A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Santa Cruz de Tenerife vs. Varenna for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Santa Cruz de Tenerife or Varenna?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Santa Cruz de Tenerife or Varenna, 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: Santa Cruz de Tenerife or Varenna?

Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Not everyone traveling to Spain is looking to collapse on a beach somewhere. If you're in search of a bustling, vibrant and colorful Spanish capital city without the crowds of Barcelona, you might want to book a few days in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Located on the eastern tip of the island of Tenerife on the Canary Island chain, Santa Cruz's bright buildings, charming shops and rich, green scenery are there to greet visitors from all over the world - including you.

Varenna

A golden light cascades from the heavens, bathing the misty blue mountains in a honey haze. The shivering waters of Lake Como blend the gentle blues and yellows of the sky to a tea rose pink that sits under white sailboats. A quaint village hustled around lush gardens, Varenna, Italy is an attractive fishing village that dates back to the eleventh century. Founded in 769 AD by fisherman, the town was originally destroyed in 1126 AD by the rival town Como, only to be restored refugees from the Isola Comacina whose town was also destroyed. Located on the eastern shore of the lake in the province of Lecco, Varenna is filled with a romantic air from its old Italian fisherman houses to the picturesque lanes. Unlike the towns of Bellagio or Milan, Varenna holds a particular authenticity to Italian culture without the burdens of tourist-ridden streets and hotel-packed areas. As Lake Como works as the main attraction of Varenna, the village provides its visitors with a wide array of entertainment on its pebbly beaches. Besides this, Varenna is also known for its exquisite gardens of two villas, Villa Monastero and Villa Cipressi. Besides this, Varenna also has museums just waiting to be explored. Take a tranquil retreat to Varenna!

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Madrid, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Barcelona, The Best Budget Tours to Italy, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Italy.


Which place is cheaper, Varenna or Santa Cruz de Tenerife?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Santa Cruz de Tenerife is €126, while the average daily cost in Varenna is €164. 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 Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Varenna in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Santa Cruz de Tenerife 48
    Varenna 86
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Santa Cruz de Tenerife 96
    Varenna 172
Compare Hotels in Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Varenna

Looking for a hotel in Santa Cruz de Tenerife or Varenna? 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 Santa Cruz de Tenerife


Hotels in Varenna


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: Santa Cruz de Tenerife Hotel Prices and Varenna Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Santa Cruz de Tenerife 64
    Varenna 34

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santa Cruz de Tenerife:

  • Whale and Dolphin Watching Catamaran with Transfer and Buffet : $64
  • Tenerife South Airport Departure Transfer (Playa de las américas to Airport): $59
  • Tenerife South Airport Departure Transfer (Costa Adeje Hotels to Airport): $98
  • Santa Cruz Tenerife Cruise Port: Transfer to Tenerife hotels: $252
  • Mount Teide Tour with Transfer and Optional Cable Car Ticket: $43

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Varenna

Also for Varenna, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Varenna : Private transfer to/from Malpensa Airport: $358

Is it cheaper to fly into Santa Cruz de Tenerife or Varenna?

Prices for flights to both Varenna and Santa Cruz de Tenerife 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
    Santa Cruz de Tenerife 40
    Varenna 53

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Varenna

For Varenna, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Cooking Class at a Local's Home: $155

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Santa Cruz de Tenerife 25
    Varenna 34

Tours and Activities in Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Here are a few actual costs in Santa Cruz de Tenerife for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Full Day Guided Tour of Teide by Cabrio Bus : $75
  • Full Day Tour of Santa Cruz and San Cristóbal de La Laguna: $49
  • Guided Tour to Teide National Park in Tenerife: $44
  • Private Paragliding Flight Experience in Tenerife: $109
  • Private VIP Tour Tenerife Magic Circle: $258
  • Taucho Flight Experience: $118
  • Tenerife: Forestal Park Tenerife Entry Ticket: $28
  • Tenerife: Introductory Dive for Cruise Ship Passengers: $128
  • Volcano Teide National Park Shared Tour from Costa Adeje Los Cristianos Tenerife: $64

Tours and Activities in Varenna

For Varenna, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Lake Como Shared Boat Tour: $32
  • Lake Como Sightseeing Cruise (90 minutes): $43
  • Dining Experience at a Local's Home: $112
  • Sunset shared boat tour with aperitif from Varenna: $118
  • Picnic Experience in the Italian Alps: $150
  • Private Luxury Boat Tour of Lake Como with Stops & Drinks: $491
  • Bellagio: Private Tour on Vintage Wooden Boat: $664
  • Lake Como: Grand Private Tour 5 hours Invictus boat: $1,551

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Santa Cruz de Tenerife 7.50
    Varenna 23

Sample the Local Flavors in Varenna

Also in Varenna, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Wine Tasting and Entry Ticket to Castello di Vezio: $112
  • Wine Tasting and Entry Ticket to Villa Monastero: $134


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

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Santa Cruz de Tenerife Expensive? and Is Varenna Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Santa Cruz de Tenerife or Varenna?

Santa Cruz de Tenerife has a larger population, and is about 260 times larger than the population of Varenna. When comparing the sizes of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Varenna, 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.