Which place is cheaper, Lake Garda or Santander?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Santander or Lake Garda?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Santander and Lake Garda can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Santander or Lake Garda?
Santander
Santander is the capital of the Cantabria Region which runs along the northern coast of Spain. Located right on the bay, it is a place of many historic churches and a handful of interesting museums that range from archaeological discoveries of the region, to maritime history, and cultural features like bullfighting. There is also a large selection of beaches for those looking for a more relaxing getaway in the sun and sand.
Lake Garda
As a gentle Mediterranean wind touches your skin, the aromatic fragrances of olive and lemon trees fill the air. Surrounded by lush gardens and Italian architecture in its ancient tans and beiges, you look to the horizon and find a paradise before your eyes: a shimmering lake, misty mountaintops, and a clear blue sky. Lake Garda is a popular holiday destination for locals of the Lombardy region and tourists alike. It has been shown that about 7% of Italy's tourists head straight for these gleaming blue shores. The largest lake in Italy, Lake Garda is located about halfway in between Brescia and Verona and between Venezia and Milano. Because it is surrounded by several different districts - Lombardy, Trentino, Alto, and the Veneto - Lake Garda is a culmination of culture that attracts cosmopolitan crowds. The lake is an ancient natural treasure Italy holds dear, with documents referring to Lake Garda dating as far back as the eighteenth century. The name "Garda" comes from the Germanic word "warda," which means "place of guard." Whether you are staying at one of the many luxurious resorts in Riva del Garda or are simply getting a pedicure in spa town Sirmione, Lake Garda continues to preserve its elegance and sophistication throughout the years.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours from Madrid, The Best 10-Day Tours from Barcelona, The Best Tours for Seniors to Italy, and The Best Contiki Tours to Italy.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySantander €108Lake Garda €166
The average daily cost (per person) in Santander is €108, while the average daily cost in Lake Garda is €166. 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 Santander and Lake Garda in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSantander €51Lake Garda €84
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSantander €102Lake Garda €168
Compare Hotels in Santander and Lake Garda
Looking for a hotel in Santander or Lake Garda? 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.
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: Santander Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santander €24Lake Garda €66
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santander
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santander:
- Santander Private Transfer from the city centre to Santander Airport: $43
- Santander Private Transfer from Santander Airport to City centre: $43
- Santander Private Departure Transfer: $35
- Santander Private Arrival Transfer: $35
- Private Transfer from Santander city to Bilbao Airport: $251
- Private Transfer from Santander city to Bilbao: $251
- Private Transfer from Santander Port to Bilbao Airport: $251
- One-way Private Transfer From/To Santander Airport: $41
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lake Garda
Also for Lake Garda, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Verona VRN Airport to Lake Garda: $109
- Verona Opera Arena: Transfer from Lake Garda & Opera Ticket: $128
Is it cheaper to fly into Santander or Lake Garda?
Prices for flights to both Lake Garda and Santander 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
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Food Meals for one daySantander €41Lake Garda €42
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lake Garda
For Lake Garda, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- 3 Hour Fresh Pasta and Tiramisù Private Cooking Class with Meal : $65
- Valpolicella Wine and Food Tour: $75
- Cusina - Cooking Class: Fresh Pasta with wine tasting: $86
- Dining Experience at a local's Home in Cecina with Show Cooking: $93
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santander €18Lake Garda €30
Tours and Activities in Santander
Here are a few actual costs in Santander for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- City Sightseeing Santander Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $23
- From Cantabria Private Tour: $492
- From Gastronomic Tour: $128
- From Potes, Santillana and Altamira Day Tour: $42
- From Santillana del Mar & Altamira Museum Tour: $64
- Full Day Self Guided Tour in Santillana del Mar and Comillas: $54
- Full Day Tour Lakes of Covadonga and Santillana from Santander: $46
- Gastronomy tour: $119
- Obregón: Parque de la Naturaleza de Cabárceno Entry Ticket: $26
- Picos de Europa and Potes Guided Tour from Santander : $84
- Private Puente Viesgo Caves Full-Day Tour from Santander: $212
- 1-Hour City Cruise Around the Bay: $14
Tours and Activities in Lake Garda
For Lake Garda, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Gardaland SEA LIFE Aquarium: Open Date Entry Ticket: $9.62
- Lake Garda Mini Cruise: Sirmione Peninsula: $13
- Hotel Villa Cariola Pool Entry Ticket: $20
- From San Felice del Benaco: Islands Boat Tour: $27
- Sunset Tour in Sirmione : $27
- Tour in the Winery and tasting: $32
- Bardolino: Vineyard Tour with Wine, Olive Oil & Food Tasting: $37
- Lazise: Beekeeping Farm Tour and Tasting Experience: $42
- Beekeeping Farm Tour and Tasting Experience in Lazise: $42
- Winery Tour and Tasting of Garda Wines in Lazise: $43
- Guided Boat Cruise to Sirmione from Garda/Bardolino: $48
- From Garda/Bardolino: 4-hour Guided Boat Cruise to Sirmione: $49
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySantander €14Lake Garda €19
Sample the Local Flavors in Lake Garda
Also in Lake Garda, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Bardolino: Wine tasting at Cantina Valetti: $26
- Wine Tasting and Tour of Lugana Wines in Sirmione: $32
- Wine Tasting with Local Food in Lazise Countryside: $32
- Vineyards Tour and Wine Tasting: $42
- Garda Hills Wine Tour and Tasting: $42
- Wine Tasting in Historical Center of Lazise: $43
- Art Experience with Food and Wine Tasting in Lazise: $54
- E-Bike Tour and wine tasting in Lazise Countryside: $87
- E-Bike Tour and Wine Tasting in Lazise: $87
- Lazise: Bike Tour and Wine Tasting: $90
- Castles boat tour with Bardolino wine tasting and nibbles: $98
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santander and Lake Garda, we can see that Lake Garda is more expensive. And not only is Santander much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Santander would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Santander 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 Lake Garda would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Lake Garda than you might in Santander.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Santander Expensive? and Is Lake Garda Expensive?.
