A Travel Price Comparison for Spain Toledo vs. Granada for Attractions, Old Town, Food, and Nightlife

Should you visit Toledo or Granada?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Toledo or Granada, 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 gorgeous place to visit. Other reasons to visit include food, shopping, and museums.

Granada

Granada is a beautiful, charming, and cultural city. It's considered by many to be an absolutely beautiful destination, too. Other reasons to visit include museums, nightlife, and food.

Toledo and Granada: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Toledo or Granada?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Granada than Toledo, as it is bigger with more sights, attractions, and activities for visitors. Granada is more popular for its museums, nightlife, hiking, and impressive beauty, while Toledo is known for its food. Toledo is more touristy than Granada and is known for its medieval buildings, ancient landmarks, and fascinating history. Granada is popular for its Islamic architecture, charming old town, and the stunningly impressive Alhambra. It is also home to The Alhambra.

How is Toledo different from Granada?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Granada 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 Granada from around the world to see its many world-famous attractions. Many visitors head to Granada specifically to visit the famed Alhambra. The palace and fortress complex will not disappoint. The gardens are beautifully maintained and the palace is filled with intricate details. It's easy to spend hours wandering around. In addition to The Alhambra, the Granada Cathedral is also impressive to visit. If you have kids or extra time to fill, head to Parque de las Ciencias, which is the city's Science Park.

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 Granada? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Toledo is an excellent place to visit for its restaurants. Also, Granada is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its restaurant scene.

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.

Visitors will find a budding food and restaurant scene in Granada. It's a very touristy city so restaurants can be hit or miss. There are some amazing local eateries, but you'll also find a number of places with lower quality, overpriced food. Classic local dishes include Churros, Plato Alpujarreño, and Habas con Jamón. Tapas are very popular and many restaurants provide free tapas with drink orders. There are also a number of Moroccan restaurants around town.

Is Toledo or Granada Better for Nightlife?

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

Granada has a large number of nightlife venues. The nightlife scene kicks off around 11 pm, when most people have finished up a late dinner. There's a laid-back atmosphere with pubs, live music, and dance clubs that stay open late into the night. There are several popular streets at night including Calle Elvira, Calle Reyes Católicos, and the Realejo District.

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 Granada Better for its Old Town?

Toledo and Granada both have fantastic 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.

Granada has a world-famous historical area. The Old Town spills out around the Granada Cathedral and is filled with charming pedestrian streets, lively plazas, and many great shops.

Is Toledo or Granada Better for Hiking?

Granada is a very popular place for its hiking trails. However, Toledo is not a hiking destination.

Many visitors explore the nearby hiking trails while visiting Granada. Ruta de Los Cahorros is a great hike about 25 minutes outside of Granada that begins in the town of Monochil. It crosses many bridges and weaves through dramatic canyons. There are places where you can wade in the water or check out a hidden waterfall. It's well worth the time and can be reached by taxi or public bus.

Toledo is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Toledo or Granada?

Shoppers can find a variety of good stores in both Toledo and Granada.

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.

Granada offers some nice shopping areas. The town is filled with souvenir shops and places to buy local items. It's fun to wander through the old town and pop into the many different shops.

Is Toledo or Granada Better for Families?

Toledo and Granada are both good destinations for the whole family.

Toledo is a family-friendly city. 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.

You'll find plenty of kid-friendly things to do in Granada. While the highlight of the city is the Alhambra, kids will likely enjoy exploring the shops or seeing a Flamenco show a bit more. Just outside of town is a wonderful hike, Ruta de Los Cahorros. It begins near the town of Monachil which is easily accessible by taxi or public bus. The hike goes through canyons and across bridges and its a wonderful activity for the whole family.

Is Toledo or Granada Better for Couples?

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

Granada makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. It is a beautiful city that is filled with charm and history. Couples will enjoy exploring the Alhambra, taking in a Flamenco show, or sipping Sangria with tapas. The city is incredibly beautiful with stunning views and many great restaurants.

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 Granada Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Granada is a very popular place for backpackers and budget travelers. Also, Toledo is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for backpackers.

Granada is very popular with the backpacker crowd. It's a touristy city and it's a popular destination for backpackers as well. There are plenty of hostels around town and the city has social atmosphere with many opportunities to meet other travelers.

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 Granada Better for Students?

Both Toledo and Granada are very good 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 Granada. It's a popular study abroad destination. Accommodation for students is usually affordable and this is also a great city for integrating into the local culture. You may even end up with a Spanish roommate.

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

Visitors will find good public transit in both Toledo and Granada.

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

You'll find some public transit in Granada, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. There is a comprehensive bus system around town that many tourists take advantage of. Taxis are also very affordable, so for many visitors, that is an easy option.

Is Toledo or Granada a more walkable city?

Toledo and Granada 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.

Granada is a very walkable city. Most of the touristy areas are easy to explore on foot, but there are some steep hills so put on your walking shoes.

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

Should I spend more time in Granada or Toledo?

How long in Toledo or Granada?

It's fun to spend time in either Toledo or Granada. Generally, people tend to spend more time in Granada due to the larger number of activities and things to do. Usually, 1-2 days is a good amount of time for Toledo, and 2-4 days is enough time in Granada.

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Granada 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 Granada.

One day in Toledo or Granada?

In Toledo, you'll find nightlife and food. Most visitors spend time around the old town while in the area. This city offers something for everyone. This would be the perfect place to spend one day, as it has just the right amount of activities.

Many travelers enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting the destination of Granada. Hikers are also drawn to this area. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

A weekend in Toledo or Granada?

In Toledo, you'll find food and shopping. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. A weekend here is typical. Visiting the old town is also a must. A weekend is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Toledo has to offer.

Granada 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 Granada?

Toledo is a great place to explore. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. Five days is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. Anyone can find something fun to do here.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Granada. Don't miss the museums, as that's what most people do. Make sure you spend some time hiking while you're in the area. 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 Granada?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Toledo. Many people enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting Toledo. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. One week may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing.

Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the beautiful destination of Granada. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Many travelers plan to spend time hiking 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 Romantic Tours for Couples in Spain, and The Best Luxury Tours to Spain.

When comparing the travel costs between Toledo and Granada, 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 Granada Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Toledo or Granada?

Granada has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Toledo. When comparing the sizes of Toledo and Granada, 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.