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

Should you visit Saaremaa or Sintra-Cascais National Park?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Saaremaa or Sintra-Cascais National Park, 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.

Where Should I go: Saaremaa or Sintra-Cascais National Park?

Saaremaa

Saaremaa is the largest island in Estonia and it has a unique and rural atmosphere that makes it an interesting place to visit. Saaremaa has remained rural and frozen in time due to its isolated location, particularly during Soviet occupation when it was used as a military base. The island still has working windmills, hand placed stone walls, and old stone churches that feel like you've stepped back in time.

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 2-Week Tours from Tallinn, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Estonia, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Portugal, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Portugal.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Saaremaa and Sintra-Cascais National Park, we can see that Sintra-Cascais National Park 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 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 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 Sintra-Cascais National Park Expensive?.

When is the best time to visit Saaremaa or Sintra-Cascais National Park?

Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.

Should I visit Saaremaa or Sintra-Cascais National Park in the Summer?

Both Sintra-Cascais National Park and Saaremaa during the summer are popular places to visit. Most visitors come to Saaremaa for the beaches, the small town charm, and the family-friendly experiences during these months.

In the summer, Saaremaa is cooler than Sintra-Cascais National Park. Typically, the summer temperatures in Saaremaa in July average around 17°C (62°F), and Sintra-Cascais National Park averages at about 23°C (73°F).

In Sintra-Cascais National Park, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Saaremaa. In the summer, Saaremaa often gets less sunshine than Sintra-Cascais National Park. Saaremaa gets 302 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 352 hours of full sun.

Saaremaa usually gets more rain in July than Sintra-Cascais National Park. Saaremaa gets 51 mm (2 in) of rain, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Saaremaa or Sintra-Cascais National Park in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Saaremaa and Sintra-Cascais National Park. The autumn months attract visitors to Saaremaa because of the small town atmosphere and the natural beauty of the area.

In October, Saaremaa is generally much colder than Sintra-Cascais National Park. Daily temperatures in Saaremaa average around 8°C (47°F), and Sintra-Cascais National Park fluctuates around 19°C (66°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Sintra-Cascais National Park this time of the year. Saaremaa usually receives less sunshine than Sintra-Cascais National Park during autumn. Saaremaa gets 101 hours of sunny skies, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 213 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In October, Saaremaa usually receives less rain than Sintra-Cascais National Park. Saaremaa gets 67 mm (2.6 in) of rain, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Saaremaa or Sintra-Cascais National Park in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Saaremaa as well as Sintra-Cascais National Park. The cuisine are the main draw to Saaremaa this time of year.

It's quite cold in Saaremaa in the winter. Saaremaa is much colder than Sintra-Cascais National Park in the winter. The daily temperature in Saaremaa averages around -3°C (27°F) in January, and Sintra-Cascais National Park fluctuates around 12°C (53°F).

In the winter, Saaremaa often gets less sunshine than Sintra-Cascais National Park. Saaremaa gets 33 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 144 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Sintra-Cascais National Park. Saaremaa usually gets less rain in January than Sintra-Cascais National Park. Saaremaa gets 41 mm (1.6 in) of rain, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Saaremaa or Sintra-Cascais National Park in the Spring?

Both Sintra-Cascais National Park and Saaremaa are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Many travelers come to Saaremaa for the beaches, the small town charm, and the natural beauty.

Be prepared for some very cold days in Saaremaa. In the spring, Saaremaa is much colder than Sintra-Cascais National Park. Typically, the spring temperatures in Saaremaa in April average around 4°C (38°F), and Sintra-Cascais National Park averages at about 16°C (60°F).

It's quite sunny in Sintra-Cascais National Park. Saaremaa usually receives less sunshine than Sintra-Cascais National Park during spring. Saaremaa gets 196 hours of sunny skies, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 235 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Saaremaa usually receives less rain than Sintra-Cascais National Park. Saaremaa gets 29 mm (1.1 in) of rain, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 64 mm (2.5 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Sintra-Cascais National Park and Saaremaa