When is the best time to visit Santander or Lake Garda?
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 Santander or Lake Garda in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Santander as well as Lake Garda. Additionally, the summer months attract visitors to Lake Garda because of the beaches, the hiking, and the family-friendly experiences.
In July, Santander is generally cooler than Lake Garda. Daily temperatures in Santander average around 19°C (66°F), and Lake Garda fluctuates around 24°C (75°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Lake Garda. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Santander this time of the year. In the summer, Santander often gets less sunshine than Lake Garda. Santander gets 213 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Lake Garda receives 286 hours of full sun.
Santander usually gets less rain in July than Lake Garda. Santander gets 50 mm (2 in) of rain, while Lake Garda receives 62 mm (2.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulySantander 19°C (66°F)Lake Garda 24°C (75°F)
Should I visit Santander or Lake Garda in the Autumn?
Both Lake Garda and Santander are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Also, the hiking trails, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Lake Garda this time of year.
Santander is a little warmer than Lake Garda in the autumn. The daily temperature in Santander averages around 16°C (60°F) in October, and Lake Garda fluctuates around 14°C (57°F).
Santander usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Lake Garda during autumn. Santander gets 133 hours of sunny skies, while Lake Garda receives 137 hours of full sun in the autumn.
It's quite rainy in Santander. In October, Santander usually receives more rain than Lake Garda. Santander gets 138 mm (5.4 in) of rain, while Lake Garda receives 82 mm (3.2 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberSantander 16°C (60°F)Lake Garda 14°C (57°F)
Should I visit Santander or Lake Garda in the Winter?
Both Lake Garda and Santander during the winter are popular places to visit. Also, many travelers come to Lake Garda for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
Be prepared for some very cold days in Lake Garda. In the winter, Santander is much warmer than Lake Garda. Typically, the winter temperatures in Santander in January average around 9°C (49°F), and Lake Garda averages at about 2°C (36°F).
In the winter, Santander often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Lake Garda. Santander gets 91 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Lake Garda receives 98 hours of full sun.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Santander. Santander usually gets more rain in January than Lake Garda. Santander gets 149 mm (5.9 in) of rain, while Lake Garda receives 55 mm (2.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuarySantander 9°C (49°F)Lake Garda 2°C (36°F)
Should I visit Santander or Lake Garda in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Santander and Lake Garda. Also, many visitors come to Lake Garda in the spring for the beaches and the natural beauty.
In April, Santander is generally around the same temperature as Lake Garda. Daily temperatures in Santander average around 12°C (53°F), and Lake Garda fluctuates around 13°C (55°F).
Santander usually receives less sunshine than Lake Garda during spring. Santander gets 148 hours of sunny skies, while Lake Garda receives 169 hours of full sun in the spring.
Santander gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In April, Santander usually receives more rain than Lake Garda. Santander gets 135 mm (5.3 in) of rain, while Lake Garda receives 69 mm (2.7 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilSantander 12°C (53°F)Lake Garda 13°C (55°F)
Typical Weather for Lake Garda and Santander
| Santander | Lake Garda | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 9°C (49°F) | 149 mm (5.9 in) | 2°C (36°F) | 55 mm (2.1 in) |
| Feb | 10°C (50°F) | 116 mm (4.6 in) | 5°C (40°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) |
| Mar | 10°C (51°F) | 119 mm (4.7 in) | 9°C (47°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) |
| Apr | 12°C (53°F) | 135 mm (5.3 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) |
| May | 14°C (58°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) |
| Jun | 17°C (62°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) |
| Jul | 19°C (66°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 62 mm (2.4 in) |
| Aug | 19°C (67°F) | 89 mm (3.5 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 88 mm (3.4 in) |
| Sep | 18°C (64°F) | 88 mm (3.4 in) | 19°C (67°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) |
| Oct | 16°C (60°F) | 138 mm (5.4 in) | 14°C (57°F) | 82 mm (3.2 in) |
| Nov | 12°C (53°F) | 181 mm (7.1 in) | 8°C (46°F) | 75 mm (3 in) |
| Dec | 10°C (50°F) | 157 mm (6.2 in) | 3°C (37°F) | 51 mm (2 in) |
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.