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

Should you visit Toledo or Edinburgh?

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

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

Edinburgh

Edinburgh is a gothic, ancient, and charming city. Since it's a large city, you'll find plenty of things to do. This is also a very beautiful destination which attracts plenty of visitors. It also has that perfectly quaint feel that is like no other place. Other reasons to visit include theater, nightlife, and live music.

Toledo and Edinburgh: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Toledo or Edinburgh?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Edinburgh than Toledo. It is bigger and it has more sights, attractions, and activities for travelers. Edinburgh is very popular for its museums, theatre productions, nightlife, music, shopping, big city activities, impressive beauty, and quaint atmosphere, while Toledo attracts visitors for its food. Toledo is famous for its medieval buildings, ancient landmarks, and fascinating history. Edinburgh is famous for its medieval Old Town, the Royal Mile, and its influence on the Harry Potter series. It is also well known for The Edinburgh Castle.

How is Toledo different from Edinburgh?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Edinburgh is an amazing city 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 Edinburgh from around the world to see its many world-famous attractions. The most famous sights include the Edinburgh Castle, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, and the National Museum of Scotland. There are also kid-friendly museums like Camera Obscura.

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 Toledo or Edinburgh Better for Theater?

Edinburgh is a very popular place for theatre. However, Toledo is not a theatre destination.

Many visitors plan to see a show while visiting Edinburgh. It's fun to see a live performance or attend one of the festivals in town.

Toledo is not a theatre destination.

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

Toledo is a very popular place for its restaurants. However, Edinburgh is lacking in good options for its restaurant scene.

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.

Edinburgh may not make the list for most foodies, but you'll find what you need while you're in town. The city has some unique but famous dishes to try including haggis and black pudding. For slightly less intimidating options, check out the cullen skink, porridge, or smoked salmon. There are many fish and chips shops to choose from as well as a diversity of ethnic restaurants including Indian, Thai, and Ethiopian.

Is Toledo or Edinburgh Better for Nightlife?

Edinburgh is a very popular place for nightlife. Also, Toledo is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for nightlife and partying.

Edinburgh has a large number of nightlife venues. With so many students, the nightlife stays very active. There are a wide range of bars and clubs to choose from as well as some of the country's oldest pubs. Tourists tend to frequent the Old Town area, but you'll find more locals if you head to the student and university areas.

Toledo has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. 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.

Is Toledo or Edinburgh Better for Music?

Edinburgh is an amazing city to visit for live music. However, Toledo is not a live music destination.

Edinburgh is known as a music capital around the world. In addition to a wide range of live music venues, there are also a number of music festivals held in town.

Toledo is not a live music destination.

Is Toledo or Edinburgh Better for its Old Town?

Toledo and Edinburgh both have first-rate 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.

Edinburgh has a world-famous historical area. The city's Old Town attracts international visitors who come to see the Edinburgh Castle, the quaint streets, and the many shops and cafes. The Royal Mile is a popular area with pubs and souvenir shops. It connects the castle to the Scottish Parliament.

Is the Shopping Better in Toledo or Edinburgh?

Edinburgh is a very popular place for shopping. Also, Toledo is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its shopping opportunities.

Shopping is a popular activity when visiting Edinburgh. Head to Princes Street in the New Town to visit department stores and other name brand shops. Nearby George Street has more boutique style shops and less crowds. In the Old Town, Victoria Street is filled with Harry Potter shops and tourist stores where you can pick up a kilt or Edinburgh sweatshirt.

Toledo offers some nice shopping areas. Calle Comercio is the main shopping street in town and there are two major shopping malls in the new part of town.

Is Toledo or Edinburgh Better for Families?

Edinburgh is a very popular place for its kid-friendly activities. Also, Toledo is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its family-friendly activities.

Edinburgh is a very family-friendly destination. Kids will enjoy wandering down Victoria Street and popping in the Harry Potter shops. There are also a number of fascinating Harry Potter tours that take you through notable landmarks where J.K. Rowling was inspired to write these popular stories. You'll even visit Tom Riddle's gravesite. Other highlights that families will enjoy include Edinburgh Castle and the Edinburgh Dungeon, which is best for older kids or kids that enjoy a good scare. Younger kids will enjoy a trip the illusions museum, Camera Obscura, which also offers one of the best views of the city.

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.

Is Toledo or Edinburgh Better for Couples?

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

Edinburgh makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. With its castle and the Royal Mile, there are many romantic places to explore as a couple. There are also good restaurants and some nice hotels. Whether you're interested in history, food, or fun, this city makes for a great couples trip.

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 Edinburgh Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Edinburgh is an amazing city to visit for backpackers and budget travelers. Also, Toledo is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for backpackers.

Many backpackers frequent Edinburgh. The city has some good hostels and an active nightlife, so it's not hard to find other travelers to hang out with. It's a well visited city with many areas that attracted younger travelers or students.

Toledo is a good city to visit for backpackers. 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.

Is Toledo or Edinburgh Better for Students?

Both Toledo and Edinburgh are high quality destinations for students.

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

Students come from all over to stay in Edinburgh. This multicultural city is popular with international students because of its excellent research and academic centers as well as its unique history.

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

Visitors will find nice public transit in both Toledo and Edinburgh.

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

You'll find some public transit in Edinburgh, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. Buses are the best way to get into town from the outer edges if you don't have a car.

Is Toledo or Edinburgh a more walkable city?

Edinburgh is an amazing city to visit for its walkability. Also, Toledo is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its high level of walkability.

It's very easy to get around on foot in Edinburgh. The Old Town in particular is fun to walk around

Toledo is a very walkable city. 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.

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

Should I spend more time in Edinburgh or Toledo?

How long in Toledo or Edinburgh?

In either Toledo or Edinburgh, you'll find plenty of activities to fill your time. Most visitors tend to spend more time in Edinburgh than Toledo because of the overall number of sights and activities. Usually, 1-2 days is a good amount of time for Toledo, and 2-5 days is enough time in Edinburgh.

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

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

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

One day in Toledo or Edinburgh?

You'll find shopping and museums around the city of Toledo. Visiting the old town is also a must. One day is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Toledo has to offer. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

Many travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the quaint destination of Edinburgh. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

A weekend in Toledo or Edinburgh?

You'll find museums and nightlife around the medieval destination of Toledo. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. This is a popular place to visit for a weekend.A weekend should give you a good understanding of everything this city has to offer. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from.

Edinburgh 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 Edinburgh?

Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the medieval city of Toledo. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Edinburgh. For many, it makes a great getaway for five days. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill five days here. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

A week in Toledo or Edinburgh?

Toledo is a popular choice for travelers. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. One week 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. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

Travelers enjoy the nightlife and live music when visiting the ancient destination of Edinburgh. This city 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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Edinburgh, and The Best 10-Day Tours from London.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Toledo and Edinburgh, we can see that Edinburgh is more expensive. And not only is Toledo much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Toledo would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Toledo 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 Edinburgh would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Edinburgh than you might in Toledo.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Toledo Expensive? and Is Edinburgh Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Toledo or Edinburgh?

Edinburgh has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Toledo. When comparing the sizes of Toledo and Edinburgh, 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.