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

Should you visit Santillana or Playa de las Americas?

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

Should I visit Santillana or Playa de las Americas? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

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

Santillana

A quaint town outside of Santander in northern Spain, Santillana de Mar is renowned for its medieval architecture. One of Spain's prettiest villages, Santillana del Mar and its cobbled streets are lined with palaces, churches, and balconies full of flowers. There are plenty of traditional shops selling local specialties, and it is nearby the UNESCO world heritage site of the Altamira Caves for something a little different.

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 One Week (7-Day) Tours in Spain, The Best 2-Week Tours in Spain, The Best Bicycle Tours in Spain, and The Best Adventure Tours to Spain.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santillana and Playa de las Americas, we can see that Playa de las Americas is more expensive. And not only is Santillana much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Santillana would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Santillana 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 Santillana.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Santillana Expensive? and Is Playa de las Americas Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Santillana or Playa de las Americas?

Santillana has a larger population, and is about 35% larger than the population of Playa de las Americas. When comparing the sizes of Santillana 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 Santillana 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 Santillana or Playa de las Americas in the Summer?

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

Santillana is cooler than Playa de las Americas in the summer. The daily temperature in Santillana averages around 19°C (66°F) in July, 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 Santillana. In the summer, Santillana often gets less sunshine than Playa de las Americas. Santillana gets 213 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Playa de las Americas receives 268 hours of full sun.

Santillana usually gets more rain in July than Playa de las Americas. Santillana 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 Santillana or Playa de las Americas in the Autumn?

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

In the autumn, Santillana is much colder than Playa de las Americas. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Santillana in October average around 16°C (60°F), and Playa de las Americas averages at about 24°C (75°F).

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

Santillana gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Santillana usually receives more rain than Playa de las Americas. Santillana 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 Santillana or Playa de las Americas in the Winter?

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

In January, Santillana is generally much colder than Playa de las Americas. Daily temperatures in Santillana average around 9°C (49°F), and Playa de las Americas fluctuates around 19°C (66°F).

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

Santillana receives a lot of rain in the winter. Santillana usually gets more rain in January than Playa de las Americas. Santillana 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 Santillana or Playa de las Americas in the Spring?

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

Santillana is much colder than Playa de las Americas in the spring. The daily temperature in Santillana averages around 12°C (53°F) in April, and Playa de las Americas fluctuates around 20°C (68°F).

It's quite sunny in Playa de las Americas. Santillana usually receives less sunshine than Playa de las Americas during spring. Santillana 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 Santillana. In April, Santillana usually receives more rain than Playa de las Americas. Santillana 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 Santillana