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

Should you visit Toledo or Rome?

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

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

Rome

Rome is a popular, ancient, and archeological city. It's an amazing and huge city with tons of activities and things to do. It's considered by many to be an absolutely beautiful destination, too. Other reasons to visit include museums, nightlife, and live music.

Toledo and Rome: Pros and Cons

Pros
  • Popular museums and historical sights
  • Scenic old town
  • Family-friendly
  • Good for couples and romance
Things to Consider
  • Less popular for nightlife
  • Less popular for shopping
  • Less popular with backpackers
  • Public transit not as usable
Pros
  • Popular museums and historical sights
  • Active nightlife
  • Good music scene
  • Fun shopping
  • Family-friendly
  • Good for couples and romance
  • Good for backpackers and budget travelers
  • Good public transit
  • Big city activities
  • Impressive beauty
  • Home to the Colosseum


Is there more to do in Toledo or Rome?

You'll generally find more things to do in Rome than Toledo. Rome is bigger than Toledo, and it also has more attractions and activities for travelers. Rome is better known for its museums, food, nightlife, music, shopping, big city activities, and impressive beauty, while Toledo is more popular for its historical sights. Toledo is well known for its medieval buildings, ancient landmarks, and fascinating history. Rome is well known for its iconic archaeological sites such as the Colosseum and the Roman Forum, as well as its gelato, Italian cuisine, and strong religious roots. Also, Rome is famous for The Colosseum.

The Colosseum
The Colosseum

How is Toledo different from Rome?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Toledo
Rome

Rome 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 Rome from around the world to see its many world-famous attractions. The historical sights around the city are among the most impressive in the world. Almost anywhere you look you'll find a notable landmark but some of the most famous include the Colosseum, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, the Vatican, and the Roman Forum.

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 Rome? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Toledo
Rome

Rome is an amazing city to visit for its restaurants. Also, Toledo is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its restaurant scene.

Known for it's food and restaurant scene, Rome is always at the top of any foodie's travel list. Homemade pasta, fresh sauces, and fine wine all make the food scene among the best. Also make sure you try the gelato.

Eating is part of the travel experience when you visit 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.

Is Toledo or Rome Better for Nightlife?

Toledo
Rome

Rome is an amazing city to visit for nightlife. Also, Toledo is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for nightlife and partying.

Rome has a colorful and one-of-a-kind nightlife scene. You'll find a huge concentration of bars and clubs in the Testaccio area. There are late night clubs with salsa dancing, merengue, and live DJ's spinning every type of music.

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 Rome Better for Music?

Toledo
Rome

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

Rome is known as a music capital around the world. Popular music venues include Live Alcazar, Atlantico Live, and Beba do Samba.

Toledo is not a live music destination.


Is Toledo or Rome Better for its Old Town?

Toledo
Rome

Toledo is an unbeatable place for its historic old town charm. However, Rome does not have a historic old town.

With a famous historical old-town, Toledo offers plenty to see. Perched on a hill and spilling out around the cathedral, this Spanish old town is filled with historic landmarks.

Rome does not have a historic old town.

Is the Shopping Better in Toledo or Rome?

Toledo
Rome

Rome is an amazing city to visit for shopping. Also, Toledo is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its shopping opportunities.

People travel from around the world to go shopping in Rome. For the biggest brand names, head to Via del Corso, which is near the Spanish Steps. Popular items to buy include Italian ceramics, shoes, leather goods, and jewelry.

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 Rome Better for Families?

Toledo
Rome

Rome 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.

Rome is a very family-friendly destination. What kid wouldn't be thrilled to be surrounded by pizza and spaghetti restaurants? In addition to kid-friendly food options, there are also a number of great activities that the whole family can enjoy including exploring the Colosseum, taking a gladiator class, and eating gelato.

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 Rome Better for Couples?

Toledo
Rome

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

Rome makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. With many beautiful buildings, world class restaurants, and world renowned sights, this city makes a great romantic destination.

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 Rome Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Toledo
Rome

Rome 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 Rome. Backpackers will find no shortage of hostels where they can stay, particularly near the main train station where accommodation is particularly cheap (but not always the best quality).

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 Rome Better for Students?

Toledo
Rome

Rome is an amazing city to visit for its student-friendly activities. Also, Toledo is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for students.

Rome is a great destination for students. The city is a popular study abroad destination and you'll find plenty of international students here.

