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

Should you visit Puerto de la Cruz or Sintra-Cascais National Park?

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 Puerto de la Cruz 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, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Puerto de la Cruz or Sintra-Cascais National Park?

Puerto de la Cruz

The coast of the island of Tenerife is a dream destination for those seeking a luxurious getaway full of beaches and parties. However, for those of you traveling with families or looking to simply avoid the hustle and bustle of the nightclub crowd, there's Puerto de la Cruz. Known as a sophisticated destination, Puerto de la Cruz is one of the top places to visit yet still retains its authentic, Canarian charm.

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 Romantic Tours for Couples in Spain, The Best Luxury Tours to Spain, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Portugal, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Portugal.

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

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

When is the best time to visit Puerto de la Cruz or Sintra-Cascais National Park?

Both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. And since both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.

Should I visit Puerto de la Cruz or Sintra-Cascais National Park in the Summer?

Both Sintra-Cascais National Park and Puerto de la Cruz are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities.

In the summer, Puerto de la Cruz is around the same temperature as Sintra-Cascais National Park. Typically, the summer temperatures in Puerto de la Cruz in July average around 24°C (75°F), and Sintra-Cascais National Park averages at about 23°C (73°F).

It's quite sunny in Sintra-Cascais National Park. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Puerto de la Cruz. Puerto de la Cruz usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Sintra-Cascais National Park during summer. Puerto de la Cruz gets 334 hours of sunny skies, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 352 hours of full sun in the summer.

In July, Puerto de la Cruz usually receives less rain than Sintra-Cascais National Park. Puerto de la Cruz gets 2 mm (0.1 in) of rain, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit Puerto de la Cruz or Sintra-Cascais National Park in the Autumn?

Both Sintra-Cascais National Park and Puerto de la Cruz during the autumn are popular places to visit.

In October, Puerto de la Cruz is generally around the same temperature as Sintra-Cascais National Park. Daily temperatures in Puerto de la Cruz average around 21°C (70°F), and Sintra-Cascais National Park fluctuates around 19°C (66°F).

In Sintra-Cascais National Park, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Puerto de la Cruz. In the autumn, Puerto de la Cruz often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Sintra-Cascais National Park. Puerto de la Cruz gets 218 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 213 hours of full sun.

Puerto de la Cruz usually gets less rain in October than Sintra-Cascais National Park. Puerto de la Cruz gets 20 mm (0.8 in) of rain, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Puerto de la Cruz or Sintra-Cascais National Park in the Winter?

The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Puerto de la Cruz and Sintra-Cascais National Park.

Puerto de la Cruz is much warmer than Sintra-Cascais National Park in the winter. The daily temperature in Puerto de la Cruz averages around 18°C (64°F) in January, and Sintra-Cascais National Park fluctuates around 12°C (53°F).

Puerto de la Cruz usually receives more sunshine than Sintra-Cascais National Park during winter. Puerto de la Cruz gets 180 hours of sunny skies, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 144 hours of full sun in the winter.

Sintra-Cascais National Park receives a lot of rain in the winter. In January, Puerto de la Cruz usually receives less rain than Sintra-Cascais National Park. Puerto de la Cruz gets 29 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain each month for the winter.

Should I visit Puerto de la Cruz or Sintra-Cascais National Park in the Spring?

The spring brings many poeple to Puerto de la Cruz as well as Sintra-Cascais National Park.

In the spring, Puerto de la Cruz is a little warmer than Sintra-Cascais National Park. Typically, the spring temperatures in Puerto de la Cruz in April average around 20°C (68°F), and Sintra-Cascais National Park averages at about 16°C (60°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Sintra-Cascais National Park. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Puerto de la Cruz this time of the year. In the spring, Puerto de la Cruz often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Sintra-Cascais National Park. Puerto de la Cruz gets 229 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 235 hours of full sun.

Puerto de la Cruz usually gets less rain in April than Sintra-Cascais National Park. Puerto de la Cruz gets 11 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 64 mm (2.5 in) of rain this time of the year.

Typical Weather for Sintra-Cascais National Park and Puerto de la Cruz