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

Should you visit Odense or Chartres?

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

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Odense and Chartres. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Odense

Visitors also love the food.

Chartres

Chartres is a spectacular, historic, and grand town. It's a very nice small town not to be missed. Other popular activities here include food and museums.

Odense and Chartres: Pros and Cons

Pros
  • Family-friendly
  • Good for students
Things to Consider
  • Less popular with couples
  • Less popular with backpackers
Pros
  • Popular museums and historical sights
  • Good for couples and romance
  • Good for backpackers and budget travelers
  • Good public transit
  • Very walkable
Things to Consider
  • Less family-friendly


Is there more to do in Odense or Chartres?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Chartres. Although Odense and Chartres are both popular with visitors, Chartres has more sights, activities, and attractions for travelers. Chartres is more touristy than Odense and is popular for its beautiful cathedral and long running history. It is also home to The Chartres Cathedral. Odense is popular for

How is Odense different from Chartres?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Odense or Chartres?

Odense
Chartres

Chartres is a good destination for its sights and museums. However, Odense does not have museums and landmarks.

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.

Odense does not have museums and landmarks.


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

Odense
Chartres

Local dishes at restaurants are fun to try in both Odense and Chartres.

There are many up and coming restaurants in the Odense area. You'll find local restaurants serving local favorites such as smoked salmon. You'll also find burger joints and international options such as sushi.

There are plenty of up and coming restaurants around Chartres. There are a number of restaurants around town so it's easy to grab lunch during a day trip.

Is Odense or Chartres Better for Families?

Odense
Chartres

Odense is great for its kid-friendly activities. However, Chartres is not a good destination for its family-friendly activities.

Because of its large number of kid-friendly activities, Odense is very family-friendly. As the home of Hans Christian Andersen, this town is a child's playhouse. You can visit the H.C. Andersen House, which will bring his fairytale mind to life. The city also has more than 200 playgrounds, an amazing zoo, and the Funen Village, which is an open air museum. There's also a castle to explore and paddle boating on the water.

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 Odense or Chartres Better for Couples?

Odense
Chartres

Chartres is a good destination for couples. However, Odense is a mediocre city for romance.

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

Odense is not the best destination for a couple to visit. It's a charming city with a lot of green space and paddle boating on the water, but it lacks some of the romance that you find in many European cities.


Is Odense or Chartres Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Odense
Chartres

Chartres is a good destination for backpackers. However, Odense is a mediocre city for backpackers and budget travelers.

Plenty of backpackers visit Chartres. 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.

Odense is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. There's a hostel or two in town, but most backpackers don't make the time to visit this off-the-beaten-path destination.

Is Odense or Chartres Better for Students?

Odense
Chartres

Odense is a popular place for its student-friendly activities. However, Chartres is not popular with students.

It's common for students to visit Odense. It's a charming and friendly city that makes a fun place to learn and live. There's a fascinating culture and a number of things to do.

Chartres is not popular with students.

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

Odense
Chartres

Chartres is notable for its public transit. However, Odense does not have public transit.

The public transit in Chartres can get you to most places easily. 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.

Odense does not have public transit.


Is Odense or Chartres a more walkable city?

Odense
Chartres

Chartres is notable for its ease of walking around. However, Odense is not a walkable destination.

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

Odense is not a walkable destination.

Should I spend more time in Chartres or Odense?

How long in Odense or Chartres?

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

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Chartres than Odense 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 Odense or Chartres? Ideal Length of Stay
    Odense 2-3 
    Chartres 1-2

One day in Odense or Chartres?

The city of Odense offers food. With so much to do, one day is probably not enough time to see everything. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

Many travelers enjoy the museums and food when visiting the destination of Chartres. One day is often enough time to do most activities.

A weekend in Odense or Chartres?

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

Chartres is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here. Your budget might influence how long you stay.


Five days in Odense or Chartres?

Odense 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.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Chartres. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

A week in Odense or Chartres?

Odense 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.

Travelers enjoy the food and museums when visiting the spectacular destination of Chartres. This town offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.


For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Copenhagen, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Denmark, The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in France, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in France.


Which place is cheaper, Chartres or Odense?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Odense is $160, while the average daily cost in Chartres is $125. 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 Odense and Chartres in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Odense $80
    Chartres $63
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Odense $160
    Chartres $126
Compare Hotels in Odense and Chartres

Looking for a hotel in Odense 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 Odense


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: Odense Hotel Prices and Chartres Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Odense $44
    Chartres $28

Is it cheaper to fly into Odense or Chartres?

Prices for flights to both Chartres and Odense 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
    Odense $51
    Chartres $42

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Odense $29
    Chartres $24

Tours and Activities in Odense

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

  • Christmas Charms in Odense - Walking Tour: $587
  • Copenhagen Audio Tour: Following Hans Christian Andersen: $9.99
  • GoBoat Self-drive Boat Tour: $57
  • Inspiring Odense - Walking Tour for Couples: $480
  • River Cruise on the Odense River: $16

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
    Odense $22
    Chartres $13


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


Which is Bigger, Odense or Chartres?

Odense has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Chartres. When comparing the sizes of Odense 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.