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.


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

Toledo
Rome

Rome is an amazing city to visit for times when you don't have a car. Also, Toledo is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its public transit.

Public transit in Rome is top-notch. There's a metro system, trams, and a comprehensive bus system that goes around the city.

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 Rome a more walkable city?

Toledo
Rome

Rome 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 Rome. You'll find many of the most popular sights in a compact area that's easily explored on foot. Do watch out for traffic, which can be a bit chaotic at times.

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 Rome Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Rome or Toledo?

How long in Toledo or Rome?

Both Toledo and Rome have a number of activities to choose from. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Rome than in Toledo. Usually, 1-2 days is a good amount of time for Toledo, and 3-7 days is enough time in Rome.

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

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

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


  • How many days in Toledo or Rome? Ideal Length of Stay
    Toledo 1-2 
    Rome 3-7

One day in Toledo or Rome?

Visitors enjoy the food and shopping when visiting the destination of Toledo. Visiting the old town is also a must. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One day is usually enough time to experience most activities.

Rome is a bustling city that offers something for everyone. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.


A weekend in Toledo or Rome?

Toledo is a fun place to experience. If you have a weekend, this is a great place to go. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. A weekend is often enough time to do most activities. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

Rome is a great place to explore. With so much to do, a weekend is probably not enough time to see everything. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Five days in Toledo or Rome?

You'll find museums and nightlife around the beautiful destination of Toledo. This city offers something for everyone. 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 Rome. For many, it makes a great getaway for five days. 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 Rome?

The beautiful city of Toledo offers nightlife and food. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. 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.

Rome is a bustling city that offers something for everyone. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. If you have one week, this is a great place to go. This would be the perfect place to spend one week, as it has just the right amount of activities.


For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Spain, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Spain, The Best Luxury Tours to Italy, and The Best Budget Tours to Italy.


Which place is cheaper, Rome or Toledo?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Toledo is €123, while the average daily cost in Rome is €170. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Toledo and Rome in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Toledo 66
    Rome 89
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Toledo 132
    Rome 178
Compare Hotels in Toledo and Rome

Looking for a hotel in Toledo or Rome? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Toledo


Hotels in Rome


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Toledo Hotel Prices and Rome Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Toledo 20
    Rome 21

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Toledo

Also for Toledo, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • From Puy du Fou Round-Trip Transfer: $24
  • Hot Air Balloon over Toledo with optional transfers from Madrid : $234
  • Madrid: Private Airport Transfer to Toledo: $180
  • Madrid: Puy du Fou Round-Trip Transfer & Optional Ticket: $36
  • Private Transfer from Toledo or Avila to MAD Airport by MiniVan: $176
  • Balloon Ride with Transfer Option from Madrid: $262

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Rome

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Rome:


  • Metro Ride (for Two)
    2.00
  • Train to the Airport
    15
  • Taxi to Airport
    45
  • Bicycle Rental (Full Day)
    10

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rome

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Rome:

  • private transfer from Rome to Fiumicino airport: $55
  • Welcome in airport Transfer with welcome box: $89
  • Verona Airport (VRN) : One-Way Private Transfer to Ravenna: $706
  • Van transfer service from / to airports in Rome: $131
  • VIP Transfer from Fiumicino Airport to Rome or Vice Versa: $51
  • VIP Experience Private Transfer from the Civitavecchia Port to Rome: $191
  • Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Rome HTL-APT (FCO): $160
  • Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Rome HTL-APT (CIA): $61
  • Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Rome APT-HTL (CIA): $61
  • Trieste Port: One-Way Private Transfer to/from Rome Hotels: $2,535
  • Transfers from Airports to Rome city or Rome city to Airports: $63
  • Transfers From Fiumicino to Terracina: $154

Is it cheaper to fly into Toledo or Rome?

Prices for flights to both Rome and Toledo change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Toledo 39
    Rome 47
Typical Food Prices in Toledo

For Toledo, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:


  • Lunch
    11

Typical Food Prices in Rome

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Rome:


  • Casual Lunch (for Two)
    14
  • 4 Ice Cream Sandwiches
    2.99
  • Cafe e doce
    4.00
  • Pizza (Fast Food)
    2.65
  • Sitdown Lunch (for Two)
    32
  • Cheese and bread
    10
  • Espresso
    2.00
  • Dinner
    58

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rome

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Rome.

