A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Southampton vs. Calais for Couples, Attractions, Food, and Nightlife

Should you visit Southampton or Calais?

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

Should I visit Southampton or Calais? 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.

Southampton

Southampton is a dynamic, up-and-coming, and waterfront port city. It offers plenty of beauty for visitors. Other popular activities here include shopping, museums, and nightlife.

Calais

Calais is a undiscovered, coastal, and authentic city. It's a large city, so you'll find plenty of things to do around town. Visitors also love the beaches, shopping, and museums.

Southampton and Calais: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Southampton or Calais?

Travelers will generally find more things to do in Calais than Southampton. While Southampton is larger than Calais, Calais has more sights and attractions for tourists. Calais is more popular for its beaches and big city activities, while Southampton is known for its impressive beauty. Southampton is popular for its popularity as a cruise ship port as well as its focus watersports. Calais is popular for being a gateway for travelers to France. It is also home to The Town Hall.

How is Southampton different from Calais?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Calais and Southampton. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Southampton or Calais?

Visiting museums and landmarks is a fun activity in both Southampton and Calais.

Southampton offers a variety of museums and landmarks to choose from. Museums are a favorite activity in town. There are a surprising number of options including SeaCity Museum, the Tudor House and Garden, and Southampton City Art Gallery.

If you're looking for an educational opportunity, there are a decent number of museums and historical sights around Calais. It's a port city with a few good museums and landmarks to see. Check out the Town Hall, Burghers of Calais, La Cité de la Dentelle et de la Mode, and Musée de la Guerre de Calais, as well as the Calais Lighthouse.

Is the Food Better in Southampton or Calais? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Picking the best cuisine and restaurants between Southampton and Calais can be difficult as they are each good in their own way.

Southampton has a delicious restaurant scene that relies on local flavors. While most people used to pass through Southampton on their way somewhere else, the city now offers a dynamic food scene with local restaurants mixed with international options and even fine dining.

There are many up and coming restaurants in the Calais area. The region is known for its mackerel, andouillette sausage, and endive and ham gratin. If you're passing through, this is also a good place to stock up on wine and cheese.

Is Southampton or Calais Better for Nightlife?

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

If you're looking for night time activities Southampton has a few options to choose from. The nightlife scene is filled with restaurants, pubs, and bars as well as a few nightclubs mixed in.

There's a variety of activities in the evening in Calais. You'll find bars and pubs around town as well as a few clubs. Places range from trendy and high end to local dive bars.

Is Southampton or Calais Better for Beaches?

Calais is a popular place for the beache. However, Southampton is not a beach destination.

Calais is a good option for a beach vacation. There are some sandy beaches near town that have nice stretches of sand and plenty of sand dunes. Many locals enjoy sunbathing at the beaches.

Southampton is not a beach destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Southampton or Calais?

If you're looking to go shopping, Southampton and Calais both offer plenty of good spots.

Shopping is a popular activity when visiting Southampton. The city has two indoor shopping centers, as well as a range of markets and several independent vendors.

Many visitors go to Calais to go shopping. Many visitors stock up on wine and cheese when they're passing through. It's common to head straight to Auchan or Carrefour to stock up on some items.

Is Southampton or Calais Better for Families?

Kids will enjoy a visit to either Southampton or Calais.

Southampton offers lots of family activities. This cruise port city offers a handful of fascinating activities for kids including learning about the Mayflower and the Titanic. There are also many parks and gardens as well as the Mayflower Theater, which regularly has kid-family productions.

Calais is a family-friendly place to visit. There's the Nausicaa Aquarium, the Museum of the Atlantic Wall, and the Second World War Museum. There are also beaches and parks to explore as well as some nice playgrounds.

Is Southampton or Calais Better for Couples?

Southampton is well known for couples. Also, Calais is still popular, but not quite as popular for romance.

Couples visit Southampton frequently as it offers plenty of romantic activities. Museums, parks, gardens, and chartered boats all offer a romantic experience for couples visiting the area.

Calais is a nice destination for couples. Couples can picnic with wine and cheese or eat their way through the town's great restaurants. There are also some nice beaches where people enjoy sunbathing or relaxing.

Is Southampton or Calais Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Calais is a popular place for times when you don't have a car. However, Southampton is not known for its public transit.

While Calais offers some public transit options, it might not be your first choice. The city has 13 bus lines that run through town and into the surrounding areas. If you're arriving by ferry from the UK, there are shuttle buses that connect the ferry terminal to the train station.

