Americas is the stuff Hollywood movies are made of.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Italy, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Italy, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Barcelona, and The Best 10-Day Tours from Madrid.

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

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Messina Expensive? and Is Playa de las Americas Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Messina or Playa de las Americas?

Messina has a larger population, and is about 80 times larger than the population of Playa de las Americas. When comparing the sizes of Messina and Playa de las Americas, 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 Messina or Playa de las Americas?

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 Messina or Playa de las Americas in the Summer?

Both Playa de las Americas and Messina during the summer are popular places to visit. Many visitors come to Messina in the summer for the beaches, the city activities, and the family-friendly experiences.

In the summer, Messina is a little warmer than Playa de las Americas. Typically, the summer temperatures in Messina in July average around 27°C (80°F), and Playa de las Americas averages at about 24°C (75°F).

In Playa de las Americas, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Messina. In the summer, Messina often gets more sunshine than Playa de las Americas. Messina gets 332 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Playa de las Americas receives 268 hours of full sun.

Messina usually gets more rain in July than Playa de las Americas. Messina gets 19 mm (0.8 in) of rain, while Playa de las Americas receives 2 mm (0.1 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Messina or Playa de las Americas in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Messina and Playa de las Americas. Most visitors come to Messina for the city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene during these months.

In October, Messina is generally cooler than Playa de las Americas. Daily temperatures in Messina average around 21°C (69°F), and Playa de las Americas fluctuates around 24°C (75°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Playa de las Americas this time of the year. Messina usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Playa de las Americas during autumn. Messina gets 189 hours of sunny skies, while Playa de las Americas receives 200 hours of full sun in the autumn.

Messina gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Messina usually receives more rain than Playa de las Americas. Messina gets 109 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while Playa de las Americas receives 20 mm (0.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Messina or Playa de las Americas in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Messina as well as Playa de las Americas. The winter months attract visitors to Messina because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.

Messina is much colder than Playa de las Americas in the winter. The daily temperature in Messina averages around 13°C (55°F) in January, and Playa de las Americas fluctuates around 19°C (66°F).

In the winter, Messina often gets less sunshine than Playa de las Americas. Messina gets 115 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Playa de las Americas receives 191 hours of full sun.

Messina receives a lot of rain in the winter. Messina usually gets more rain in January than Playa de las Americas. Messina gets 113 mm (4.5 in) of rain, while Playa de las Americas receives 29 mm (1.1 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Messina or Playa de las Americas in the Spring?

Both Playa de las Americas and Messina are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The beaches and the activities around the city are the main draw to Messina this time of year.

In the spring, Messina is cooler than Playa de las Americas. Typically, the spring temperatures in Messina in April average around 16°C (60°F), and Playa de las Americas averages at about 20°C (68°F).

It's quite sunny in Playa de las Americas. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Messina. Messina usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Playa de las Americas during spring. Messina gets 207 hours of sunny skies, while Playa de las Americas receives 205 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Messina usually receives more rain than Playa de las Americas. Messina gets 60 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Playa de las Americas receives 11 mm (0.4 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Playa de las Americas and Messina