Which place is cheaper, Lugo or Sintra?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Sintra or Lugo?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Sintra or Lugo? 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 Lugo?
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.
Lugo
Located in northwestern Spain, Lugo is a city of the Galicia region best known for its old city, completely surrounded by Roman walls. Within these walls are some of Lugo's most impressive sights including a striking city hall, elaborate cathedral, and many beautiful city squares and plazas. The city is also known for its festivals and is the capital of a province of the same name.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Portugal, The Best Tours for Seniors to Portugal, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Spain, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Spain.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySintra €115Lugo €98
The average daily cost (per person) in Sintra is €115, while the average daily cost in Lugo is €98. 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 Lugo in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSintra €57Lugo €50
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSintra €114Lugo €100
Compare Hotels in Sintra and Lugo
Looking for a hotel in Sintra or Lugo? 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 Lugo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sintra €21Lugo €20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sintra
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sintra:
- Algarve vs Lisbon: Private Transfer to/from Algarve /Lisbon: $513
- Estoril, Cascais or Sintra Private Transfer to Lisbon: $27
- Lisbon Airport Transfer to Cascais / Sintra / Estoril: $51
- Lisbon Airport: Cascais/Estoril/Sintra Private Transfer: $57
- Lisbon transfer, national and Iberian trips: $86
- Private Guided Transfer in Sintra and Lisbon: $87
- Private Transfer Lisbon & Cascais by Van or Car: $73
- Private transfer from Sintra to Porto with 2 hours for sightseeing: $289
- TRANSFER Cascais to Lisbon Airport: $82
- Tours and Transfers: $89
- Transfer Cascais to Lisbon(3pax): $98
- Transfer Cascais to Lisbon(8pax): $109
Is it cheaper to fly into Sintra or Lugo?
Prices for flights to both Lugo 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 €42Lugo €34
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Sintra
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Sintra.
- Private Portuguese Cooking Lesson and Meal with a Lisbon Local: $220
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Sintra €23Lugo €13
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: $3.74
- Sintra Myths and Legends Interpretative Center Entry Ticket: $4.28
- City Exploration Game and Tour: $6.42
- Pena Palace In-app Audio Tour (WITHOUT A TICKET): $7.44
- Sintra Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.65
- Monserrate Palace and Park Skip-the-Line Ticket: $13
- Sintra Sightseeing Train Tour: $13
- National Palace of Sintra and Gardens Fast Track Ticket: $14
- National Sintra Palace Ticket & Optional Audio Guide: $16
- Hop-on Hop-off Tour in Sintra: $16
- Castle of the Moors E-Ticket & Optional Audio Guide: $18
Tours and Activities in Lugo
Here are a few actual costs in Lugo for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Cathedral of Santa Maria Entry Ticket and Audio Guide: $6.42
- Private Guided Walking Tour: $80
- ¡¡NEW!! Private Walking Tour with Local Guide: $80
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySintra €17Lugo €16
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
- Half Day in Sintra and Cabo da Roca with Wine Tasting: $82
- Wine Tasting Tour: $82
- Private tour wine tasting in Setubal: $96
- Excursion from Lisbon to Setúbal: Nature, Beach and Wine Tasting: $125
- Private Tour Sétubal, Palmela, Arrábida with wine tasting: $175
- Hidden Gems: Sintra & Cascais Private Tour with Wine Tasting: $181
- From Lisbon Private Tour to Porto with Port Wine Tasting: $235
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sintra and Lugo, we can see that Sintra is more expensive. And not only is Lugo much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Lugo would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Lugo 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 Sintra would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Sintra than you might in Lugo.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Sintra Expensive? and Is Lugo Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sintra or Lugo?
Lugo has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Sintra. When comparing the sizes of Sintra and Lugo, 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 Lugo?
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 Lugo in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Sintra and Lugo.
In the summer, Sintra is a little warmer than Lugo. Typically, the summer temperatures in Sintra in July average around 23°C (73°F), and Lugo averages at about 19°C (66°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Lugo this time of the year. In Sintra, it's very sunny this time of the year. Sintra usually receives more sunshine than Lugo during summer. Sintra gets 352 hours of sunny skies, while Lugo receives 248 hours of full sun in the summer.
In July, Sintra usually receives less rain than Lugo. Sintra gets 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Lugo receives 25 mm (1 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulySintra 23°C (73°F)Lugo 19°C (66°F)
Should I visit Sintra or Lugo in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Sintra as well as Lugo.
In October, Sintra is generally a little warmer than Lugo. Daily temperatures in Sintra average around 19°C (66°F), and Lugo fluctuates around 16°C (61°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Sintra this time of the year. In the autumn, Sintra often gets more sunshine than Lugo. Sintra gets 213 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Lugo receives 155 hours of full sun.
It's quite rainy in Lugo. Sintra usually gets less rain in October than Lugo. Sintra gets 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Lugo receives 104 mm (4.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberSintra 19°C (66°F)Lugo 16°C (61°F)
Should I visit Sintra or Lugo in the Winter?
Both Lugo and Sintra are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities.
Sintra is a little warmer than Lugo in the winter. The daily temperature in Sintra averages around 12°C (53°F) in January, and Lugo fluctuates around 11°C (51°F).
Sintra usually receives more sunshine than Lugo during winter. Sintra gets 144 hours of sunny skies, while Lugo receives 103 hours of full sun in the winter.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Lugo. It's quite rainy in Sintra. In January, Sintra usually receives less rain than Lugo. Sintra gets 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while Lugo receives 131 mm (5.2 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuarySintra 12°C (53°F)Lugo 11°C (51°F)
Should I visit Sintra or Lugo in the Spring?
Both Lugo and Sintra during the spring are popular places to visit.
In the spring, Sintra is a little warmer than Lugo. Typically, the spring temperatures in Sintra in April average around 16°C (60°F), and Lugo averages at about 13°C (55°F).
It's quite sunny in Sintra. In the spring, Sintra often gets more sunshine than Lugo. Sintra gets 235 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Lugo receives 167 hours of full sun.
Sintra usually gets less rain in April than Lugo. Sintra gets 64 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Lugo receives 83 mm (3.3 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilSintra 16°C (60°F)Lugo 13°C (55°F)
Typical Weather for Lugo and Sintra
| Sintra | Lugo | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 12°C (53°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) | 11°C (51°F) | 131 mm (5.2 in) |
| Feb | 13°C (55°F) | 111 mm (4.4 in) | 11°C (52°F) | 104 mm (4.1 in) |
| Mar | 14°C (58°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) | 12°C (53°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) |
| Apr | 16°C (60°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 83 mm (3.3 in) |
| May | 18°C (64°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) | 15°C (58°F) | 78 mm (3.1 in) |
| Jun | 21°C (69°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) | 17°C (62°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) |
| Jul | 23°C (73°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 25 mm (1 in) |
| Aug | 23°C (74°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) | 19°C (67°F) | 29 mm (1.1 in) |
| Sep | 22°C (72°F) | 26 mm (1 in) | 19°C (65°F) | 62 mm (2.4 in) |
| Oct | 19°C (66°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 16°C (61°F) | 104 mm (4.1 in) |
| Nov | 15°C (59°F) | 114 mm (4.5 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 116 mm (4.6 in) |
| Dec | 12°C (54°F) | 108 mm (4.3 in) | 11°C (52°F) | 128 mm (5 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.