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

Should you visit Novalja or Sintra-Cascais National Park?

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

Should I visit Novalja 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: Novalja or Sintra-Cascais National Park?

Novalja

Novalja is a Croatian town in the north of the island of Pag in the Adriatic Sea. Novalja is known internationally as party central because of the infamous party beach, Zrce, which boasts 4 clubs open around the clock. The pumping house/techno music and dance parties typically start at around 4 pm and continue well past 2 in the morning. During the summer, many well-known DJs and groups from around the world, including Benni Benassi, Jamie Jones, and Swanky Tunes, host concerts in these nightclubs. Zrce is not just for party-goers though. Many families lay out their towels for a day at the beautiful stone beach. This Novalja beach has cafe-bars and restaurants so you can easily grab a bite to eat or quick drink at your convenience. In addition to Zrce, Novalja offers tourists a number of other gorgeous beaches. Cista and Babe and both are perfect if you're looking for a calmer location. Both of these beaches have a lot less activity than Zrce, making for a relaxing afternoon, and their waters tend to be a bit warmer too.

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 2-Week Tours from Dubrovnik, The Best 2-Week Tours from Split, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Portugal, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Portugal.


Which place is cheaper, Sintra-Cascais National Park or Novalja?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Novalja is $62, while the average daily cost in Sintra-Cascais National Park is $152. 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 Novalja and Sintra-Cascais National Park in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Novalja $34
    Sintra-Cascais National Park $68
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Novalja $68
    Sintra-Cascais National Park $136
Compare Hotels in Novalja and Sintra-Cascais National Park

Looking for a hotel in Novalja or Sintra-Cascais National Park? 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 Novalja


Hotels in Sintra-Cascais National Park


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: Novalja Hotel Prices and Sintra-Cascais National Park Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Novalja $12
    Sintra-Cascais National Park $66

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Novalja

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Novalja:

  • Private Transfer from Crikvenica to Rijeka Airport (RJK): $74
  • Zrce, Private Transfer to/from Zadar Airport: $170

Is it cheaper to fly into Novalja or Sintra-Cascais National Park?

Prices for flights to both Sintra-Cascais National Park and Novalja 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
    Novalja $21
    Sintra-Cascais National Park $44

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Novalja $6.48
    Sintra-Cascais National Park $29

Tours and Activities in Novalja

Here are a few actual costs in Novalja for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Bungee Tower Ticket with Zrce Beach Panoramic Views: $32
  • From Svetojanj Bike Tour: $47
  • Standup Paddleboard Guided Tour: $47
  • From Kolan Bike Tour: $47
  • From Metajna/Pag Bay Guided Sea Kayaking Tour: $49
  • Zrce Booze Cruise - Novalja Boat Party: $52
  • Glowing Standup Paddleboard Guided Night Tour: $58
  • Pag Island Light-Up Kayak Night Tour: $62
  • Kayak and Via Ferrata Adventure: $71
  • Zrce Beach Bungee Jumping Experience: $74

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Novalja $7.76
    Sintra-Cascais National Park $14


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

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


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