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

Should you visit Toledo or Lucca?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Toledo or Lucca, 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.

Lucca

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

Toledo and Lucca: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Toledo or Lucca?

Visitors will usually find more to do in Toledo than Lucca, as it offers more sights, attractions, and activities. Toledo is more touristy than Lucca and is popular for its medieval buildings, ancient landmarks, and fascinating history. Also, Toledo is famous for the Catedral de Toledo. Lucca is well known for its ancient city walls and its many historic buildings.

How is Toledo different from Lucca?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Spend time exploring the high quality sights and museums in either Toledo or Lucca.

With a variety of museums, monuments, and historical sights, a trip to Toledo can be an interesting and educational experience. 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.

You'll find a good number of museums and monuments packed into Lucca. There are many interesting historic sights and buildings around this charming town. You can climb to the top of the Guinigi Tower or visit the Roman Amphitheater. Many visitors enjoy walking or biking around the city walls as well. Also make sure you visit the cathedral.

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

Picking the best cuisine and restaurants between Toledo and Lucca can be difficult as they are each high quality 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 Lucca. There are many great Tuscan restaurants inside the city walls. Perhaps the most popular local dish is tordelli Lucchesi. Its a meat filled pasta that has a beef ragu sauce. There are also other Tuscan recipes that include steak, boar, or rabbit.

Is Toledo or Lucca Better for Nightlife?

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

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.

Lucca has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. The nightlife scene is most lively during the spring and summer months when tourists crowd into the city. For the highest concentration of bars, clubs, and lounges, head to Piazza Amfiteatro, Piazza San Michele and Via Fillungo.

Is Toledo or Lucca Better for its Old Town?

Toledo and Lucca 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.

Lucca has a world-famous historical area. The historic city is surrounded by city walls, which you can walk around. Within the walls there are cobblestone streets and a charming atmosphere.

Is the Shopping Better in Toledo or Lucca?

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

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.

Lucca offers some nice shopping areas. The city is filled with a mix of tourist shops and more authentic local vendors. If you look hard, you can still find some interesting local items that make for a more unique and personal shopping experience.

Is Toledo or Lucca Better for Families?

Toledo and Lucca are both notable 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 Lucca. You can pass through town in a day or two, or stay longer and use it as a base for exploring Tuscany. There are playgrounds for the kids as well as some fun activities like cycling the city walls and climbing towers.

Is Toledo or Lucca Better for Couples?

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

Lucca makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. It's a beautiful city with good restaurants and access to nice countryside. Couples who want to explore Tuscany can use this town as a base to take in much of the region.

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 Lucca Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Toledo and Lucca are both notable 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.

Lucca is a good city to visit for backpackers. While there aren't many traditional hostels around town, guesthouses are usually affordable.

Is Toledo or Lucca Better for Students?

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

Students come from all over to stay in Toledo. The city is popular with students, and you'll find many activities and a lively atmosphere both during the day and at night.

Lucca is not popular with students.

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

Toledo is a city with good options for its public transit. However, Lucca is not particularly known for times when you don't have a car.

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.

Public transit is quite limited in Lucca. There's no public transit within the city so if you can't walk somewhere, you'll want to take a taxi. In general, walking is the best option though.

Is Toledo or Lucca a more walkable city?

Toledo and Lucca are high quality 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.

Lucca is a very walkable city. Much of the city can be explored on foot.

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

Should I spend more time in Lucca or Toledo?

How long in Toledo or Lucca?

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

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

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

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 Lucca. 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 Lucca?

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.

Lucca 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 Lucca?

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 Lucca. 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 Lucca?

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 historic destination of Lucca. 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 Hiking & Trekking Tours in Italy, and The Best Historical Tours in Italy.

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

Which is Bigger, Toledo or Lucca?

Lucca has a larger population, and is about 10% larger than the population of Toledo. When comparing the sizes of Toledo and Lucca, 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.