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

Should you visit Saint-Etienne 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 Saint-Etienne 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: Saint-Etienne or Sintra-Cascais National Park?

Saint-Etienne

Saint-Etienne (Saint Stephen), a city southwest of Lyon, is drawing on its Industrial Revolution origins and its history of arms, bicycle, textile and ribbon production, to reinvent itself as design city. And the change is noticeable. After almost 30 years of decline, the city is now looking optimistically towards the future. Its center and suburbs are smartening up at a rapid pace. There are plenty of good surprises, including two great museums and a great eating scene.

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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Paris, The Best 10-Day Tours from Paris, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Portugal, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Portugal.

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

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

When is the best time to visit Saint-Etienne 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 Saint-Etienne or Sintra-Cascais National Park in the Summer?

Both Sintra-Cascais National Park and Saint-Etienne during the summer are popular places to visit. Many travelers come to Saint-Etienne for the hiking and the family-friendly experiences.

In July, Saint-Etienne is generally around the same temperature as Sintra-Cascais National Park. Daily temperatures in Saint-Etienne average around 22°C (71°F), and Sintra-Cascais National Park fluctuates around 23°C (73°F).

In Sintra-Cascais National Park, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Saint-Etienne. In the summer, Saint-Etienne often gets less sunshine than Sintra-Cascais National Park. Saint-Etienne gets 285 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 352 hours of full sun.

Saint-Etienne usually gets more rain in July than Sintra-Cascais National Park. Saint-Etienne gets 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain this time of the year.

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

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Saint-Etienne and Sintra-Cascais National Park. Many visitors come to Saint-Etienne in the autumn for the hiking trails, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area.

Saint-Etienne is cooler than Sintra-Cascais National Park in the autumn. The daily temperature in Saint-Etienne averages around 14°C (56°F) in October, 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. Saint-Etienne usually receives less sunshine than Sintra-Cascais National Park during autumn. Saint-Etienne gets 127 hours of sunny skies, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 213 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In October, Saint-Etienne usually receives around the same amount of rain as Sintra-Cascais National Park. Saint-Etienne gets 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

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

The winter brings many poeple to Saint-Etienne as well as Sintra-Cascais National Park. Most visitors come to Saint-Etienne for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine during these months.

Saint-Etienne can be very cold during winter. In the winter, Saint-Etienne is much colder than Sintra-Cascais National Park. Typically, the winter temperatures in Saint-Etienne in January average around 4°C (39°F), and Sintra-Cascais National Park averages at about 12°C (53°F).

In the winter, Saint-Etienne often gets less sunshine than Sintra-Cascais National Park. Saint-Etienne gets 62 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. Saint-Etienne usually gets less rain in January than Sintra-Cascais National Park. Saint-Etienne gets 55 mm (2.1 in) of rain, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain this time of the year.

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

Both Sintra-Cascais National Park and Saint-Etienne are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The spring months attract visitors to Saint-Etienne because of the natural beauty.

In April, Saint-Etienne is generally cooler than Sintra-Cascais National Park. Daily temperatures in Saint-Etienne average around 11°C (53°F), and Sintra-Cascais National Park fluctuates around 16°C (60°F).

It's quite sunny in Sintra-Cascais National Park. Saint-Etienne usually receives less sunshine than Sintra-Cascais National Park during spring. Saint-Etienne gets 174 hours of sunny skies, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 235 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Saint-Etienne usually receives around the same amount of rain as Sintra-Cascais National Park. Saint-Etienne gets 65 mm (2.6 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 Saint-Etienne