A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Santorini vs. Faro for Resorts, Couples, Nightlife, and Food

Should you visit Santorini or Faro?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Santorini or Faro, 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. With plenty of activities and sights, this is a small town worth visiting. Many visitors also come because of it's amazing beauty. Since it has a quaint atmosphere, you'll want to spend time soaking it all in. Other reasons to visit include beaches, hiking, and shopping.

Faro

Faro is a busy, active, and popular resort town. Visitors also love the shopping, nightlife, and scuba diving and snorkeling.

Santorini and Faro: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Santorini or Faro?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Santorini. Although Santorini and Faro are popular destinations, Santorini has more sights and attractions for tourists. Santorini is very popular for its museums, food, hiking, shopping, small town charm, impressive beauty, and quaint atmosphere, while Faro attracts visitors for its nightlife. Santorini is more touristy than Faro and is known 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. Faro is famous for its historical sights and rich culture.

How is Santorini different from Faro?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Santorini is a nice place to visit for its historical sights. However, Faro does not have museums and landmarks.

Santorini is a good place to visit if you're interested in museums or other recognizable sights. 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.

Faro does not have museums and landmarks.

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

Santorini is a nice place to visit for its local flavors and cuisine. However, Faro is not a good destination for its local cuisine and restaurants.

There are plenty of up and coming restaurants around Santorini. Popular foods on this island include fava, Greek salad, and kofta.

You'll find the standard options when it comes to food in Faro. It has become a major tourist town, so you have to get a bit creative to find a more traditional restaurant. Look for fresh seafood like cod, monkfish, or shellfish if you want some local flavors.

Is Santorini or Faro Better for Nightlife?

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

The nightlife in Faro has something for everybody. The city's bustling party scene thrives along Rua de São Pedro, Rua Conselheiro Bívar, and Rua do Prior.

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 Faro Better for Resorts?

With a similar set of options, amazing resorts can be found in both Santorini and Faro.

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.

Faro is a world class resort vacation destination. Popular resorts include Vila Vita Parc Resort and Spa, Conrad Algarve, and Tivoli Carvoeiro.

Is Santorini or Faro Better for Scuba Diving and Snorkeling?

You'll find nice snorkeling or scuba diving in both Santorini and Faro.

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.

It's fun to get in the water and check out the local marine life in Faro. There are both snorkeling and scuba diving opportunities in the area. It's possible to snorkel off of several beaches or arrange a scuba diving excursion with a local dive shop.

Is Santorini or Faro Better for Beaches?

Both Santorini and Faro have nice beaches worth visiting.

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.

Plenty of visitors enjoy relaxing on the beach in Faro. The most popular beach in the area is Faro Beach. It can get crowded during the summer months but if you walk a bit you can often get away from the crowds. To reach the beach you'll need a car or you can take the bus as the beach is about 10 km away.

Is Santorini or Faro Better for its Old Town?

Santorini and Faro both have nice historical old towns that attract visitors.

Plenty of visitors enjoy exploring the old town in Santorini. The historic towns of Fira and Oia are the two most popular with visitors, although they have become more built up and less historic over the past few decades. Historical areas are still found within these towns mixed in with restaurants, shops, and hotels set among the beautiful cliff-side views.

Faro offers a nice historic old town area. You'll find historic buildings and cobblestone streets in the old town. It's a nice place to explore, grab a bite to eat, and do a little shopping.

Is Santorini or Faro Better for Hiking?

Santorini is a nice place to visit for hiking. However, Faro 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.

Faro is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Santorini or Faro?

Santorini is great for shopping. Also, Faro is not as popular, but is still a nice resort town for its shopping opportunities.

Shopping is a popular activity when visiting Santorini. Towns around the island are filled with clothing and jewelry boutiques as well as many unique Greek shopping experiences.

Faro offers some nice shopping areas. The town isn't as big as some others, so it's shopping scene isn't as comprehensive, but you will find the major brands as well as souvenir shops to peruse when you need a break from the beach.

Is Santorini or Faro Better for Families?

Santorini is a nice place to visit for its kid-friendly activities. However, Faro is not a good destination for its family-friendly activities.

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.

Faro is not the most family-friendly destination. There are some nice nature reserves in the area so kids who love wildlife will enjoy a visit.

Is Santorini or Faro Better for Couples?

Santorini is a must-visit destination for romance. Also, Faro is not as popular, but is still a nice resort town 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.

Faro makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. With the beautiful natural areas and historic old town, this seaport makes a nice couples vacation.

Is Santorini or Faro Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

For backpackers, both Santorini and Faro are nice 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.

Faro is a good island to visit for backpackers. The are some good hostels in the area, but it's a bit tricky to get around without a car.

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

Santorini and Faro 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.

Faro has a few public transit options. There are buses that connect the city to the beach, the airport, and other outlying areas.

Is Santorini or Faro a more walkable city?

Santorini and Faro 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.

Faro is a somewhat walkable island. The city's old town is particularly walkable.

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

Should I spend more time in Faro or Santorini?

How long in Santorini or Faro?

In either Santorini or Faro, you'll find plenty of activities to fill your time. Most visitors tend to spend more time in Santorini than Faro because of the overall number of sights and activities. Usually, 3-7 days is a good amount of time for Santorini, and 2-5 days is enough time in Faro.

Families should spend more time in Santorini than Faro. 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 Faro. 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 Faro 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 Faro?

Santorini is a small town where visitors enjoy the nightlife and food. People often spend their time relaxing at one of the resorts. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. With so much to do, one day is probably not enough time to see everything.

You'll find scuba diving and snorkeling and shopping around the resort town of Faro. People often spend their time relaxing at one of the resorts. 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 Faro?

Santorini is a fun place to experience. 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 a weekend exploring. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

You'll find shopping and nightlife around the busy destination of Faro. You can also relax and pamper yourself at one of the resorts. This is a popular place to visit for a weekend.A weekend should give you a good understanding of everything this resort town has to offer. This resort town offers a variety of activities to choose from.

Five days in Santorini or Faro?

Santorini might be a small town, but there's plenty to do in the area. This island offers something for everyone. It's also a relaxing resort destination. Plenty of people spend five days in the area when traveling. Five days is often enough time to do most activities.

You'll find nightlife and scuba diving and snorkeling around the popular resort town of Faro. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. If you have five days, this resort town makes for a great vacation. It's also a relaxing resort destination. Five days should give you a good understanding of everything this resort town has to offer.

A week in Santorini or Faro?

Even though Santorini is a small town, it has plenty of activities to choose from. People enjoy relaxing at one of the resorts. Many people spend one week here. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. Because of this, one week is usually enough time for a trip here.

Faro is a popular choice for travelers. People enjoy relaxing at one of the resorts. 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 Contiki Tours to Greece, The Best G Adventures Tours to Greece, The Best 2-Week Tours in Portugal, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Portugal.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Santorini or Faro?

Santorini has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Faro. When comparing the sizes of Santorini and Faro, 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.