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

Should you visit Santorini or Odense?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Santorini or Odense, 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 romantic, stunning, and historic island. This is a great small town that is just waiting to be explored. You'll find world class beauty in Santorini as well. This is an attractive and quaint destination worth visiting as well. Other popular activities here include hiking, shopping, and museums. See Santorini travel costs.

Odense

Odense is a progressive, beautiful, and historic city. Visitors also love the nightlife and food. See Odense travel costs.

Santorini and Odense: Pros and Cons

Pros
  • Popular museums and historical sights
  • Active nightlife
  • Nice resorts
  • Good scuba and snorkeling destination
  • Popular beach
  • Scenic old town
  • Good for hiking
  • Fun shopping
  • Known for its beauty
  • Family-friendly
  • Good for couples and romance
  • Good for backpackers and budget travelers
  • Good public transit
  • Very walkable
  • Small town charm
  • Impressive beauty
  • Quaint atmosphere
Pros
  • Active nightlife
  • Family-friendly
  • Good for students
Things to Consider
  • Less popular with couples
  • Less popular with backpackers


Is there more to do in Santorini or Odense?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Santorini than Odense, as it is bigger with more sights, attractions, and activities for visitors. Santorini is more popular for its museums and attractions, food, resorts, scuba diving & snorkeling, beaches, historical sights, hiking, shopping, small town charm, impressive beauty, and quaint atmosphere, while Odense is known for its nightlife. Santorini is more touristy than Odense and is popular for its beautiful volcanic beaches, stunning natural beauty, and breathtaking sunsets over the whitewashed villages. It is also home to The Caldera and Volcano of Santorini. Odense is popular for

How is Santorini different from Odense?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Santorini
Odense

Santorini is a good destination for its sights and museums. However, Odense does not have museums and landmarks.

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.

Odense does not have museums and landmarks.


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

Santorini
Odense

Santorini is notable for its local cuisine and restaurants. Also, Odense is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for its restaurants.

Dining out in Santorini is an experience not to be missed. Popular foods on this island include fava, Greek salad, and kofta.

There are plenty of up and coming restaurants around Odense. You'll find local restaurants serving local favorites such as smoked salmon. You'll also find burger joints and international options such as sushi.

Is Santorini or Odense Better for Nightlife?

Santorini
Odense

Odense 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 Odense has something for everybody. You'll find a number of bars and clubs around town. Many are conveniently close together so you can hit up several places in one night. Start your night at a pub before heading out dancing in the club a few hours later.

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 Odense Better for Resorts?

Santorini
Odense

Santorini is terrific for its resorts. However, Odense 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.

Odense is not a resort destination.


Is Santorini or Odense Better for Scuba Diving and Snorkeling?

Santorini
Odense

Santorini is a good destination for snorkeling and scuba diving. However, Odense 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.

Odense is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Is Santorini or Odense Better for Beaches?

Santorini
Odense

Santorini is a good destination for the beach. However, Odense 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.

Odense is not a beach destination.

Is Santorini or Odense Better for its Old Town?

Santorini
Odense

Santorini is a good destination for its historic old town charm. However, Odense does not have a historic old town.

Santorini offers a nice historic old town area. 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.

Odense does not have a historic old town.


Is Santorini or Odense Better for Hiking?

Santorini
Odense

Santorini is a good destination for the nearby hiking options. However, Odense 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.

Odense is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Santorini or Odense?

Santorini
Odense

Santorini is notable for its shopping areas. However, Odense is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

Browsing through shops is a popular activity in Santorini. Towns around the island are filled with clothing and jewelry boutiques as well as many unique Greek shopping experiences.

Odense is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

Is Santorini or Odense More Beautiful?

Santorini
Odense

Santorini is terrific for its scenery and beauty. However, Odense is not a destination known for its beauty.

You'll find world class beauty in Santorini as well. It has striking blue water and contrasting white buildings. It is the place many travelers dream of visiting for its picturesque setting.

Odense is not a destination known for its beauty.


Is Santorini or Odense Better for Families?

Santorini
Odense

Odense is a great city for its kid-friendly activities. Also, Santorini is not as popular, but is still a nice island for its family-friendly activities.

Because of its large number of kid-friendly activities, Odense is very family-friendly. As the home of Hans Christian Andersen, this town is a child's playhouse. You can visit the H.C. Andersen House, which will bring his fairytale mind to life. The city also has more than 200 playgrounds, an amazing zoo, and the Funen Village, which is an open air museum. There's also a castle to explore and paddle boating on the water.

Santorini is a family-friendly place to visit. 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.

Is Santorini or Odense Better for Couples?

Santorini
Odense

Santorini is terrific for couples. However, Odense is a mediocre city for romance.

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.

Odense is not the best destination for a couple to visit. It's a charming city with a lot of green space and paddle boating on the water, but it lacks some of the romance that you find in many European cities.

Is Santorini or Odense Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Santorini
Odense

Santorini is a good destination for backpackers. However, Odense is a mediocre city for backpackers and budget travelers.

Plenty of backpackers 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.

Odense is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. There's a hostel or two in town, but most backpackers don't make the time to visit this off-the-beaten-path destination.


Is Santorini or Odense Better for Students?

Santorini
Odense

Odense 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 Odense. It's a charming and friendly city that makes a fun place to learn and live. There's a fascinating culture and a number of things to do.

Santorini is not popular with students.

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

Santorini
Odense

Santorini is a good destination for its public transit. However, Odense does not have public transit.

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.

Odense does not have public transit.

