Which place is cheaper, Braga or Sintra?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Sintra or Braga?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Sintra or Braga? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Sintra or Braga?
Sintra
Located just 28 kilometers from Lisbon, Sintra is a town that was, for a long time, home to Portuguese royalty leading up to the 1910 revolution. In town you will find a Royal Palace and in the surrounding area there is a Moorish Castle, and the Pena Palace, which dates back to the 19th century. The town is on the Estoril Coast near the Sintra Mountains, making its setting very dramatic, beautiful and picturesque. The surrounding hills are actually designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site because they offer a great combination of both cultural importance and natural beauty.
Braga
Located in the Cavado Valley of Northern Portugal, Braga is a medium sized city with both historical and modern characteristics. There is a university in town, known as Universidade do Minho, which gives the city a young feel with a lot of life. There are also many bars, clubs, and activities around to keep you entertained.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Portugal, The Best Tours for Seniors to Portugal, The Best G Adventures Tours to Portugal, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Lisbon.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySintra €115Braga €112
The average daily cost (per person) in Sintra is €115, while the average daily cost in Braga is €112. 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 Sintra and Braga in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSintra €57Braga €54
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSintra €114Braga €108
Compare Hotels in Sintra and Braga
Looking for a hotel in Sintra or Braga? 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.
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: Sintra Hotel Prices and Braga Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sintra €21Braga €20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sintra
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sintra:
- Estoril, Cascais or Sintra Private Transfer to Lisbon: $27
- Lisbon Airport Transfer to Cascais / Sintra / Estoril: $51
- Transfer from Lisbon Airport to Sintra: $53
- Lisbon Airport: Cascais/Estoril/Sintra Private Transfer: $57
- Transfer Sintra to Lisbon Airport: $71
- Tuk Tuk Transfer With Sintra Pena Ticket From Meeting Point: $73
- Private Transfer Lisbon & Cascais by Van or Car: $73
- TRANSFER Cascais to Lisbon Airport: $81
- Lisbon transfer, national and Iberian trips: $85
- Private Guided Transfer in Sintra and Lisbon: $87
- Tours and Transfers: $89
- Transfer Cascais to Lisbon(3pax): $98
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Braga
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Braga:
- Airport Transfer Porto> Viana do Castelo: $94
- Braga Private Transfer:To/From the Oporto Airport: $101
- Traditional Vinho Verde Tour in Bowl with Private Transfer (Porto and Braga): $130
- Private Car Transfer from Braga to Lisbon with 2 hours for sightseeing: $278
Is it cheaper to fly into Sintra or Braga?
Prices for flights to both Braga and Sintra 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
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Food Meals for one daySintra €42Braga €40
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sintra
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Sintra.
- Half-Day Ericeira Walking Food Tour: $54
- Portuguese Cooking Workshop in Cascais (group of 4 min): $92
- Private Portuguese Cooking Lesson and Meal with a Lisbon Local: $220
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Braga
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Braga.
- Small-Group Braga Food Tour With A Local Guide: $84
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sintra €23Braga €16
Tours and Activities in Sintra
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Sintra are as follows:
- Discover Enchanted A Fairy-Tale Free Tour: $1.28
- Self-Guided Highlights Scavenger Hunt & Walking Tour: $3.73
- Sintra Myths and Legends Interpretative Center Entry Ticket: $4.27
- City Exploration Game and Tour: $6.40
- Pena Palace In-app Audio Tour (WITHOUT A TICKET): $7.44
- Sintra Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.69
- Sintra Sightseeing Train Tour: $12
- Castle of the Moors Fast Track Ticket: $13
- Monserrate Palace and Park Skip-the-Line Ticket: $13
- National Palace of Sintra and Gardens Fast Track Ticket: $14
- National Sintra Palace Ticket & Optional Audio Guide: $15
- Hop-on Hop-off Tour in Sintra: $16
Tours and Activities in Braga
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Braga are as follows:
- Casa dos Coimbras ( Chapel and Tower ) ticket & drink: $5.33
- Scavenger Hunt and City Highlights Walking Tour: $7.68
- Braga Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tourer Hunt: $7.86
- Tuk Tuk City Tour: $16
- Tree and Slide Adventure in Lamas de Mouro at PNPG: $24
- Paintball Experience : $33
- Small-Group Braga Half-Day Tour with Bom Jesus: $42
- Small-Group Braga Half-Day Tour with Bom Jesus: $42
- Guimarães Old Town Private Walking Tour: $54
- KAYAK TOUR I Descent of the River Lima in Kayak: $54
- Stand Up Paddle Tour: $54
- Lagoons and Waterfalls Tour - Serra do Soajo: $60
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySintra €17Braga €21
Sample the Local Flavors in Sintra
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Sintra:
- Half-Day Tour in Cascais / Sintra with Brunch and Wine Tasting: $60
- Hiking and Wine Tasting Experience: $71
- Wine Tasting Tour: $81
- Half Day in Sintra and Cabo da Roca with Wine Tasting: $82
- Private tour wine tasting in Setubal: $96
- Hidden Gems: Sintra & Cascais Private Tour with Wine Tasting: $180
- From Lisbon Private Tour to Porto with Port Wine Tasting: $234
Sample the Local Flavors in Braga
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Braga:
- Wine Tasting & Lunch | Quinta de Santa Cristina Vinho Verde: $50
- Green Wine Region-Small Group Tour with Lunch and Wine Tastings, from Porto city: $141
- Douro Valley - Régua-Pinhão - with wine tasting: $147
- Douro Valley Private Tour from Lunch & Wine Tour: $287
- Vinho Verde Private Wine Tour: $533
When comparing the travel costs between Sintra and Braga, we can see that Sintra is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Europe, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Sintra Expensive? and Is Braga Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sintra or Braga?
