Which place is cheaper, Siena or Santillana?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Santillana or Siena?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Santillana or Siena? 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 Siena?
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.
Siena
Located in Tuscany, Siena is a medieval city that is about 70 kilometers south of Florence. One of its most famous events is the horse race, Il Palio, which occurs twice a year during the summer. The race puts a lot of emphasis on neighborhood pride and competition. It is a local tradition that is of great importance to the residence, so it is not an event that is held specifically for tourists. It dates back to the Medieval times and is associated with the area's religion, pageantry and rivalry. In addition to the city's strong neighborhood pride, rich history, and impressive architecture, Siena was also the home of many famous artists including Duccio, Simone Martini, and Ambrogio and Pietro Lorenzetti.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in Spain, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Spain, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Italy, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Italy.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySantillana €105Siena €133
The average daily cost (per person) in Santillana is €105, while the average daily cost in Siena is €133. 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 Santillana and Siena in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSantillana €60Siena €69
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSantillana €120Siena €138
Compare Hotels in Santillana and Siena
Looking for a hotel in Santillana or Siena? 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: Santillana Hotel Prices and Siena Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santillana €17Siena €20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Siena
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Siena:
- Arrival transfer Siena Airport SAY to Siena City by van or car: $148
- From Florence: Private Siena Day Trip with Transfers: $348
- Luxury Private Transfer Between Siena and Genoa: $1,118
- Private transfer from Siena to Florence: $202
- Rome Fiumicino Airport: Shared Transfer to/from Siena by Bus: $11
- Siena - Rome Transfer Tour with Orvieto & Montepulciano: $1,059
- Siena to Milan Linate Airport 1-Way Private Transfer: $1,305
- Siena to Milan Malpensa airport private transfer: $1,433
- Transfer Siena-Florence with visit to Chianti and wine tasting: $218
- Transfer Siena-Pisa with stop in San Gimignano & Lunch: $245
Is it cheaper to fly into Santillana or Siena?
Prices for flights to both Siena and Santillana 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 daySantillana €30Siena €51
Typical Food Prices in Santillana
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Santillana:
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Breakfast€7.00
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Siena
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Siena.
- Siena food tour and Chianti wine: $60
- Walking Food Tour with Tastings: $95
- Tuscan Dinner in a Villa in an Ancient Siena Olive Grove: $98
- Siena Food Tour - Do Eat Better Experience : $99
- From Siena/Chianti: Dinner & Drinks in the Chianti Vineyards: $102
- Siena countryside: cooking class in a real Tuscan farmhouse: $123
- Cooking Class in a historical villa in Siena Provence: $130
- Tuscan Cooking Class in Central Siena: $131
- 4 Hour Private Cooking Class Unique Tuscan Experience in Siena: $131
- Family Cooking Class: Pizza and Tiramisù from Siena: $138
- Small Group Cooking Class in Chianti Farmhouse: $138
- Small group Cooking Class in Chianti Farmhouse: $141
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santillana €23Siena €3.75
Tours and Activities in Santillana
Here are a few actual costs in Santillana for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Memorable Family Walking Tour in Ancient Santillana del Mar: $428
Tours and Activities in Siena
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Siena are as follows:
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.21
- Palazzo Pubblico Entry Ticket: $6.42
- Escape Game and Tour: $6.95
- Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt and City Tour: $6.95
- City Highlights Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $6.99
- Siena Cathedral and Piccolomini Library Entry Ticket: $8.56
- Siena Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $8.75
- Italian Opera in Siena Experience: $27
- Escape Tour - Self-Guided Citygame: $32
- Guided tour of Siena INCLUDING the Cathedral or Museum: $33
- Chianti: Wine and Olive Oil Tasting with Cellar Tour: $36
- Wine Experience in an Organic Chianti Winery: $36
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySantillana €4.29Siena €2.19
Sample the Local Flavors in Santillana
Also in Santillana, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Santillana Uncorked: A Wine Tasting Adventure: $1,022
Sample the Local Flavors in Siena
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Siena:
- Wine Tasting at the Winery in the Panoramic Terrance: $27
- Montalcino: Brunello Wine Tasting Experience: $35
- Total Immersion Wine Tour in Chianti: $43
- Lapi&Tour Guided tour of the cellars with wine tasting: $52
- From Florence: San Gimignano, Siena, and Chianti Wine Tour: $55
- Tuscany Hiking Tour from Siena Including Wine Tasting: $60
- Siena Underground Wine tasting in a Medieval Cave: $61
- Siena Underground Wine tasting in a Medieval Cave: $63
- Tuscan Classics Wine Tasting Class with Aperitivo: $64
- Montalcino: Brunello Wine Tasting & Lunch in a Tuscan Castle: $64
- Wine and Food Pairing Class with Tuscan Wine Tastings: $75
- Organic Winery Tour and Wine Tasting in Siena: $80
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santillana and Siena, we can see that Siena 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 Siena would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Siena 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 Siena Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Santillana or Siena?
