A Travel Price Comparison for Spain Santander vs. Playa de las Americas for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Santander or Playa de las Americas?

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 Playa de las Americas can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Santander or Playa de las Americas?

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.

Playa de las Americas

If you are looking to escape your life - to relax on a modern day pleasure island, then you need to book a trip to the Playa de las Americas resort town. Located on the south coast of Tenerife, this party, beach, and vacation capital never goes to sleep. Packed with nightclubs, bars, live music, shops and restaurants, Playa de las Americas is the stuff Hollywood movies are made of.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours from Madrid, The Best 10-Day Tours from Barcelona, The Best 2-Week Tours from Madrid, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Barcelona.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santander and Playa de las Americas, we can see that Playa de las Americas 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 Playa de las Americas would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Playa de las Americas 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 Playa de las Americas Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Santander or Playa de las Americas?

Santander has a larger population, and is about 60 times larger than the population of Playa de las Americas. When comparing the sizes of Santander and Playa de las Americas, 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.

When is the best time to visit Santander or Playa de las Americas?

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 Playa de las Americas in the Summer?

Both Playa de las Americas and Santander during the summer are popular places to visit.

In July, Santander is generally cooler than Playa de las Americas. Daily temperatures in Santander average around 19°C (66°F), and Playa de las Americas fluctuates around 24°C (75°F).

In Playa de las Americas, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Santander. In the summer, Santander often gets less sunshine than Playa de las Americas. Santander gets 213 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Playa de las Americas receives 268 hours of full sun.

Santander usually gets more rain in July than Playa de las Americas. Santander gets 50 mm (2 in) of rain, while Playa de las Americas receives 2 mm (0.1 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Santander or Playa de las Americas in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Santander and Playa de las Americas.

Santander is much colder than Playa de las Americas in the autumn. The daily temperature in Santander averages around 16°C (60°F) in October, and Playa de las Americas fluctuates around 24°C (75°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Playa de las Americas this time of the year. Santander usually receives less sunshine than Playa de las Americas during autumn. Santander gets 133 hours of sunny skies, while Playa de las Americas receives 200 hours of full sun in the autumn.

Santander gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Santander usually receives more rain than Playa de las Americas. Santander gets 138 mm (5.4 in) of rain, while Playa de las Americas receives 20 mm (0.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Santander or Playa de las Americas in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Santander as well as Playa de las Americas.

In the winter, Santander is much colder than Playa de las Americas. Typically, the winter temperatures in Santander in January average around 9°C (49°F), and Playa de las Americas averages at about 19°C (66°F).

In the winter, Santander often gets less sunshine than Playa de las Americas. Santander gets 91 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Playa de las Americas receives 191 hours of full sun.

Santander receives a lot of rain in the winter. Santander usually gets more rain in January than Playa de las Americas. Santander gets 149 mm (5.9 in) of rain, while Playa de las Americas receives 29 mm (1.1 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Santander or Playa de las Americas in the Spring?

Both Playa de las Americas and Santander are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities.

In April, Santander is generally much colder than Playa de las Americas. Daily temperatures in Santander average around 12°C (53°F), and Playa de las Americas fluctuates around 20°C (68°F).

It's quite sunny in Playa de las Americas. Santander usually receives less sunshine than Playa de las Americas during spring. Santander gets 148 hours of sunny skies, while Playa de las Americas receives 205 hours of full sun in the spring.

It's quite rainy in Santander. In April, Santander usually receives more rain than Playa de las Americas. Santander gets 135 mm (5.3 in) of rain, while Playa de las Americas receives 11 mm (0.4 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Playa de las Americas and Santander