Should you visit Portimao or Sintra-Cascais National Park?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Portimao and Sintra-Cascais National Park. 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. So, let's dig into it.
Portimao
The second biggest city in the Alrgarve region of Portugal, Portimao sits on the coast where the Arade River meets the Atlantic Ocean. It is renowned for its fresh fish restaurants and is also a popular destination for beachgoers at the Praia da Rocha to the south of the city.
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.
Which city is cheaper, Sintra-Cascais National Park or Portimao?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Portimao is €121, while the average daily cost in Sintra-Cascais National Park is €114. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Portimao and Sintra-Cascais National Park in more detail.
Accommodation
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about €124 for a double occupancy room in Portimao.
Sintra-Cascais National Park's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is €102. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is €51.
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Accommodation
Hotel or hostel for one person
Portimao €62
Sintra-Cascais National Park €51
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Accommodation
Typical double-occupancy room
Portimao
€124
Sintra-Cascais National Park
€102
Food
The price of a meal in Portimao can vary widely. However, the average price for food per day is €36 per person, and a typical meal will cost around €14 based on the spending of previous visitors. Less expensive dining options can be found by eating street food or at fast food restaurants.
In Sintra-Cascais National Park travelers spend around €33 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Portimao
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Portimao.
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Portimão - Food Tour:
$96
Local Transportation
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around €30 per day to get around in Portimao.
The cost of a taxi ride in Sintra-Cascais National Park is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent €49 per person, per day, on local transportation in Sintra-Cascais National Park.
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Local Transportation
Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
Portimao €30
Sintra-Cascais National Park €49
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Portimao
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Portimao:
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Transfer Portimão - Alamos Golf (Portimão) Pending:
$36
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Transfer Praia da Rocha - Alamos Golf (Portimão):
$36
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Transfer Portimão - Alto Golf Pestana (Alvor):
$36
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Transfer Praia da Rocha - Alto Golf Pestana (Alvor):
$36
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Faro Shared Transfer to or from Portimão:
$38
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Faro Private Transfer to or from Portimão:
$44
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Transfer Portimão - Boavista Golf (Lagos):
$52
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Transfer Praia da Rocha - Boavista Golf (Lagos):
$52
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Transfer Portimão - Balaia Golf (Albufeira):
$62
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Transfer Praia da Rocha - Balaia Golf (Albufeira):
$66
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Faro Airport Private Transfer to or from Portimão/Praia da Rocha:
$88
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Airport Transfer:
$94
Is it cheaper to fly into Portimao or Sintra-Cascais National Park?
Prices for flights to both Sintra-Cascais National Park and Portimao 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.
Entertainment
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around €33 per person, per day in Portimao. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Entertainment and activities in Sintra-Cascais National Park typically cost an average of €21 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
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Entertainment
Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
Portimao €33
Sintra-Cascais National Park €21
Tours and Activities in Portimao
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Portimao are as follows:
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2 Hours Portimão Walking Tour:
$20
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Benagil Caves Tours:
$25
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1 Hour - Express tour to Benagil Cave:
$28
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Tour to Benagil caves and others:
$31
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Morning Caves Expedition Tour from Portimao:
$35
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Benagil Boat Tour with Local Guide:
$35
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Benagil Caves Tour from Portimao:
$37
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Sunset Benagil Tour - relax your vacations:
$37
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Benagil Cave and Marinha Beach Boat Tour from Portimao:
$37
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2.5-Hour Cruise to Benagil Caves From Portimão:
$37
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Magical Benagil Cave Cruise:
$38
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Algarve Jeep Safari tours:
$38
Alcohol
The average person spends about €24 on alcoholic beverages in Portimao per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
The average person spends about €10 on alcoholic beverages in Sintra-Cascais National Park per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Sample the Local Flavors in Portimao
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Portimao:
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Portimão & Carvoeiro: Algarve Wine Tour in a VW T2 Van:
$57
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Algarve Wine Tour of Two Wine Estates:
$72
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Algarve wine tour of two wine estates and lunch at hystorical town of Silves:
$112
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Algarve Wine Tour and Mountain Discovery With Lunch at Mountain Top:
$144
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Alentejo Wine Tour from the Algarve:
$207
When comparing the travel costs between Portimao and Sintra-Cascais National Park, we can see that Portimao is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Europe, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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