A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Santillana vs. Sintra-Cascais National Park for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Santillana or Sintra-Cascais National Park?

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

Should I visit Santillana or Sintra-Cascais National Park? 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 Sintra-Cascais National Park?

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.

Sintra-Cascais National Park

The Sintra-Cascais Natural Park is located on the west coast of Portugal and is often called the place where "the land ends and the sea begins". The UNESCO listed park is famous for being home to Cabo da Roca, a seaside cliff that is actually the westernmost part of Europe. Sintra-Cascais is interesting due to their large diversity in landscape which includes sand dunes, lakes, forests, and ocean cliffs.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in Spain, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Spain, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Portugal, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Portugal.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santillana and Sintra-Cascais National Park, we can see that Sintra-Cascais National Park 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 Sintra-Cascais National Park would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Sintra-Cascais National Park 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 Sintra-Cascais National Park Expensive?.

When is the best time to visit Santillana or Sintra-Cascais National Park?

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 Sintra-Cascais National Park in the Summer?

The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Santillana and Sintra-Cascais National Park.

In July, Santillana is generally cooler than Sintra-Cascais National Park. Daily temperatures in Santillana average around 19°C (66°F), and Sintra-Cascais National Park fluctuates around 23°C (73°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Sintra-Cascais National Park this time of the year. In Santillana, it's very sunny this time of the year. Santillana usually receives less sunshine than Sintra-Cascais National Park during summer. Santillana gets 213 hours of sunny skies, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 352 hours of full sun in the summer.

In July, Santillana usually receives more rain than Sintra-Cascais National Park. Santillana gets 50 mm (2 in) of rain, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit Santillana or Sintra-Cascais National Park in the Autumn?

The autumn brings many poeple to Santillana as well as Sintra-Cascais National Park.

Santillana is cooler than Sintra-Cascais National Park in the autumn. The daily temperature in Santillana averages around 16°C (60°F) in October, and Sintra-Cascais National Park fluctuates around 19°C (66°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Sintra-Cascais National Park. In the autumn, Santillana often gets less sunshine than Sintra-Cascais National Park. Santillana gets 133 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 213 hours of full sun.

Santillana receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Santillana usually gets more rain in October than Sintra-Cascais National Park. Santillana gets 138 mm (5.4 in) of rain, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Santillana or Sintra-Cascais National Park in the Winter?

Both Sintra-Cascais National Park and Santillana are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities.

In the winter, Santillana is cooler than Sintra-Cascais National Park. Typically, the winter temperatures in Santillana in January average around 9°C (49°F), and Sintra-Cascais National Park averages at about 12°C (53°F).

Santillana usually receives less sunshine than Sintra-Cascais National Park during winter. Santillana gets 91 hours of sunny skies, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 144 hours of full sun in the winter.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Sintra-Cascais National Park. It's quite rainy in Santillana. In January, Santillana usually receives more rain than Sintra-Cascais National Park. Santillana gets 149 mm (5.9 in) of rain, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain each month for the winter.

Should I visit Santillana or Sintra-Cascais National Park in the Spring?

Both Sintra-Cascais National Park and Santillana during the spring are popular places to visit.

In April, Santillana is generally cooler than Sintra-Cascais National Park. Daily temperatures in Santillana average around 12°C (53°F), and Sintra-Cascais National Park fluctuates around 16°C (60°F).

In Sintra-Cascais National Park, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the spring, Santillana often gets less sunshine than Sintra-Cascais National Park. Santillana gets 148 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 235 hours of full sun.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Santillana. Santillana usually gets more rain in April than Sintra-Cascais National Park. Santillana gets 135 mm (5.3 in) of rain, while Sintra-Cascais National Park receives 64 mm (2.5 in) of rain this time of the year.

Typical Weather for Sintra-Cascais National Park and Santillana