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

Should you visit Santorini or Brescia?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Santorini or Brescia, 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 stunning, historic, and romantic island. The famous beauty of this place is one of the main draws. With a quaint atmosphere, it also offers a unique feeling. It's also known for shopping, museums, and nightlife.

Brescia

Brescia is a authentic, under-rated, and historic city. It's a beautiful place to visit, too. Visitors also love the museums, nightlife, and food.

Santorini and Brescia: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Santorini or Brescia?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Santorini than Brescia. It is bigger and it has more sights, attractions, and activities for travelers. Santorini is very popular for its resorts, scuba diving & snorkeling, beaches, hiking, impressive beauty, and quaint atmosphere, while Brescia attracts visitors for its food. Santorini is more touristy than Brescia and is popular for its beautiful volcanic beaches, stunning natural beauty, and breathtaking sunsets over the whitewashed villages. It is also well known for The Caldera and Volcano of Santorini. Brescia is famous for its historic and archeological sights.

How is Santorini different from Brescia?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Brescia 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 Brescia?

Visiting museums and landmarks is a fun activity in both Santorini and Brescia.

Santorini offers a variety of museums and landmarks to choose from. 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.

If you're looking for an educational opportunity, there are a decent number of museums and historical sights around Brescia. There are some great museums and historic sights around town such as the Museum of Art and History, Tempio Capitolino, the Roman Theater, and Duomo Nuovo.

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

Brescia is a great city for its local flavors and cuisine. Also, Santorini is not as popular, but is still a nice island for its local cuisine and restaurants.

Brescia has a huge number of terrific restaurants. Much of the cuisine has its roots in peasant recipes, but many have been incorporated into fine dining and specialty experiences. The dishes come from the countryside and use many local ingredients. Bigoi Col Pestöm (a local pasta), Casoncelli Alla Bresciana (stuffed pasta), and polenta are all favorites in the area.

There are many up and coming restaurants in the Santorini area. Popular foods on this island include fava, Greek salad, and kofta.

Is Santorini or Brescia Better for Nightlife?

If the nightlife is your priority, you'll find nice options in both Santorini and Brescia.

If you're looking for night time activities Santorini has a few options to choose from. It is one of the calmer, more romantic islands in Greece. For the best nightlife, you'll want to stay near Fira.

There's a variety of activities in the evening in Brescia. The city has a number of clubs and bars that make for a fun night out.

Is Santorini or Brescia Better for Resorts?

Santorini is renowned for its resorts. However, Brescia is not a resort destination.

Santorini offers an unforgettable resort vacation. 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.

Brescia is not a resort destination.

Is Santorini or Brescia Better for Scuba Diving and Snorkeling?

Santorini is a nice place to visit for the nearby scuba diving and snorkeling. However, Brescia is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Santorini has a few areas where visitors often go scuba diving or snorkeling. 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.

Brescia is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Is Santorini or Brescia Better for Beaches?

Santorini is a nice place to visit for its beaches. However, Brescia is not a beach destination.

Santorini has a beach worth visiting. 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.

Brescia is not a beach destination.

Is Santorini or Brescia Better for Hiking?

Santorini is a nice place to visit for its hiking experiences. However, Brescia is not a hiking destination.

Santorini has hiking trails worth exploring. 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.

Brescia is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Santorini or Brescia?

If you're looking to go shopping, Santorini and Brescia both offer plenty of superb 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 Brescia. It's a small city, but there are a number of fashion brands found around town. Via Gramsci, Corso Magenta, Via Mazzini, and Via X Giornate are among the best shopping streets.

Is Santorini or Brescia Better for Families?

Santorini is a nice place to visit for its family-friendly activities. However, Brescia is not particularly known for its kid-friendly activities.

You'll find plenty of kid-friendly things to do in Santorini. 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.

For families, Brescia is not always the best place to visit. There are several parks and swimming pools that the kids will enjoy as well as a castle and lots of archeology.

Is Santorini or Brescia Better for Couples?

Santorini is renowned for romance. Also, Brescia is still popular, but not quite as popular for its romantic activities.

Santorini has so much to offer for a romantic couple's vacation. 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.

Brescia makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. It's location near Lake Garda and its rich history and plethora of archeological sites make this a nice destination for couples.

Is Santorini or Brescia Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Santorini is a nice place to visit for backpackers. However, Brescia is not particularly known for backpackers and budget travelers.

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.

Brescia is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. It's not a particularly popular backpacker destination but there are some affordable guesthouses.

Is Santorini or Brescia Better for Students?

Brescia 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 Brescia. This is an affordable and interesting city for students. It's also in a beautiful setting, which makes for a nice experience.

Santorini is not popular with students.

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

Santorini and Brescia both offer nice public transit to get you around.

While Santorini offers some public transit options, it might not be your first choice. 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.

Brescia has a few public transit options. There are buses and light rail to help you get around town.

Is Santorini or Brescia a more walkable city?

Santorini and Brescia are nice 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.

Brescia is a somewhat walkable island. Parts of the city are easy to walk around.

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

Should I spend more time in Brescia or Santorini?

How long in Santorini or Brescia?

You'll be able to find lots of things to do in Santorini or Brescia to fill your time. Many travelers usually spend more of their time in Santorini than Brescia because of the number of activities and things to do in the area. Usually, 3-7 days is a good amount of time for Santorini, and 1-2 days is enough time in Brescia.

Families should spend more time in Santorini than Brescia. 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 Brescia. 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 Santorini than Brescia 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 Santorini.

One day in Santorini or Brescia?

In Santorini, you'll find shopping and museums. Travelers enjoy the resorts in the area as well. This island offers something for everyone. One day is usually not enough time for a trip here as there is plenty to do.

You'll find shopping and museums around the city of Brescia. One day is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Brescia has to offer. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

A weekend in Santorini or Brescia?

In Santorini, you'll find museums and nightlife. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. People often spend their time relaxing at one of the resorts. Since there is so much to do in the area, a weekend is probably not enough for all of it.

You'll find museums and nightlife around the historic destination of Brescia. 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 Brescia?

Santorini is a great place to explore. It is common to spend five days here. You can also relax and pamper yourself at one of the resorts. Five days is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Santorini has to offer. Anyone can find something fun to do here.

Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the authentic city of Brescia. 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 Brescia?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Santorini. In Santorini, you'll find food and scuba diving and snorkeling. It's also a relaxing resort destination. With all of its activities, you can easily fill one week here.

Brescia 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 Sightseeing Tours in Italy, and The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in Italy.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Santorini or Brescia?

Santorini has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Brescia. When comparing the sizes of Santorini and Brescia, 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.