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

Should you visit Santorini or Toledo?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Santorini or Toledo, 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. It's considered by many to be an absolutely beautiful destination, too. Because of its quaint atmosphere, it draws plenty of visitors, too. Other reasons to visit include museums, nightlife, and food.

Toledo

Toledo is a beautiful, ancient, and medieval city. It's a beautiful place to visit, too. Visitors also love the museums, nightlife, and food.

Santorini and Toledo: Pros and Cons

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


Is there more to do in Santorini or Toledo?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Santorini than Toledo. 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, shopping, impressive beauty, and quaint atmosphere, while Toledo attracts visitors for its museums, food, and historical sights. Santorini is famous 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. Toledo is famous for its medieval buildings, ancient landmarks, and fascinating history.

How is Santorini different from Toledo?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Santorini
Toledo

Toledo 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 Toledo can be an interesting and educational experience. This medieval city is filled with ancient landmarks including the iconic Catedral de Toledo. In the old town you'll find many many historic buildings and a fascinating Jewish Quarter. Other notable sights include the Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes, the Alcázar de Toledo, and the Museo de Santa Cruz.

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 Toledo? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Santorini
Toledo

Toledo 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.

Toledo has a huge number of terrific restaurants. The city offers a great cuisine at a reasonable price. The dishes are influenced by the city's diverse past. You'll find many meat dishes due to the area's long running tradition of hunting. There are also classic dishes like carcamusas, which is pork covered in a tomato sauce. Dishes in general tend to be heavy and saucy with filling and delicious flavors.

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 Toledo Better for Nightlife?

Santorini
Toledo

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

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 Toledo. Most tourists visit the town as a day trip, so things can quiet down somewhat at night. There is a large student population that frequents the bars around town and help keep things lively.

Is Santorini or Toledo Better for Resorts?

Santorini
Toledo

Santorini is an amazing island to visit for its luxury resorts. However, Toledo 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.

Toledo is not a resort destination.


Is Santorini or Toledo Better for Scuba Diving and Snorkeling?

Santorini
Toledo

Santorini is a nice place to visit for the nearby scuba diving and snorkeling. However, Toledo 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.

Toledo is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Is Santorini or Toledo Better for Beaches?

Santorini
Toledo

Santorini is a nice place to visit for its beaches. However, Toledo 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.

Toledo is not a beach destination.

Is Santorini or Toledo Better for its Old Town?

Santorini
Toledo

Toledo is an unbeatable place for its old town. However, Santorini does not have a historic old town.

With a famous historical old-town, Toledo offers plenty to see. Perched on a hill and spilling out around the cathedral, this Spanish old town is filled with historic landmarks.

Santorini does not have a historic old town.


Is Santorini or Toledo Better for Hiking?

Santorini
Toledo

Santorini is a nice place to visit for its hiking trails. However, Toledo 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.

Toledo is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Santorini or Toledo?

Santorini
Toledo

Santorini is a very popular place for shopping. Also, Toledo is not quite as popular, but is fairly good 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.

Toledo offers some nice shopping areas. Calle Comercio is the main shopping street in town and there are two major shopping malls in the new part of town.

Is Santorini or Toledo Better for Families?

Santorini
Toledo

Santorini and Toledo are both nice 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.

Toledo is a family-friendly place to visit. The ancient streets are fun to explore. There are city gates, ancient Arab walls, and older kids will be fascinated by a visit to the Toledo Torture Museum. The city is known for its swords, and there are shops that you can visit to learn about this craft.


Is Santorini or Toledo Better for Couples?

Santorini
Toledo

Santorini is an amazing island to visit for romance. Also, Toledo is not quite as popular, but is fairly good 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.

Toledo makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. It's an ancient city that is filled with fascinating history and impressive historic sights. Couples will enjoy wandering the medieval streets and visiting the ancient gates.

Is Santorini or Toledo Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Santorini
Toledo

For backpackers, both Santorini and Toledo 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.

Toledo is a good island to visit for backpackers. Many travelers visit Toledo as a day trip from Madrid, but for backpackers who want to spend more time, there are a handful of hostels in town.

Is Santorini or Toledo Better for Students?

Santorini
Toledo

Toledo is a great city for its student-friendly activities. However, Santorini is not popular with students.

Toledo is a great city to visit as a student. The city is popular with students, and you'll find many activities and a lively atmosphere both during the day and at night.

Santorini is not popular with students.


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

Santorini
Toledo

Santorini and Toledo 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.

Toledo has a few public transit options. There is a good bus system through town.

Is Santorini or Toledo a more walkable city?

Santorini
Toledo

Toledo is a great city for its high level of walkability. Also, Santorini is not as popular, but is still a nice island for its ease of walking around.

Toledo is a very walkable city. It's a compact and easily walkable city, particularly within the old town. The bus and train stations are also about a 15 or 20 minute walk from the city center.

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.

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

Should I spend more time in Toledo or Santorini?

How long in Santorini or Toledo?

You'll be able to find lots of things to do in Santorini or Toledo to fill your time. Many travelers usually spend more of their time in Santorini than Toledo 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 Toledo.

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

Couples should spend more time in Santorini than Toledo. 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 Toledo 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 Toledo.


  • How many days in Santorini or Toledo? Ideal Length of Stay
    Santorini 3-7 
    Toledo 1-2

One day in Santorini or Toledo?

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 Toledo. Visiting the old town is also a must. One day is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Toledo has to offer. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.


A weekend in Santorini or Toledo?

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 beautiful destination of Toledo. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. 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 Toledo?

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 fascinating city of Toledo. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

A week in Santorini or Toledo?

Many travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the historic 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.

Toledo is a popular choice for travelers. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. 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 Adventure Tours to Spain, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Spain.


