A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Portofino vs. Puerto del Carmen for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Portofino or Puerto del Carmen?

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

Should I visit Portofino or Puerto del Carmen? 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: Portofino or Puerto del Carmen?

Portofino

Located on the Italian Riviera coastline just southeast of Genoa, Portofino is known first and foremost as a resort town and popular yachting destination. The half-moon village sits in pastels, curving into a beautiful harbor of fishing boats and luxury yachts. A castle on a hill overlooks it all, while shops, restaurants, cafes, and luxury hotels make up the spread down below. Portofino also has opportunities for hiking, diving, and boating.

Puerto del Carmen

Located on the south-eastern coast of the Canary Island of Lanzarote, Puerto del Carmen is a popular resort area best known for its high concentration of bars, pubs, restaurants, and clubs. By day, visitors frequent the beaches for swimming, sunbathing, windsurfing, and other watersports - and by night, they flock to enjoy the live music and drinks of the area's thriving nightlife.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Historical Tours in Italy, The Best 10-Day Tours in Italy, The Best 3-Day Tours from Madrid, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Madrid.


Which place is cheaper, Puerto del Carmen or Portofino?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Portofino is €326, while the average daily cost in Puerto del Carmen is €173. 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 Portofino and Puerto del Carmen in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Portofino 190
    Puerto del Carmen 98
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Portofino 380
    Puerto del Carmen 196
Compare Hotels in Portofino and Puerto del Carmen

Looking for a hotel in Portofino or Puerto del Carmen? 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 Portofino


Hotels in Puerto del Carmen


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: Portofino Hotel Prices and Puerto del Carmen Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Portofino 23
    Puerto del Carmen 39

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Portofino

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Portofino:

  • Private Transfer from Portofino Cruise Port to Genoa city hotels: $49
  • Private Transfer from Portofino Cruise Port to Genoa Airport(GOA): $49
  • Private Transfer from Portofino Cruise Port to Florence hotels: $158
  • Private Transfer - Portofino Cruise Port to Florence Airport(FLR): $158
  • Portofino hotels to Genoa Airport (GOA) - Departure Private Transfer: $54
  • CAR 3 PAX TRANSFER TO AIRPORT MILANO MALPENSA: $876

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Puerto del Carmen

Also for Puerto del Carmen, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Lanzarote : Parasailing activity with hotel transfer: $102

Is it cheaper to fly into Portofino or Puerto del Carmen?

Prices for flights to both Puerto del Carmen and Portofino 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
    Portofino 118
    Puerto del Carmen 51

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Portofino

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Portofino.

  • Portofino Boat and Walking Tour with Pesto Cooking & Lunch: $246

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Portofino 27
    Puerto del Carmen 17

Tours and Activities in Portofino

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

  • 1-Hour Snorkeling Tour in Paraggi Bay, Portofino: $42
  • Easy Kayak Tour to Portofino with Optional Snorkeling: $52
  • Paddle Boarding Experience in Portofino: $54
  • Portofino Kayak Tour: $54
  • Portofino Private Walking Tour: $267
  • Portofino Stand Up Paddleboard Experience: $52
  • Portofino and San Fruttuoso Boat Experience: $107
  • Coasteering Tour: $74
  • Private Sunset Boat Tour with Aperitif of Ligurian goods: $481
  • Private Tour of Genoa and Portofino from Genoa: $713
  • Snorkel Tour in Paraggi Bay: $43
  • White Boat Tour Tigullio Portofino: $449

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Portofino 16
    Puerto del Carmen 60


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

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Portofino Expensive? and Is Puerto del Carmen Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Portofino or Puerto del Carmen?

Puerto del Carmen has a larger population, and is about 60 times larger than the population of Portofino. When comparing the sizes of Portofino and Puerto del Carmen, 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.

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