Which place is cheaper, Playa Blanca or Sintra?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Should I visit Sintra or Playa Blanca? 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.
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.
Located on the southern tip of the Canary Island of Lanzarote, Playa Blanca is a resort area popular with families and couples seeking a quieter vacation alternative to the lively neighbor resort of Puerto del Carmen. The resort's white sandy beaches are peaceful and sheltered from the higher winds found on other parts of the island. Timanfaya National Park is also nearby, as well as a number of other spectacular volcanic features.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Portugal, The Best Tours for Seniors to Portugal, The Best 3-Week Tours in Spain, and The Best Bicycle Tours in Spain.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Sintra is €115, while the average daily cost in Playa Blanca is €155. 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 Playa Blanca in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Sintra or Playa Blanca? 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.
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sintra:
Prices for flights to both Playa Blanca 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.
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Sintra.
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Sintra are as follows:
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Sintra:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sintra and Playa Blanca, we can see that Playa Blanca is more expensive. And not only is Sintra much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Sintra would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Sintra 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 Playa Blanca would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Playa Blanca than you might in Sintra.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Sintra Expensive? and Is Playa Blanca Expensive?.
Sintra has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Playa Blanca. When comparing the sizes of Sintra and Playa Blanca, 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.
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Both Playa Blanca and Sintra during the summer are popular places to visit.
In the summer, Sintra is around the same temperature as Playa Blanca. Typically, the summer temperatures in Sintra in July average around 23°C (73°F), and Playa Blanca averages at about 23°C (73°F).
In Playa Blanca, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Sintra. In the summer, Sintra often gets more sunshine than Playa Blanca. Sintra gets 352 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Playa Blanca receives 282 hours of full sun.
Sintra usually gets more rain in July than Playa Blanca. Sintra gets 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Playa Blanca receives 0 mm (0 in) of rain this time of the year.
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Sintra and Playa Blanca.
In October, Sintra is generally cooler than Playa Blanca. Daily temperatures in Sintra average around 19°C (66°F), and Playa Blanca fluctuates around 22°C (72°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Playa Blanca this time of the year. In Sintra, it's very sunny this time of the year. Sintra usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Playa Blanca during autumn. Sintra gets 213 hours of sunny skies, while Playa Blanca receives 224 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Sintra usually receives more rain than Playa Blanca. Sintra gets 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Playa Blanca receives 9 mm (0.4 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
The winter brings many poeple to Sintra as well as Playa Blanca.
Sintra is cooler than Playa Blanca in the winter. The daily temperature in Sintra averages around 12°C (53°F) in January, and Playa Blanca fluctuates around 17°C (63°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Playa Blanca. In the winter, Sintra often gets less sunshine than Playa Blanca. Sintra gets 144 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Playa Blanca receives 204 hours of full sun.
Sintra receives a lot of rain in the winter. Sintra usually gets more rain in January than Playa Blanca. Sintra gets 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while Playa Blanca receives 16 mm (0.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
Both Playa Blanca and Sintra are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities.
In the spring, Sintra is cooler than Playa Blanca. Typically, the spring temperatures in Sintra in April average around 16°C (60°F), and Playa Blanca averages at about 19°C (66°F).
It's quite sunny in Playa Blanca. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Sintra. Sintra usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Playa Blanca during spring. Sintra gets 235 hours of sunny skies, while Playa Blanca receives 250 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Sintra usually receives more rain than Playa Blanca. Sintra gets 64 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Playa Blanca receives 16 mm (0.6 in) of rain each month for the spring.
Sintra | Playa Blanca | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
Jan | 12°C (53°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
Feb | 13°C (55°F) | 111 mm (4.4 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) |
Mar | 14°C (58°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 11 mm (0.4 in) |
Apr | 16°C (60°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
May | 18°C (64°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) |
Jun | 21°C (69°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 0 mm (0 in) |
Jul | 23°C (73°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 0 mm (0 in) |
Aug | 23°C (74°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 0 mm (0 in) |
Sep | 22°C (72°F) | 26 mm (1 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) |
Oct | 19°C (66°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 9 mm (0.4 in) |
Nov | 15°C (59°F) | 114 mm (4.5 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 16 mm (0.6 in) |
Dec | 12°C (54°F) | 108 mm (4.3 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 33 mm (1.3 in) |