A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Toledo vs. Arles for Attractions, Old Town, Food, and Couples

Should you visit Toledo or Arles?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Toledo or Arles, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Toledo

Toledo is a fascinating, beautiful, and ancient city. It offers plenty of beauty for visitors. Other popular activities here include shopping, museums, and nightlife.

Arles

Arles is a charming, compact, and quaint town. This is also a very beautiful destination which attracts plenty of visitors. Other reasons to visit include food, shopping, and museums.

Toledo and Arles: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Toledo or Arles?

You'll generally find more things to do in Toledo than Arles. Toledo is bigger than Arles, and it also has more attractions and activities for travelers. Toledo is more touristy than Arles and is popular for its medieval buildings, ancient landmarks, and fascinating history. Also, Toledo is famous for the Catedral de Toledo. Arles is well known for its Roman history and its influence over Vincent van Gogh.

How is Toledo different from Arles?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Toledo or Arles?

Arles is an amazing town to visit for its museums and history. Also, Toledo is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its museums and landmarks.

Travelers visit Arles from around the world to see its many world-famous attractions. It's a small town but it's filled with Roman ruins and remarkable landmarks. Popular sights include L'Amphithéâtre Romain, Les Alyscamps, Cloître Saint-Trophime, and Théâtre Antique.

You'll find a good number of museums and monuments packed into Toledo. This medieval city is filled with ancient landmarks including the iconic Catedral de Toledo. In the old town you'll find many many historic buildings and a fascinating Jewish Quarter. Other notable sights include the Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes, the Alcázar de Toledo, and the Museo de Santa Cruz.

Is the Food Better in Toledo or Arles? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Picking the best cuisine and restaurants between Toledo and Arles can be difficult as they are each excellent in their own way.

The food selection at local restaurants is excellent in Toledo. The city offers a great cuisine at a reasonable price. The dishes are influenced by the city's diverse past. You'll find many meat dishes due to the area's long running tradition of hunting. There are also classic dishes like carcamusas, which is pork covered in a tomato sauce. Dishes in general tend to be heavy and saucy with filling and delicious flavors.

Eating is part of the travel experience when you visit Arles. The cuisine is heavily influenced by the region's local agriculture. Popular dishes include agriade (beef stew), tellines soup, and fougasse (a local bread).

Is Toledo or Arles Better for Nightlife?

The notable nightlife scene is relatively similar in Toledo and Arles.

With a handful of venues, visitors can find a fairly lively vibe in Toledo. Most tourists visit the town as a day trip, so things can quiet down somewhat at night. There is a large student population that frequents the bars around town and help keep things lively.

Arles has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. There are countless bars and pubs where you can enjoy a cold drink and a relaxing night out.

Is Toledo or Arles Better for its Old Town?

Toledo and Arles both have terrific historical old towns that attract visitors.

Toledo offers visitors a world-class historical old town to explore. Perched on a hill and spilling out around the cathedral, this Spanish old town is filled with historic landmarks.

Arles has a world-famous historical area. The large old town is filled with Roman ruins and historic sights. There are narrow streets and many interesting places to explore.

Is the Shopping Better in Toledo or Arles?

Shoppers can find a variety of notable stores in both Toledo and Arles.

Plenty of visitors enjoy shopping while in Toledo. Calle Comercio is the main shopping street in town and there are two major shopping malls in the new part of town.

Arles offers some nice shopping areas. There are many boutiques that are filled with local art, crafts, and merchandise.

Is Toledo or Arles Better for Families?

Toledo is very good for its family-friendly activities. However, Arles is not particularly known for its kid-friendly activities.

You'll find plenty of kid-friendly things to do in Toledo. The ancient streets are fun to explore. There are city gates, ancient Arab walls, and older kids will be fascinated by a visit to the Toledo Torture Museum. The city is known for its swords, and there are shops that you can visit to learn about this craft.

For families, Arles is not always the best place to visit. Filled with Roman ruins and beautiful art, this is a great town, but can make for a long day for younger kids.

Is Toledo or Arles Better for Couples?

Arles is a very popular place for romance. Also, Toledo is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its romantic activities.

Arles makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Couples who enjoy history, roman ruins, and beautiful art will appreciate a weekend getaway to this town.

Toledo makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. It's an ancient city that is filled with fascinating history and impressive historic sights. Couples will enjoy wandering the medieval streets and visiting the ancient gates.

Is Toledo or Arles Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Toledo is very good for backpackers. However, Arles is not particularly known for backpackers and budget travelers.

Toledo is popular with backpackers and budget travelers. Many travelers visit Toledo as a day trip from Madrid, but for backpackers who want to spend more time, there are a handful of hostels in town.

Arles is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. There are a couple of hostels and apartments in the area.

Is Toledo or Arles Better for Students?

Toledo is well known for students. However, Arles is not popular with students.

Toledo is very popular with students. The city is popular with students, and you'll find many activities and a lively atmosphere both during the day and at night.

Arles is not popular with students.

Is Toledo or Arles Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Visitors will find notable public transit in both Toledo and Arles.

Toledo has some public transit options. There is a good bus system through town.

You'll find some public transit in Arles, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. There are shuttle buses that run between the city center and the train station, which is less than a kilometer out of town.

Is Toledo or Arles a more walkable city?

Toledo and Arles are excellent when it comes to walkability.

Toledo is very walkable. It's a compact and easily walkable city, particularly within the old town. The bus and train stations are also about a 15 or 20 minute walk from the city center.

Arles is a very walkable city. It's a historic walled city that is very walkable.

For even more information, also check out Is Toledo Worth Visiting? and Is Arles Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Arles or Toledo?

How long in Toledo or Arles?

You'll be able to find lots of things to do in Toledo or Arles to fill your time. In our opinion, Toledo has more to see and do, so we recommend that you spend more time in Toledo than Arles. However, 1-2 days is a good amount of time to spend in either destination.

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Toledo than Arles 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 Toledo.

One day in Toledo or Arles?

In Toledo, many people enjoy the shopping and museums that this beautiful destination offers. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Because of this, one day is usually enough time for a trip here.

Many travelers enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting the destination of Arles. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. One day is often enough time to do most activities.

A weekend in Toledo or Arles?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Toledo. For many, it makes a great getaway for a weekend. Most visitors spend time around the old town while in the area. This would be the perfect place to spend a weekend, as it has just the right amount of activities. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision.

Arles is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. Don't miss the museums, as that's what most people do. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Five days in Toledo or Arles?

Toledo is a fun place to experience. Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the destination of Toledo. Visiting the old town is also a must. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Arles. Don't miss the museums, as that's what most people do. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. 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.

A week in Toledo or Arles?

You'll find food and shopping around the beautiful destination of Toledo. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One week is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the compact destination of Arles. This town offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most visitors spend time around the old town while in the area. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Spain, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Spain, The Best Contiki Tours to France, and The Best G Adventures Tours to France.

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

Which is Bigger, Toledo or Arles?

Toledo has a larger population, and is about 40% larger than the population of Arles. When comparing the sizes of Toledo and Arles, 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.