  • Award-Winning Roman Food Tours: $16
  • Tipsy Food Crawl Walking Tour with Dinner: $31
  • Food Tour of the Vatican with Farmers Market and Wine Tasting: $32
  • Rome Food Tour with Wine Tasting and Farmers Market in Prati Area: $32
  • Vatican and Trionfale Farmers Market Food tour and Wine tasting : $32
  • Guided Food Tour with Food and Drink Tastings: $33
  • Roman Master Chef Cooking Class with Wine: $36
  • Roman Dinner & History Tour: An Epic Journey Through Time: $37
  • Painting & Pizza Party with Unlimited Wine: $40
  • Campo dei Fiori & Jewish Ghetto area Street Food Tour: $42
  • Leonardo Da Vini, Wine and Pizza Painting Class: $43
  • Wine Tasting and Food Tour at Vatican and Trionfale Farmers: $43

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Toledo 30
    Rome 36

Tours and Activities in Toledo

For Toledo, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.21
  • Toledo Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Walking Tour: $4.28
  • City of the Three Cultures Guided Walking Tour: $5.35
  • Hospital de Tavera Entrance Ticket: $5.35
  • Escape Game and Tour: $5.35
  • Auidio Tour - Toledo - Monuments of the 3 cultures: $6.41
  • Toledo Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.54
  • English Tour - Toledo Complete + Visit Casa Palacio: $8.56
  • Underground Guided Tour with Entry Ticket: $8.56
  • Tour of the Inquisition and Witchcraft in Toledo: $8.56
  • The Enchanted City: A Mysterious Tour of Toledo: $8.56
  • Legends and Secrets Walking Tour in Spanish: $11

Typical Entertainment Prices in Rome

Here are a few typical costs in Rome for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:


  • Rome Museum Vaticano (for 2)
    69
  • Coliseum Tickets (for Two)
    33
  • Roma Pass
    30
  • Hop on Hop Off Bus (All Day)
    20
  • Segway Tour
    75

Tours and Activities in Rome

Here are a few actual costs in Rome for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Appian Way and Aqueducts Electric Bike Tour: $82
  • Castel Sant Angelo Skip the Line Tickets: $39
  • Colosseum Arena Floor Guided Tour with Ancient Rome Access : $195
  • Colosseum Gladiator Arena Floor Complete Guided Tour : $206
  • Colosseum Tour With Kids: $195
  • Colosseum and Ancient Rome Tour with Circus Maximus and Forums: $16
  • Colosseum, Forum and Palatine Hill Professional Guided Tour: $161
  • Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill Tour: $184
  • Complete St Peters Basilica Tour with Dome Climb and Crypt: $43
  • Cruise into Rome?! Full-Day Rome Discovery from Civitavecchia : $96
  • Fast Track Colosseum with Arena and afternoon Vatican Museums Tour: $191
  • Golf Cart Driving Tour: Rome City Highlights in 2.5 hrs: $104

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Toledo 19
    Rome 18

Sample the Local Flavors in Toledo

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Toledo:

  • From Madrid: Toledo Tour with Wine Tasting and 7 Monuments: $58

Typical Alcohol Prices in Rome

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Rome:


  • Bottle of Wine
    6.50
  • Pint of Beer
    6.34
  • Beer
    10

Sample the Local Flavors in Rome

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Rome:

  • Trionfale and Prati Food and Wine Tasting Tour: $31
  • Trionfale Farmers Market and Vatican Quarter Food and Wine Tour: $32
  • Vatican Food and Wine Tasting Tour next to the Sistine Chapel: $32
  • Cabaret & Burlesque Show: $32
  • Vatican Quarter and Trionfale Farmers Market Food and Wine Tour: $43
  • Bar Crawl with Local Guide & Drinks: $52
  • Tipsy Tour: Fun Bar Crawl In Rome With Local Guide : $53
  • Wine Tour in Historic Center of Rome: $55
  • Frascati Wine Tasting Experience & Vineyards Tour : $61
  • Pasta Making Class & Wine Tasting in a Trasteve Villa: $68
  • E-Bike Night Tour with Food and Wine Tasting: $68
  • Private Wine Tasting in Trastevere: $71


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Toledo and Rome, we can see that Rome 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 Rome would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Rome 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 Rome Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Toledo or Rome?

Rome has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Toledo. When comparing the sizes of Toledo and Rome, 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.