Siena has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Santillana. When comparing the sizes of Santillana and Siena, 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 Siena?
Both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. And since both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit Santillana or Siena in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Santillana and Siena. Furthermore, many travelers come to Siena for the family-friendly experiences.
In July, Santillana is generally cooler than Siena. Daily temperatures in Santillana average around 19°C (66°F), and Siena fluctuates around 23°C (73°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Siena this time of the year. In Santillana, it's very sunny this time of the year. Santillana usually receives less sunshine than Siena during summer. Santillana gets 213 hours of sunny skies, while Siena receives 316 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, Santillana usually receives more rain than Siena. Santillana gets 50 mm (2 in) of rain, while Siena receives 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulySantillana 19°C (66°F)Siena 23°C (73°F)
Should I visit Santillana or Siena in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Santillana as well as Siena. Additionally, many visitors come to Siena in the autumn for the shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area.
Santillana is around the same temperature as Siena in the autumn. The daily temperature in Santillana averages around 16°C (60°F) in October, and Siena fluctuates around 16°C (61°F).
In the autumn, Santillana often gets less sunshine than Siena. Santillana gets 133 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Siena receives 177 hours of full sun.
Santillana receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Santillana usually gets more rain in October than Siena. Santillana gets 138 mm (5.4 in) of rain, while Siena receives 87 mm (3.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberSantillana 16°C (60°F)Siena 16°C (61°F)
Should I visit Santillana or Siena in the Winter?
Both Siena and Santillana are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. Also, most visitors come to Siena for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine during these months.
In the winter, Santillana is a little warmer than Siena. Typically, the winter temperatures in Santillana in January average around 9°C (49°F), and Siena averages at about 7°C (45°F).
Santillana usually receives less sunshine than Siena during winter. Santillana gets 91 hours of sunny skies, while Siena receives 105 hours of full sun in the winter.
It's quite rainy in Santillana. In January, Santillana usually receives more rain than Siena. Santillana gets 149 mm (5.9 in) of rain, while Siena receives 64 mm (2.5 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuarySantillana 9°C (49°F)Siena 7°C (45°F)
Should I visit Santillana or Siena in the Spring?
Both Siena and Santillana during the spring are popular places to visit. Also, the spring months attract visitors to Siena because of the natural beauty.
In April, Santillana is generally around the same temperature as Siena. Daily temperatures in Santillana average around 12°C (53°F), and Siena fluctuates around 12°C (54°F).
In the spring, Santillana often gets less sunshine than Siena. Santillana gets 148 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Siena receives 192 hours of full sun.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Santillana. Santillana usually gets more rain in April than Siena. Santillana gets 135 mm (5.3 in) of rain, while Siena receives 70 mm (2.8 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilSantillana 12°C (53°F)Siena 12°C (54°F)
Typical Weather for Siena and Santillana
| Santillana | Siena | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 9°C (49°F) | 149 mm (5.9 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) |
| Feb | 10°C (50°F) | 116 mm (4.6 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 67 mm (2.6 in) |
| Mar | 10°C (51°F) | 119 mm (4.7 in) | 9°C (48°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) |
| Apr | 12°C (53°F) | 135 mm (5.3 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) |
| May | 14°C (58°F) | 94 mm (3.7 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 62 mm (2.4 in) |
| Jun | 17°C (62°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 56 mm (2.2 in) |
| Jul | 19°C (66°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) |
| Aug | 19°C (67°F) | 89 mm (3.5 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 59 mm (2.3 in) |
| Sep | 18°C (64°F) | 88 mm (3.4 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 78 mm (3.1 in) |
| Oct | 16°C (60°F) | 138 mm (5.4 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) |
| Nov | 12°C (53°F) | 181 mm (7.1 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 95 mm (3.7 in) |
| Dec | 10°C (50°F) | 157 mm (6.2 in) | 7°C (45°F) | 69 mm (2.7 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.