Is Santorini or Odense a more walkable city?

Santorini
Odense

Santorini is a good destination for its ease of walking around. However, Odense is not a walkable destination.

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

Odense is not a walkable destination.


Should I spend more time in Odense or Santorini?

How long in Santorini or Odense?

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

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


  • How many days in Santorini or Odense? Ideal Length of Stay
    Santorini 3-7 
    Odense 2-3

One day in Santorini or Odense?

Santorini might be a small town, but there's plenty to do in the area. 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 nightlife and food around the city of Odense. 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 Odense?

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 food and nightlife around the beautiful destination of Odense. 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 Odense?

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 food when visiting the progressive city of Odense. 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 Odense?

Santorini is a small town with plenty to do. 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.

Odense 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 2-Week Tours from Copenhagen, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Denmark.


Which place is cheaper, Odense or Santorini?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Santorini is €250, while the average daily cost in Odense is €185. 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 Santorini and Odense in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Santorini 118
    Odense 75
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Santorini 236
    Odense 150
Compare Hotels in Santorini and Odense

Looking for a hotel in Santorini or Odense? 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.

Hotels in Santorini


Hotels in Odense


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: Santorini Hotel Prices and Odense Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Santorini 35
    Odense 41

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santorini

Also for Santorini, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Express Private Transfer Service in Santorini: $14
  • Economy Arrival Transfers From Santorini Airport To All Destinations: $16
  • Transfer From or To Santorini Airport Designed By You: $16
  • Economy Departure Transfers To Santorini Airport: $16
  • Arrival or Departure Shared Transfer in Santorini: $16
  • Santorini Port ↔ Airport Private Transfer (Fast & Reliable): $18
  • Economy Roundtrip Transfer Santorini Airport ( Max 4 stop ): $18
  • Private Transfer from Santorini Port to Santorini Airport (JTR): $21
  • Private Transfer from Santorini Airport (JTR) to Santorini Port: $21
  • Private Transfer Santorini: $24
  • Private Arrival Transfer From Santorini Airport To All Destinations: $24
  • Private Transfer from Port or Airport to Santorini: $24

Is it cheaper to fly into Santorini or Odense?

Prices for flights to both Odense and Santorini 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Santorini 96
    Odense 83

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santorini

For Santorini, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Traditional Greek Night live Music & Dinner Show in Santorini: $72
  • Santorini Volcano Sunset Cruise with Dinner: $118
  • Cooking Class with Private Chef - prepare & enjoy local menu: $130
  • Cooking Class in Traditional cave house in Santorini!: $130
  • Luxury Santorini Sunset Cruise: Dinner, BBQ, Open Bar, Transfers: $142
  • Santorini Food Tour: Fira Half-Day Small-Group Tour with Tastings: $147
  • Miss Anna Santorini BAKING Cooking Class: $177
  • Clandestine Dinner by Petra Kouzina: $177
  • Santorini : Cooking Class & Easy Hike: $183
  • Traditional Kouzina Santorini Cooking Experience: $189
  • Santorini Wine Stories: Sunset Tour with Tasting & Dinner: $204
  • Cooking Lesson & Cocktails on the Beach: $218

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Santorini 35
    Odense 27

Tours and Activities in Santorini

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Santorini.

  • Fira Audio Guided Walking Tour 1h00 and 16 audio reviews: $6.96
  • Skip the Line Lost Atlantis Experience Ticket: $17
  • Santorini Volcano & Sunset Caldera Cruise: $28
  • Santorini Volcano Cruise with Free Time in Thirasia from Athinios: $30
  • Santorini Volcano and Hot Springs Cruise Tour from Fira Old Port: $35
  • Private Tailor-Made Tour : Explore Santorini with Comfort & Style: $37
  • Small-Group Skip Cable Car Santorini Tour for First-Time Cruisers: $40
  • Santorini Volcanic Islands Cruise: Volcano, Hot Springs and Thirassia: $41
  • Santorini Caldera Cruise Tour (Volcano, Hot Springs, Thirassia): $41
  • Santorini Tour Of Caldera with Glass Bottom Boat: $44
  • Santorini Volcanic Islands Cruise: Volcano,Hot Springs,Thirassia and Oia Sunset: $47
  • Santorini Volcano & Hot Springs Tour: $47

Tours and Activities in Odense

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Odense are as follows:

  • Odense Private Guided Walking Tour: $381
  • Craft Beer Walking Tour: $62

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Santorini 25
    Odense 20

Sample the Local Flavors in Santorini

Also in Santorini, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Santorini Ftelos Brewery Guided Tour and Beer Tasting Experience: $41
  • Art and Wine Tour in a Historic Santorini Winery: $41
  • Top Sights of Santorini with Wine Tasting and Sunset in Oia: $61
  • Half Day Simply Santorini Tour with Wine Tasting: $73
  • Santorini Wine Tasting Museum: $81
  • Skip Sky Tram!! 5 Hour Hussle-Free Santorini Tour & Wine Tasting: $84
  • 5 Hour Tour & Wine Tasting - Skip Sky Tram Direct Port Pickup: $98
  • Premium Wine Tasting with Caldera Views: $105
  • Wine tasting and Carving lesson in Santorini: $106
  • Santorini Wine Tasting and Wine Museum: $124
  • Santorini wine tasting and Traditional Cave Settlement Tour: $134
  • Santorini Wine Tour in two or three Wineries: $159


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

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


Which is Bigger, Santorini or Odense?

Santorini has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Odense. When comparing the sizes of Santorini and Odense, 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.