A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Santorini vs. Bilbao for Couples, Attractions, Nightlife, and Families

Should you visit Santorini or Bilbao?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Santorini or Bilbao, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Santorini

Santorini is a historic, romantic, and stunning island. The famous beauty of this place is one of the main draws. With a quaint atmosphere, it also offers a unique feeling. And you can't forget about the museums, nightlife, and food.

Bilbao

Bilbao is a friendly, industrial, and authentic city. It's a large city, so you'll find plenty of things to do around town. Visitors also love the shopping, museums, and nightlife.

Santorini and Bilbao: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Santorini or Bilbao?

Both Bilbao and Santorini have plenty of things to do for travelers. Both provide a wide variety of sights and activities for tourists. Santorini is better known for its food, resorts, scuba diving & snorkeling, beaches, hiking, impressive beauty, and quaint atmosphere, while Bilbao is more popular for its museums, nightlife, historical sights, and big city activities. Santorini is more touristy than Bilbao and is popular for its beautiful volcanic beaches, stunning natural beauty, and breathtaking sunsets over the whitewashed villages. Bilbao is well known for it's world-class culinary scene, its modern museums, and its lovely parks.

How is Santorini different from Bilbao?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Bilbao and Santorini. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Santorini or Bilbao?

Bilbao is a great city for its historical sights. Also, Santorini is not as popular, but is still a nice island for its sights and museums.

With a variety of museums, monuments, and historical sights, a trip to Bilbao can be an interesting and educational experience. A favorite museum in town is the popular Guggenheim Museum. From its iconic building to the unique exhibits, this is a must-see stop during your visit. Other highlights around town include the Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao, the Museo Vasco, as well as the city's unique bridges.

If you're looking for an educational opportunity, there are a decent number of museums and historical sights around Santorini. One of the most impressive historical sights is Akrotiri Archaeological Site. The island has many archeological sites as well as the Archeological Museum in Fira.

Is the Food Better in Santorini or Bilbao? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Santorini is a good destination for its restaurant scene. However, Bilbao is not a culinary destination.

Visitors will find a budding food and restaurant scene in Santorini. Popular foods on this island include fava, Greek salad, and kofta.

Bilbao is not a culinary destination. The food scene is among the best in Spain. The city has several world renowned restaurants, including a few Michelin-starred restaurants, but there are also smaller eateries that cater to the locals and tourists alike. Make sure you try the pintxos, which are small dishes that are the Basque region's answer to tapas. Many include seafood and are cooked with olive oil and garlic.

Is Santorini or Bilbao Better for Nightlife?

Bilbao is a great city for nightlife and partying. Also, Santorini is not as popular, but is still a nice island for its evening party scene.

The nightlife in Bilbao has something for everybody. There's a great late night scene that centers around eating and drinking. There are lively nightclubs, a good live music scene, and no shortage of people heading out on the town.

There's a variety of activities in the evening in Santorini. It is one of the calmer, more romantic islands in Greece. For the best nightlife, you'll want to stay near Fira.

Is Santorini or Bilbao Better for Resorts?

Santorini is an amazing island to visit for its resorts. However, Bilbao is not a resort destination.

Vacationers flock to Santorini for its luxury resorts. The resorts range from all-inclusive options to resorts with a more local feel. The island is one of the most romantic of the Greek Islands, and the resorts are no exception.

Bilbao is not a resort destination.

Is Santorini or Bilbao Better for Scuba Diving and Snorkeling?

Santorini is a good destination for its diving and snorkeling. However, Bilbao is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Grab a mask and fins and explore the underwater scenery in Santorini. Some of the best snorkeling places are found at Red Beach, White Beach, and the less accessible Kambia. One of the island's best diving spots is Caldera Beach.

Bilbao is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Is Santorini or Bilbao Better for Beaches?

Santorini is a good destination for the beache. However, Bilbao is not a beach destination.

Santorini offers a nice beach destination. The island has many beaches, most of which are made of black pebbly sand that are a result of the island's volcanic history. Popular beaches include Perissa Beach, Kamari Beach, and Perivolos Beach.

Bilbao is not a beach destination.

Is Santorini or Bilbao Better for its Old Town?

Bilbao is a nice place to visit for its old town. However, Santorini does not have a historic old town.

Plenty of visitors enjoy exploring the old town in Bilbao. The old town, often called Casco Viejo, is filled with historic architecture, great local bars, and some interesting shopping.

Santorini does not have a historic old town.

Is Santorini or Bilbao Better for Hiking?

Santorini is a good destination for its hiking experiences. However, Bilbao is not a hiking destination.

Santorini offers some nice hiking trails. The best hiking trails on the island pass by quaint villages and offers stunning ocean views. You can also hike along the edge of a volcano.

Bilbao is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Santorini or Bilbao?

If you're looking to go shopping, Santorini and Bilbao both offer plenty of great spots.

Santorini is well-known for its shopping. Towns around the island are filled with clothing and jewelry boutiques as well as many unique Greek shopping experiences.

