Which place is cheaper, Playa de las Americas or Sintra?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Sintra or Playa de las Americas?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Sintra or Playa de las Americas? 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 Playa de las Americas?
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.
Playa de las Americas
If you are looking to escape your life - to relax on a modern day pleasure island, then you need to book a trip to the Playa de las Americas resort town. Located on the south coast of Tenerife, this party, beach, and vacation capital never goes to sleep. Packed with nightclubs, bars, live music, shops and restaurants, Playa de las Americas is the stuff Hollywood movies are made of.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Budget Tours to Portugal, The Best Tours for Seniors to Portugal, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Barcelona, and The Best 10-Day Tours from Madrid.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySintra €115Playa de las Americas €195
The average daily cost (per person) in Sintra is €115, while the average daily cost in Playa de las Americas is €195. 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 de las Americas in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSintra €57Playa de las Americas €115
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSintra €114Playa de las Americas €230
Compare Hotels in Sintra and Playa de las Americas
Looking for a hotel in Sintra or Playa de las Americas? 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 Playa de las Americas Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Sintra €21Playa de las Americas €56
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Sintra
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Sintra:
- Algarve vs Lisbon: Private Transfer to/from Algarve /Lisbon: $513
- Private transfer from Sintra to Porto with 2 hours for sightseeing: $289
- Transfer Cascais to Lisbon(8pax): $109
- Transfer Cascais to Lisbon(3pax): $98
- Tours and Transfers: $89
- Private Guided Transfer in Sintra and Lisbon: $87
- Lisbon transfer, national and Iberian trips: $86
- TRANSFER Cascais to Lisbon Airport: $82
- Private Transfer Lisbon & Cascais by Van or Car: $73
- Tuk Tuk Transfer With Sintra Pena Ticket From Meeting Point: $73
- Transfer Sintra to Lisbon Airport: $71
- Lisbon Airport: Cascais/Estoril/Sintra Private Transfer: $57
Is it cheaper to fly into Sintra or Playa de las Americas?
Prices for flights to both Playa de las Americas 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 €42Playa de las Americas €45
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 €23Playa de las Americas €30
Tours and Activities in Sintra
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Sintra are as follows:
- E-Bike Rental Self Guide Tour in Sintra and Cabo da Roca : $64
- Half Day Private Wine and Traditional Tile Making Tour: $157
- 1h sight seeing - Sintra Mountain Tour (price per car) - max 4persons: $119
- 2 Hour Private Picnic and Photoshoot Experience in Lisbon area: $149
- 2 Hours Romantic experience for two by sailboat in Cascais: $297
- 2 hours Private Sailing Experience in Cascais: $297
- 3 Hour Sintra Village and Beaches Tuktuk Tour: $125
- 4 hour Private MTB Enduro Trail Tour in Sintra Mountain: $171
- 4 hour Private MTB Enduro Trail Tour in Sintra Mountain: $153
- 4x4 Tours in Portuguese Classic Jeeps (UMM) around Sintra: $153
- Amazing Sintra tour: $91
- Cascais Private Walking Tour with a Professional Guide: $260
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySintra €17Playa de las Americas €8.57
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 Playa de las Americas, we can see that Playa de las Americas 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 de las Americas would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Playa de las Americas 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 de las Americas Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Sintra or Playa de las Americas?
Sintra has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of Playa de las Americas. When comparing the sizes of Sintra and Playa de las Americas, 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 Playa de las Americas?
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.
Should I visit Sintra or Playa de las Americas in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Sintra as well as Playa de las Americas.
In the summer, Sintra is around the same temperature as Playa de las Americas. Typically, the summer temperatures in Sintra in July average around 23°C (73°F), and Playa de las Americas averages at about 24°C (75°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Playa de las Americas. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Sintra this time of the year. In the summer, Sintra often gets more sunshine than Playa de las Americas. Sintra gets 352 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Playa de las Americas receives 268 hours of full sun.
Sintra usually gets more rain in July than Playa de las Americas. Sintra gets 5 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Playa de las Americas receives 2 mm (0.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulySintra 23°C (73°F)Playa de las Americas 24°C (75°F)
Should I visit Sintra or Playa de las Americas in the Autumn?
Both Playa de las Americas and Sintra are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities.
In October, Sintra is generally cooler than Playa de las Americas. Daily temperatures in Sintra average around 19°C (66°F), and Playa de las Americas fluctuates around 24°C (75°F).
It's quite sunny in Playa de las Americas. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Sintra. Sintra usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Playa de las Americas during autumn. Sintra gets 213 hours of sunny skies, while Playa de las Americas receives 200 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Sintra usually receives more rain than Playa de las Americas. Sintra gets 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Playa de las Americas receives 20 mm (0.8 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberSintra 19°C (66°F)Playa de las Americas 24°C (75°F)
Should I visit Sintra or Playa de las Americas in the Winter?
Both Playa de las Americas and Sintra during the winter are popular places to visit.
Sintra is much colder than Playa de las Americas in the winter. The daily temperature in Sintra averages around 12°C (53°F) in January, and Playa de las Americas fluctuates around 19°C (66°F).
In the winter, Sintra often gets less sunshine than Playa de las Americas. Sintra gets 144 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Playa de las Americas receives 191 hours of full sun.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Sintra. Sintra usually gets more rain in January than Playa de las Americas. Sintra gets 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while Playa de las Americas receives 29 mm (1.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuarySintra 12°C (53°F)Playa de las Americas 19°C (66°F)
Should I visit Sintra or Playa de las Americas in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Sintra and Playa de las Americas.
In the spring, Sintra is cooler than Playa de las Americas. Typically, the spring temperatures in Sintra in April average around 16°C (60°F), and Playa de las Americas averages at about 20°C (68°F).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Playa de las Americas this time of the year. In Sintra, it's very sunny this time of the year. Sintra usually receives more sunshine than Playa de las Americas during spring. Sintra gets 235 hours of sunny skies, while Playa de las Americas receives 205 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Sintra usually receives more rain than Playa de las Americas. Sintra gets 64 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Playa de las Americas receives 11 mm (0.4 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilSintra 16°C (60°F)Playa de las Americas 20°C (68°F)
Typical Weather for Playa de las Americas and Sintra
| Sintra | Playa de las Americas | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 12°C (53°F) | 110 mm (4.3 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 29 mm (1.1 in) |
| Feb | 13°C (55°F) | 111 mm (4.4 in) | 19°C (66°F) | 27 mm (1.1 in) |
| Mar | 14°C (58°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 27 mm (1.1 in) |
| Apr | 16°C (60°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 11 mm (0.4 in) |
| May | 18°C (64°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
| Jun | 21°C (69°F) | 21 mm (0.8 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 1 mm (0 in) |
| Jul | 23°C (73°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 2 mm (0.1 in) |
| Aug | 23°C (74°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 3 mm (0.1 in) |
| Sep | 22°C (72°F) | 26 mm (1 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 5 mm (0.2 in) |
| Oct | 19°C (66°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) |
| Nov | 15°C (59°F) | 114 mm (4.5 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 39 mm (1.5 in) |
| Dec | 12°C (54°F) | 108 mm (4.3 in) | 20°C (68°F) | 43 mm (1.7 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.