Public transit is generally limited in Southampton. There are buses around town that make some areas accessible even without a car.

Is Southampton or Calais a more walkable city?

Southampton and Calais are good when it comes to walkability.

Southampton is a somewhat walkable place. It's possible to walk in parts of Southampton but in general it's easier to take a taxi.

Calais is a somewhat walkable port city. Parts of the town are more walkable than others.

For even more information, also check out Is Southampton Worth Visiting? and Is Calais Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Calais or Southampton?

How long in Southampton or Calais?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Southampton and Calais. In our opinion, Calais has more to see and do, so we recommend spending more time in Calais than Southampton. However, 1-3 days is a good amount of time to spend in either destination.

Families should spend more time in Calais than Southampton. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Calais, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Southampton than Calais. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Southampton that are great for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Calais than Southampton 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 Calais.

One day in Southampton or Calais?

Many travelers enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting the destination of Southampton. One day is often enough time to do most activities.

Visitors enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the undiscovered city of Calais. One day should give you a good understanding of everything this city has to offer. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

A weekend in Southampton or Calais?

Southampton is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Visitors enjoy the food and shopping when visiting the coastal destination of Calais. This city offers something for everyone. Plenty of people spend a weekend in the area when traveling. If you enjoy all that's offered here, then a weekend is just the right amount of time to spend here.

Five days in Southampton or Calais?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Southampton. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

The undiscovered city of Calais offers shopping and museums. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel.

A week in Southampton or Calais?

Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the waterfront destination of Southampton. This port city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

Many people enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting Calais. Anyone can find something fun to do here. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Edinburgh, The Best 10-Day Tours from London, The Best Budget Tours to France, and The Best Tours for Seniors to France.

When comparing the travel costs between Southampton and Calais, we can see that Southampton 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 Southampton Expensive? and Is Calais Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Southampton or Calais?

Southampton has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Calais. When comparing the sizes of Southampton and Calais, 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 Southampton or Calais?

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 Southampton or Calais in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Southampton as well as Calais. The summer months attract visitors to Southampton because of the family-friendly experiences. Also, the beaches, the city activities, and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Calais this time of year.

In the summer, Southampton is around the same temperature as Calais. Typically, the summer temperatures in Southampton in July average around 18°C (64°F), and Calais averages at about 17°C (63°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Calais. In the summer, Southampton often gets less sunshine than Calais. Southampton gets 195 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Calais receives 212 hours of full sun.

Southampton usually gets around the same amount of rain in July as Calais. Southampton gets 46 mm (1.8 in) of rain, while Calais receives 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Southampton or Calais in the Autumn?

Both Calais and Southampton are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Southampton this time of year. Also, many travelers come to Calais for the city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene.

In October, Southampton is generally around the same temperature as Calais. Daily temperatures in Southampton average around 12°C (53°F), and Calais fluctuates around 12°C (54°F).

Southampton usually receives less sunshine than Calais during autumn. Southampton gets 107 hours of sunny skies, while Calais receives 119 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In October, Southampton usually receives around the same amount of rain as Calais. Southampton gets 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain, while Calais receives 62 mm (2.4 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Southampton or Calais in the Winter?

Both Calais and Southampton during the winter are popular places to visit. Many travelers come to Southampton for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. Furthermore, many visitors come to Calais in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.

Calais can get quite cold in the winter. Be prepared for some very cold days in Southampton. Southampton is around the same temperature as Calais in the winter. The daily temperature in Southampton averages around 4°C (40°F) in January, and Calais fluctuates around 4°C (40°F).

In the winter, Southampton often gets less sunshine than Calais. Southampton gets 52 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Calais receives 57 hours of full sun.

Southampton usually gets more rain in January than Calais. Southampton gets 52 mm (2 in) of rain, while Calais receives 46 mm (1.8 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Southampton or Calais in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Southampton and Calais. Many visitors come to Southampton in the spring for the natural beauty. Furthermore, most visitors come to Calais for the beaches and the activities around the city during these months.

In the spring, Southampton is around the same temperature as Calais. Typically, the spring temperatures in Southampton in April average around 9°C (48°F), and Calais averages at about 9°C (47°F).

Southampton usually receives less sunshine than Calais during spring. Southampton gets 147 hours of sunny skies, while Calais receives 162 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Southampton usually receives around the same amount of rain as Calais. Southampton gets 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain, while Calais receives 42 mm (1.7 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Calais and Southampton