Which place is cheaper, Toledo or Santorini?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Santorini is €175, while the average daily cost in Toledo is €123. 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 Toledo in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Santorini 93
    Toledo 66
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Santorini 186
    Toledo 132
Compare Hotels in Santorini and Toledo

Looking for a hotel in Santorini or Toledo? 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 Toledo


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 Toledo Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Santorini 28
    Toledo 20

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santorini

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

  • VIP Limo Transfers From & To Santorini Port: $82
  • VIP Limo Transfers From & To Santorini Airport: $33
  • Try find your better than us! Airport transfer service in Santorini HTL-APT(JTR): $32
  • Transfer to Akrotiri : $43
  • Transfer Perissa To Oia : $46
  • TRANSFERS Santorini PRIVATE Transfer: $31
  • Shuttle Transfers From or To Santorini Port: $21
  • Shared transfer to/from the airport/port : $74
  • Shared Transfer From Airport and Port to Santorini: $17
  • Shared Transfer : $33
  • Shared Departure Transfers to Airport or Port Santorini : $33
  • Shared Arrival Transfer: Santorini Airport to Hotel or Cruise Port: $27

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Toledo

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

  • Balloon Ride with Transfer Option from Madrid: $262
  • Hot Air Balloon over Toledo with optional transfers from Madrid : $234
  • Madrid: Private Airport Transfer to Toledo: $180
  • Private Transfer from Toledo or Avila to MAD Airport by MiniVan: $176
  • Madrid: Puy du Fou Round-Trip Transfer & Optional Ticket: $36
  • From Puy du Fou Round-Trip Transfer: $24

Is it cheaper to fly into Santorini or Toledo?

Prices for flights to both Toledo 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 48
    Toledo 39

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santorini

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

  • Romantic Sunset Caldera Cruise with Dinner: $70
  • Santorini Caldera: Sunset Cruise with Dinner: $70
  • Volcanic Sunset Cruise with Dinner: $80
  • Catamaran Tour with BBQ Dinner, Drinks, and Music: $91
  • Volcano and Hot Springs Sunset Dinner Cruise: $96
  • Cooking Class in Traditional cave house in Santorini!: $120
  • Sunset Cruise with Swim Stops, Dinner, and Drinks: $120
  • Fira: 4-Hour Walking Food Tour With Tastings: $123
  • Half-Day Sunset Wine Tasting Tour in Santorini with dinner: $123
  • Luxury Sunset Cruise with Dinner & Open Bar: $128
  • Sunset Sea Kayak with Light Dinner: $128
  • Hands on Cooking Class with a Chef: $134

Typical Food Prices in Toledo

For Toledo, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Lunch
    11

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Santorini 36
    Toledo 30

Tours and Activities in Santorini

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

  • Santorini Panoramic Blue Shade Tour-Firostefani, Imerovigli, Oia: $62
  • Santorini Private Half Day Tour : $218
  • Santorini Secrets & Gems for Cruise Passengers: $96
  • 3 Hour Sightseeing Tour in the Magical Santorini: $74
  • 3 Hour Tour in Oia: $120
  • 3 Hours Private Santorini Tour: $136
  • 3-Hour Santorini Highlights Tour: $71
  • 4 Hour Eat and Drink Private Tour in Santorini: $296
  • 4 Hours Private Tour in Santorini with Pick up: $87
  • 4 hrs island tour and photoshooting, Oia Blue domes, Red beach : $196
  • 4-Hour Private Custom Santorini Tour: $161
  • 5 Hour Santorini Shore Excursion for Cruise Passengers: $71

Tours and Activities in Toledo

For Toledo, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Toledo Private Walking Tour with a Professional Guide: $263
  • Auidio Tour - Toledo - Monuments of the 3 cultures: $6.41
  • Boat cruise with guide on board + Historical City Adventure Gift: $11
  • City Sightseeing Toledo Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $22
  • English Tour - Toledo Complete + Visit Casa Palacio: $8.56
  • Essence of Private Tour with a Local Archaeologist: $191
  • Essential Toledo with monuments and optional Legends tour: $27
  • From Madrid: Avila, Segovia & Toledo Private Tour: $812
  • From Madrid: Toledo Cathedral & Jewish Quarter Half-Day Tour: $56
  • Full-Day Private Toledo Tour from Madrid With Driver & Guide: $727
  • Guided tour of the Royal Palace of Aranjuez: $13
  • Guided tour of the Toledo Cathedral (Input included): $24

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Santorini 26
    Toledo 19

Sample the Local Flavors in Santorini

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

  • Half Day Simply Santorini Tour with Wine Tasting: $60
  • Top Sights Day Trip, Wine Tasting, & Oia Sunset: $63
  • Fira Town Walking Tour with Wine Tasting: $75
  • Top Sights of Santorini with Wine Tasting and Sunset in Oia: $75
  • Notos Day Tour through History & Wine Tasting: $98
  • Santorini 4 Hour Private Oia Tour & Wine Tasting : $105
  • Wine Tour with Sunset in Oia: $106
  • Santorini Highlights Small-Group Tour with Wine Tasting from Fira: $109
  • 5 towns in 5 hours: Santorini Most Popular Tour with Wine tasting: $117
  • Wine Tour Santorini: $118
  • Wine tasting and Carving lesson in Santorini: $131
  • Santorini 4-Hour Private Tour including Wine Tasting, Shore Excursion: $136

Sample the Local Flavors in Toledo

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Toledo:

  • From Madrid: Toledo Tour with Wine Tasting and 7 Monuments: $58


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

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


Which is Bigger, Santorini or Toledo?

Santorini has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Toledo. When comparing the sizes of Santorini and Toledo, 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.