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

Should you visit Toledo or Messina?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Toledo or Messina, 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's a gorgeous place to visit. It's also known for shopping, museums, and nightlife.

Messina

Messina is a historic, bustling, and local port city. Since it's a large city, you'll find plenty of things to do. Other reasons to visit include food, shopping, and museums.

Toledo and Messina: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Toledo or Messina?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Messina than Toledo, as it is bigger with more sights, attractions, and activities for visitors. Messina is more popular for its nightlife, beaches, and big city activities, while Toledo is known for its museums, food, historical sights, and impressive beauty. Toledo is more touristy than Messina and is popular for its medieval buildings, ancient landmarks, and fascinating history. Messina is popular for being the entry and departure point to Sicily for those traveling by ferry. It is also home to Piazza del Duomo.

How is Toledo different from Messina?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Toledo is well known for its museums and landmarks. Also, Messina is still popular, but not quite as popular for its historical sights.

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.

Messina offers a variety of museums and landmarks to choose from. There are a number of historic sights around town including the Cathedral and the Piazza del Duomo, the Bell Tower and Astronomical Clock, Santissima Annunziata dei Catalani, and the Regional Museum. There are also many ornate fountains around town.

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

Toledo is well known for its restaurant scene. Also, Messina is still popular, but not quite as popular for its local flavors and cuisine.

With its innovative style combined with traditional elements, Toledo makes for a great culinary experience. 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.

Messina has a delicious restaurant scene that relies on local flavors. The city's cuisine is a mix of the cultures that have influenced Sicily over the centuries. The city has a longstanding fishing industry and one of the most popular dishes are swordfish rolls. Also try the pidone (similar to calzones with different fillings), and the focaccia (a local bread).

Is Toledo or Messina Better for Nightlife?

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

Messina has a large number of nightlife venues. The nightlife scene is mostly centered around the old town and you'll find a mix of locals and tourists hanging out in pubs and bars. During the summer months there are often free outdoor concerts to enjoy.

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 Messina Better for Beaches?

Messina is a decent place to visit for its beaches. However, Toledo is not a beach destination.

Messina is a good spot to see the beach. There are pebbly beaches in the area that are becoming more popular with tourists.

Toledo is not a beach destination.

Is Toledo or Messina Better for its Old Town?

Toledo is renowned for its historic old town. However, Messina does not have a historic old town.

The old town of Toledo is one of the most recognized in the world. Perched on a hill and spilling out around the cathedral, this Spanish old town is filled with historic landmarks.

Messina does not have a historic old town.

Is the Shopping Better in Toledo or Messina?

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

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.

Messina offers some nice shopping areas. The best shopping is around Piazza Cairoli with the main shopping streets being Viale Europa and Viale San Martino. There are many small boutiques that have cheaper prices than some of the more upscale Sicilian towns.

Is Toledo or Messina Better for Families?

Messina 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.

Messina is a very family-friendly destination. There are a number outdoor activities that kids will enjoy including Parco Avventura Dei Peloritani, which has ropes and obstacle courses. There's also the Karting Center, which is fun for the whole family, or a small aquarium in town. If you're looking for an excursion outside of town, head to Cascata Cataolo waterfall, which is very kid-friendly.

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 Messina Better for Couples?

Toledo and Messina are both good 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.

Messina makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Most visitors see the city as an arrival or departure point for Sicily, but those couples who linger will appreciate a number of historical sights and a nice atmosphere.

Is Toledo or Messina Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Toledo and Messina are both good 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.

Messina is a good city to visit for backpackers. If you're traveling by train or ferry, you'll likely arrive or depart from this city. There are a number of hostels and cheap guesthouses around town that offer affordable accommodation.

Is Toledo or Messina Better for Students?

Toledo is well known for students. Also, Messina is still popular, but not quite as popular for its student-friendly activities.

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.

It's common for students to visit Messina. There are a few study abroad opportunities that bring international students to town. The city also have good transportation connections and a friendly atmosphere that is welcoming to students.

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

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

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

You'll find some public transit in Messina, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. If your legs are tired then there's an efficient bus system that you can use.

Is Toledo or Messina a more walkable city?

Toledo and Messina 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.

Messina is a very walkable city. Most of the city's attractions can be reached on foot and the port is a ten to fifteen minute walk from Piazza del Duomo.

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

Should I spend more time in Messina or Toledo?

How long in Toledo or Messina?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Toledo and Messina. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Messina than in Toledo. Usually, 1-2 days is a good amount of time for Toledo, and 2-3 days is enough time in Messina.

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

Couples should spend more time in Toledo than Messina. 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 Messina 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 Messina?

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 Messina. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

A weekend in Toledo or Messina?

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.

Messina 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 Messina?

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 Messina. 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 Messina?

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 bustling destination of Messina. This port city 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 Food and Culinary Tours in Italy, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Italy.

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

Which is Bigger, Toledo or Messina?

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