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

Should you visit Santorini or Urbino?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Santorini or Urbino, 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. 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. It's also popular because of the museums, nightlife, and food.

Urbino

Urbino is a historic, undiscovered, and authentic town. The beauty of this spot is also one of the main reasons why visitors come. Visitors also love the museums, nightlife, and food.

Santorini and Urbino: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Santorini or Urbino?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Santorini. Although Santorini and Urbino are both popular with visitors, Santorini has more sights, activities, and attractions for travelers. Santorini is more popular for its resorts, scuba diving & snorkeling, beaches, hiking, shopping, impressive beauty, and quaint atmosphere, while Urbino is known for its food and historical sights. Santorini is more touristy than Urbino and is known 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. Urbino is popular for its Renaissance walls, historic center, and authentic atmosphere.

How is Santorini different from Urbino?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

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 Urbino. At the heart of the city are its historical sights. The cathedral is worth a visit, as is The Ducal Palace, but for most visitors, simply soaking up the town's atmosphere is the best experience.

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

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

Urbino has a huge number of terrific restaurants. The city's history has influenced its cuisine. Traditional foods include cornbread, truffles, and meat sausage. While these options aren't as common today, you can still find them if you seek them out.

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 Urbino Better for Nightlife?

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

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 Urbino. Because of the large student population, there are usually some fun activities going on at night. You'll find some good bars around town that are fun to hang out at.

Is Santorini or Urbino Better for Resorts?

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

Santorini is a world class resort vacation destination. 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.

Urbino is not a resort destination.

Is Santorini or Urbino Better for Scuba Diving and Snorkeling?

Santorini is a island with good options for snorkeling and scuba diving. However, Urbino is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

It's fun to get in the water and check out the local marine life 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.

Urbino is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Is Santorini or Urbino Better for Beaches?

Santorini is a island with good options for the beach. However, Urbino is not a beach destination.

Plenty of visitors enjoy relaxing on the beach in Santorini. 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.

Urbino is not a beach destination.

Is Santorini or Urbino Better for its Old Town?

Urbino 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 Urbino. The historic center feels a bit undiscovered by Italian standards. There are stone houses and the town is built on a steep hill, giving it a beautiful setting.

Santorini does not have a historic old town.

Is Santorini or Urbino Better for Hiking?

Santorini is a island with good options for hiking. However, Urbino is not a hiking destination.

Plenty of visitors go hiking around Santorini. 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.

Urbino is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Santorini or Urbino?

Santorini is great for its shopping areas. Also, Urbino is not as popular, but is still a nice town for shopping.

Many visitors explore the shopping areas in Santorini. Towns around the island are filled with clothing and jewelry boutiques as well as many unique Greek shopping experiences.

Urbino is a great destination for shopping. You'll find galleries, book shops, and jewelry stores around town that are fun to pop into.

Is Santorini or Urbino Better for Families?

Santorini is a island with good options for its kid-friendly activities. However, Urbino 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.

Urbino is not the most family-friendly destination. The city is filled with history and architecture, which may be lost on the kids. There are the classic Italian restaurants which is a favorite among kids and adults alike.

Is Santorini or Urbino Better for Couples?

Santorini is an amazing island to visit for couples. Also, Urbino is not as popular, but is still a nice town for romance.

Santorini is a great island for couples, as it has plenty to offer. 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.

Urbino is a very popular place to visit for couples. This walled city is fun to explore and can make for a great romantic stop. The city is walled and has many historical buildings which couples will enjoy learning about together.

Is Santorini or Urbino Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Santorini is a island with good options for backpackers and budget travelers. However, Urbino is not a good destination for backpackers.

Santorini is a good island to visit for backpackers. 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.

Urbino is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. It's not well known by backpackers and there are a very limited number of hostels in the area.

Is Santorini or Urbino Better for Students?

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

Urbino is a great town to visit as a student. The student population is a large part of this small city. University students are usually happy and enjoy many activities and outings into the surrounding area.

Santorini is not popular with students.

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

Santorini is a island with good options for times when you don't have a car. However, Urbino is not a good destination for its public transit.

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.

Public transit is generally limited in Urbino. The town is accessible by bus but not by train.

Is Santorini or Urbino a more walkable city?

Santorini and Urbino are good 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.

Urbino is a somewhat walkable island. Many parts of the city are easy to explore on foot.

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

Should I spend more time in Urbino or Santorini?

How long in Santorini or Urbino?

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

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

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

A weekend in Santorini or Urbino?

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 laid back destination of Urbino. This is a popular place to visit for a weekend.A weekend should give you a good understanding of everything this town has to offer. This town offers a variety of activities to choose from.

Five days in Santorini or Urbino?

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 authentic town of Urbino. 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 Urbino?

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.

Urbino 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 in Italy, and The Best Bicycle Tours in Italy.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Santorini or Urbino?

Santorini has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Urbino. When comparing the sizes of Santorini and Urbino, 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.