Braga has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Sintra. When comparing the sizes of Sintra and Braga, 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.
When is the best time to visit Sintra or Braga?
Both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. And since both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit Sintra or Braga in the Summer?
Both Braga and Sintra are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities.
In July, Sintra is generally a little warmer than Braga. Daily temperatures in Sintra average around 23°C (73°F), and Braga fluctuates around 21°C (69°F).
It's quite sunny in Braga. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Sintra. Sintra usually receives more sunshine than Braga during summer. Sintra gets 352 hours of sunny skies, while Braga receives 308 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, Sintra usually receives less rain than Braga. Sintra gets 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Braga receives 16 mm (0.6 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulySintra 23°C (73°F)Braga 21°C (69°F)
Should I visit Sintra or Braga in the Autumn?
Both Braga and Sintra during the autumn are popular places to visit.
Sintra is a little warmer than Braga in the autumn. The daily temperature in Sintra averages around 19°C (66°F) in October, and Braga fluctuates around 17°C (62°F).
It's quite sunny in Sintra. In the autumn, Sintra often gets more sunshine than Braga. Sintra gets 213 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Braga receives 184 hours of full sun.
Braga gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Sintra usually gets less rain in October than Braga. Sintra gets 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Braga receives 131 mm (5.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberSintra 19°C (66°F)Braga 17°C (62°F)
Should I visit Sintra or Braga in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Sintra and Braga.
In the winter, Sintra is a little warmer than Braga. Typically, the winter temperatures in Sintra in January average around 12°C (53°F), and Braga averages at about 10°C (50°F).
Sintra usually receives more sunshine than Braga during winter. Sintra gets 144 hours of sunny skies, while Braga receives 124 hours of full sun in the winter.
Braga receives a lot of rain in the winter. Sintra gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In January, Sintra usually receives less rain than Braga. Sintra gets 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while Braga receives 171 mm (6.7 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuarySintra 12°C (53°F)Braga 10°C (50°F)
Should I visit Sintra or Braga in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Sintra as well as Braga.
In April, Sintra is generally a little warmer than Braga. Daily temperatures in Sintra average around 16°C (60°F), and Braga fluctuates around 14°C (56°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Braga. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Sintra this time of the year. In the spring, Sintra often gets more sunshine than Braga. Sintra gets 235 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Braga receives 217 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Braga. Sintra usually gets less rain in April than Braga. Sintra gets 64 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Braga receives 112 mm (4.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilSintra 16°C (60°F)Braga 14°C (56°F)
Typical Weather for Braga and Sintra
| Sintra | Braga | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 12°C (53°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) | 10°C (50°F) | 171 mm (6.7 in) |
| Feb | 13°C (55°F) | 111 mm (4.4 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 169 mm (6.7 in) |
| Mar | 14°C (58°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) | 12°C (54°F) | 112 mm (4.4 in) |
| Apr | 16°C (60°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) | 14°C (56°F) | 112 mm (4.4 in) |
| May | 18°C (64°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) | 16°C (60°F) | 89 mm (3.5 in) |
| Jun | 21°C (69°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 53 mm (2.1 in) |
| Jul | 23°C (73°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) | 21°C (69°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
| Aug | 23°C (74°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) | 20°C (69°F) | 22 mm (0.9 in) |
| Sep | 22°C (72°F) | 26 mm (1 in) | 20°C (67°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) |
| Oct | 19°C (66°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 17°C (62°F) | 131 mm (5.2 in) |
| Nov | 15°C (59°F) | 114 mm (4.5 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 152 mm (6 in) |
| Dec | 12°C (54°F) | 108 mm (4.3 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 176 mm (6.9 in) |
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.