Browsing through shops is a popular activity in Bilbao. Gran Vía is the most popular shopping street in town. There are also historic boutique shops around the old town.

Is Santorini or Bilbao Better for Families?

Santorini and Bilbao are both notable destinations for the whole family.

Santorini offers lots of family activities. It is a calmer destination than many of the Greek Islands. While it's a great place to relax with kids, the beaches aren't as good as they are on some of the other islands. Most families hang out in Kamari and Perissa Beach.

Bilbao is a family-friendly place to visit. The city offers some great museums such as the Guggenheim Museum. Families will also enjoy taking a ride of the Artxander Funicular, and exploring Mercado de la Ribera. You can also enjoy walking around Park Abandoibarra and exploring the creative sculptures.

Is Santorini or Bilbao Better for Couples?

Santorini is an amazing island to visit for its romantic activities. Also, Bilbao is still popular, but not quite as popular for couples.

Santorini is fantastic couple's destination with fun and romantic activities. It is a dream honeymoon destination that is famous for its picturesque setting and luxury resorts. For many couples, this is a top pick for a romantic trip to the Greek Isles.

Bilbao is a good island for couples to visit. The city is filled with a vibrant enjoy with parks and outdoor strolls that couples will enjoy. There are also many great museums and romantic restaurants as well as some great shopping streets.

Is Santorini or Bilbao Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

For backpackers, both Santorini and Bilbao are notable places to visit.

It's common for backpackers to visit Santorini. The island has its share of 5 star resorts, but if you head a few streets in you'll find some surprisingly affordable accommodation. Backpackers are welcomed on the island and beaches are free, so it's possible to get by on a relatively low budget.

Bilbao is a good island to visit for backpackers. There are plenty of hostels to choose from and a good social scene that makes it easy to meet other backpackers.

Is Santorini or Bilbao Better for Students?

Bilbao is a nice place to visit for its student-friendly activities. However, Santorini is not popular with students.

It's common for students to visit Bilbao. This is a popular study abroad destination with many great museums and educational opportunities for international students.

Santorini is not popular with students.

Is Santorini or Bilbao Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Bilbao is a great city for times when you don't have a car. Also, Santorini is not as popular, but is still a nice island for its public transit.

The public transit in Bilbao can get you around easily. The metro system has three lines. There is also a tram and bus system.

Santorini has a few public transit options. There is a bus system, KTEL Santorini Buses, that runs 23 buses during the summer months but only a small fraction of that operate during the winter months.

Is Santorini or Bilbao a more walkable city?

Santorini and Bilbao are notable when it comes to walkability.

Santorini is a somewhat walkable place. Many towns on the island are walkable, including Fira, but the actual island is too large to explore on foot.

Bilbao is a somewhat walkable island. It's a fairly walkable city with several pedestrian-friendly areas.

For even more information, also check out Is Santorini Worth Visiting? and Is Bilbao Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Bilbao or Santorini?

How long in Santorini or Bilbao?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Santorini and Bilbao. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Santorini than in Bilbao. Usually, 3-7 days is a good amount of time for Santorini, and 2-3 days is enough time in Bilbao.

Families should spend more time in Santorini than Bilbao. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Santorini, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Santorini than Bilbao. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Santorini that are great for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Bilbao than Santorini if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Bilbao.

One day in Santorini or Bilbao?

Many travelers enjoy the scuba diving and snorkeling and shopping when visiting the quaint destination of Santorini. You can also relax and pamper yourself at one of the resorts. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

You'll find shopping and museums around the city of Bilbao. Since there is so much to do in the area, one day is probably not enough for all of it. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

A weekend in Santorini or Bilbao?

Santorini is a great place to explore. With so much to do, a weekend is probably not enough time to see everything. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

You'll find museums and nightlife around the industrial destination of Bilbao. This is a popular place to visit for a weekend.A weekend should give you a good understanding of everything this city has to offer. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from.

Five days in Santorini or Bilbao?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Santorini. For many, it makes a great getaway for five days. People enjoy relaxing at one of the resorts. With all of its activities, you can easily fill five days here. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

Travelers enjoy the nightlife and shopping when visiting the industrial city of Bilbao. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

A week in Santorini or Bilbao?

Many travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the romantic destination of Santorini. This island offers a variety of activities to choose from. Travelers enjoy the resorts in the area as well. If you have one week, this is a great place to go. This would be the perfect place to spend one week, as it has just the right amount of activities.

Bilbao is a popular choice for travelers. One week is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Greece, The Best Budget Tours to Greece, The Best G Adventures Tours to Spain, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Madrid.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santorini and Bilbao, we can see that Santorini is more expensive. And not only is Bilbao much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Bilbao would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Bilbao 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 Santorini would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santorini than you might in Bilbao.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Santorini Expensive? and Is Bilbao Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Santorini or Bilbao?

Santorini has a larger population, and is about 71% larger than the population of Bilbao. When comparing the sizes of Santorini and Bilbao, 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.