A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Toledo vs. Chartres for Attractions, Food, Families, and Couples

Should you visit Toledo or Chartres?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Toledo or Chartres, 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 beautiful, ancient, and medieval city. It's a beautiful place to visit, too. Visitors also love the museums, nightlife, and food.

Chartres

Chartres is a historic, grand, and spectacular town. This is a charming small with plenty of activities, too. Other reasons to visit include food and museums.

Toledo and Chartres: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Toledo or Chartres?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Toledo. Although Toledo and Chartres are popular destinations, Toledo has more sights and attractions for tourists. Toledo is very popular for its museums, food, nightlife, historical sights, shopping, and impressive beauty, while Chartres attracts visitors for its small town charm. Toledo is more touristy than Chartres and is known for its medieval buildings, ancient landmarks, and fascinating history. It is also well known for the Catedral de Toledo. Chartres is famous for its beautiful cathedral and long running history.

How is Toledo different from Chartres?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Chartres 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 Chartres?

Toledo is great for its historical sights. Also, Chartres is not as popular, but is still a nice town for its sights and museums.

Toledo offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. 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.

If you're looking for an educational opportunity, there are a decent number of museums and historical sights around Chartres. Most visitors make the trip to see the spectacular Gothic cathedral, Cathédrale Notre-Dame. It was completed in 1220 and is famous for its beautiful stained glass windows.

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

Toledo is great for its local flavors and cuisine. Also, Chartres is not as popular, but is still a nice town for its local cuisine and restaurants.

Toledo has a huge number of terrific restaurants. 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.

There are many up and coming restaurants in the Chartres area. There are a number of restaurants around town so it's easy to grab lunch during a day trip.

Is Toledo or Chartres Better for Nightlife?

Toledo is a popular place for nightlife and partying. However, Chartres is not a destination with noteworthy nightlife.

If you're looking for night time activities Toledo has a few options to choose from. 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.

Chartres is not a destination with noteworthy nightlife.

Is Toledo or Chartres Better for its Old Town?

Toledo is a must-visit destination for its old town. However, Chartres does not have a historic old town.

The rich history of Toledo can be explored in its historical center. Perched on a hill and spilling out around the cathedral, this Spanish old town is filled with historic landmarks.

Chartres does not have a historic old town.

Is the Shopping Better in Toledo or Chartres?

Toledo is a popular place for its shopping opportunities. However, Chartres is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

Shopping is a popular activity when visiting Toledo. Calle Comercio is the main shopping street in town and there are two major shopping malls in the new part of town.

Chartres is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

Is Toledo or Chartres Better for Families?

Toledo is a popular place for its kid-friendly activities. However, Chartres is not a good destination for its family-friendly activities.

Toledo offers lots of family activities. 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.

Chartres is not the most family-friendly destination. The main attraction in town is the cathedral, but the surrounding area is also filled with history. This may not keep your kids entertained for long, so you can also check out the Stained Glass Museum, La Tanière (a zoo), or one of the parks around town.

Is Toledo or Chartres Better for Couples?

Toledo and Chartres are both nice to visit as a couple.

Toledo is a nice destination for couples. 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.

Chartres makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. With its cathedral and rich history, many couples enjoy exploring the town. It is filled with history and interesting sights.

Is Toledo or Chartres Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Toledo and Chartres are both nice destinations for backpackers.

It's common for backpackers to visit Toledo. 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.

Chartres is a good city to visit for backpackers. It's easy enough to visit as a day trip from Paris, so backpackers and other tourists typically allow themselves a few hours to explore.

Is Toledo or Chartres Better for Students?

Toledo is great for its student-friendly activities. However, Chartres is not popular with students.

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

Chartres is not popular with students.

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

Chartres is a very popular place for times when you don't have a car. Also, Toledo is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its public transit.

Many visitors rely on the effecient and affordable public transportation in Chartres. There are trains that leave Paris Montparnasse 1 Et 2 every half hour and travel to Chartres. The trip takes about 1 hour 15 minutes.

You'll find some public transit in Toledo, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. There is a good bus system through town.

Is Toledo or Chartres a more walkable city?

Toledo and Chartres are very good 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.

Chartres is a very walkable city. It's easy to see the sights around town on foot.

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

Should I spend more time in Chartres or Toledo?

How long in Toledo or Chartres?

You'll be able to find lots of things to do in Toledo or Chartres 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 Chartres. However, 1-2 days is a good amount of time to spend in either destination.

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Toledo than Chartres 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 Chartres?

The city of Toledo offers food and shopping. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. With all of its activities, you can easily fill one day here. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

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

A weekend in Toledo or Chartres?

Toledo is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. If you have a weekend, this city makes for a great vacation. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Toledo, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

Chartres 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.

Five days in Toledo or Chartres?

Toledo is a popular choice for travelers. Five days is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Chartres. 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 Chartres?

Toledo is a great place to explore. Visiting the old town is also a must. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. This city offers something for everyone.

Travelers enjoy the food and museums when visiting the spectacular destination of Chartres. This town offers a variety of activities to choose from. 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 Vineyard & Wine Tours in France, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in France.

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

Which is Bigger, Toledo or Chartres?

Toledo has a larger population, and is about 70% larger than the population of Chartres. When comparing the sizes of Toledo and Chartres, 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.