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

Should you visit Saaremaa or Odense?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Saaremaa or Odense, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Saaremaa

Saaremaa is a relaxed, traditional, and quiet island. Because it offers so much small town charm with a variety of activities, it attracts plenty of visitors for a good reason. With stunning beauty, it attracts visitors from all around. Other popular activities here include food and beaches.

Odense

It's also popular because of the food.

Saaremaa and Odense: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Saaremaa or Odense?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Saaremaa. Although Saaremaa and Odense are popular destinations, Saaremaa has more sights and attractions for tourists. Saaremaa is more touristy than Odense and is popular for its untouched, undiscovered rural setting. It is also well known for Kuressaare Castle. Odense is famous for

How is Saaremaa different from Odense?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

Saaremaa is notable for its local cuisine and restaurants. Also, Odense is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for its restaurants.

Dining out in Saaremaa is an experience not to be missed. Like most things on the island, traditional local food is still the norm here. The island is known for its smoked fish, homemade bread, and locally brewed beers. Popular fishes include garfish, herring, and flatfish, which you can enjoy at a local restaurant or one of the pop-up cafes that are popular during the summer months. You'll find the highest concentration of restaurants in Kuressaare, but there are still many options further out. It's also fun to visit during September during the Saaremaa Food Festival.

There are plenty of up and coming restaurants around Odense. You'll find local restaurants serving local favorites such as smoked salmon. You'll also find burger joints and international options such as sushi.

Is Saaremaa or Odense Better for Nightlife?

Saaremaa is not a good place to visit for its evening party scene. However, Odense is not a destination with noteworthy nightlife.

People don't go to Saaremaa for the nightlife. The island is known for it's quiet, laid-back atmosphere, so you'll be hard pressed to find a party or active club, even during the more popular summer months.

Odense is not a destination with noteworthy nightlife.

Is Saaremaa or Odense Better for Beaches?

Saaremaa is a good destination for the beach. However, Odense is not a beach destination.

Saaremaa offers a nice beach destination. The beaches are quiet and relaxed, even during the summer months. In town, the best beach is Kuressaare Beach. Outside of town you'll find other nice beaches such as the sandy beaches between Mändjala and Järve. The beaches in Tuhkana and Jõiste villages are also well known. For swimming, most people prefer to visit Lake Karujärv.

Odense is not a beach destination.

Is Saaremaa or Odense Better for Families?

Odense is great for its kid-friendly activities. Also, Saaremaa is not as popular, but is still a nice island for its family-friendly activities.

You'll find plenty of family-friendly things to do in Odense. 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.

Saaremaa is a family-friendly place to visit. While the island is known for its slow pace, there are still a number of fun activities where the kids can run and jump. There are several outdoor adventure parks and playgrounds that are great for young legs. Check out the playgrounds in Kuressaare or head out of town for more outdoor activities. When the weather's nice you can head to Kuressaare Beach or check out the ostrich farm in Muhu.

Is Saaremaa or Odense Better for Couples?

Saaremaa is notable for couples. However, Odense is a mediocre city for romance.

Saaremaa is a very popular place to visit for couples. The peace and quiet of the island make for a relaxing couple's getaway. You can enjoy the outdoors and feel like you've stepped back in time as you explore the laid back island in the Baltics.

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 Saaremaa or Odense Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

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

Plenty of backpackers visit Saaremaa. While prices are cheap, transportation isn't great so you'll likely want to rent a car if you want to really explore the island. There are a number of rooms available for rent at an affordable price, particularly in the shoulder season, but you'll you'll only find a handful of hostels on the island.

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 Saaremaa or Odense Better for Students?

Odense is a nice place to visit for its student-friendly activities. However, Saaremaa 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.

Saaremaa is not popular with students.

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

Saaremaa is not a good place to visit for its public transit. However, Odense does not have public transit.

Public transit is limited or non-existant in Saaremaa. Most people arrive on the island by ferry. There are buses on the island but they cater mostly to locals. To really explore, you'll want to have access to a car.

Odense does not have public transit.

Is Saaremaa or Odense a more walkable city?

Saaremaa is not a good place to visit for its ease of walking around. However, Odense is not a walkable destination.

Saaremaa is not a walkable island. While their are some walking trails, you really need a car to explore the island in depth.

Odense is not a walkable destination.

Should I spend more time in Odense or Saaremaa?

How long in Saaremaa or Odense?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Saaremaa and Odense. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Saaremaa than in Odense. Usually, 2-4 days is a good amount of time for Saaremaa, and 2-3 days is enough time in Odense.

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Saaremaa 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 Saaremaa.

One day in Saaremaa or Odense?

Saaremaa might be a small town, but there's plenty to do in the area. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

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.

A weekend in Saaremaa or Odense?

Saaremaa 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.

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.

Five days in Saaremaa or Odense?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Saaremaa. 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.

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.

A week in Saaremaa or Odense?

Saaremaa is a small town, so it's a great destination if you're short on time. This island offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

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.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Tallinn, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Estonia, The Best 2-Week Tours from Copenhagen, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Denmark.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Saaremaa or Odense?

Odense has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Saaremaa. When comparing the sizes of Saaremaa and Odense, 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.