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

Should you visit Toledo or Siena?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Toledo or Siena, 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 ancient, medieval, and fascinating city. It's a gorgeous place to visit. It's also known for nightlife, food, and shopping.

Siena

Siena is a charming, medieval, and history city. It's considered by many to be an absolutely beautiful destination, too. Other reasons to visit include food, shopping, and museums.

Toledo and Siena: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Toledo or Siena?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Toledo than Siena, as it is bigger with more sights, attractions, and activities for visitors. Toledo is more touristy than Siena and is popular for its medieval buildings, ancient landmarks, and fascinating history. It is also home to the Catedral de Toledo. Siena is popular for its beautiful medieval architecture, its delicious local restaurants, and the twice yearly Palio horserace.

How is Toledo different from Siena?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Spend time exploring the excellent sights and museums in either Toledo or Siena.

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 Siena. At the heart of the city is Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and Piazza del Campo. Other world famous sights include Palazzo Pubblico and Museo Civico, Torre del Mangia, and Pinacoteca Nazionale.

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

Picking the best cuisine and restaurants between Toledo and Siena can be difficult as they are each excellent 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 Siena. The town is all about local flavors and many restaurants use local ingredients in their dishes. Pecorino of Pienza is the local cheese, and you'll also find many cured meats. Local pasta dishes include wild boar ragu and a local spaghetti. You'll also find local meats such as lamb, rabbit, chicken and pork.

Is Toledo or Siena Better for Nightlife?

The good nightlife scene is relatively similar in Toledo and Siena.

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.

Siena has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. The nightlife is laid back and relaxed. Most visitors enjoy socializing in the evening and meeting friends at Piazza del Campo. There are often live performances which you can enjoy as well as many cafes and wine bars around town.

Is Toledo or Siena Better for its Old Town?

Toledo and Siena both have terrific 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.

Siena has a world-famous historical area. The beautiful old town is filled with medieval brick buildings. At the heart of the city is Piazza del Campo, which is a lively square with many neighborhoods spreading out from there.

Is the Shopping Better in Toledo or Siena?

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

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.

Siena offers some nice shopping areas. The main shopping street in town is Via Banchi di Sopra, which has many boutiques that sell clothing, bags, and other items. The town also has many leather goods, ceramics, and other local items available.

Is Toledo or Siena Better for Families?

Toledo is very good for its family-friendly activities. However, Siena is a mediocre city for its kid-friendly activities.

Toledo is a family-friendly place to visit. 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.

Siena is not always a place people visit with their families. The beauty and history may be lost to the little ones but there is a great atmosphere that even the young ones will appreciate. Kids will enjoy climbing to the top of Torre del Mangia or visiting one of the many playgrounds around town.

Is Toledo or Siena Better for Couples?

Siena is an amazing city to visit for romance. Also, Toledo is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its romantic activities.

Siena has so much to offer for a romantic couple's vacation. With its impressive beauty and long running history, this is a truly romantic city. The atmosphere is relaxed and there are plazas and neighborhoods that are great for exploring. There are also many great restaurants, superb wine, and world class sights that are not to be missed.

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 Siena Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Toledo and Siena 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.

Siena is a good city to visit for backpackers. Many backpackers visit Siena as a daytrip from nearby Florence. While there are some affordable places to stay here, the atmosphere isn't as backpacker friendly as nearby Florence.

Is Toledo or Siena Better for Students?

Both Toledo and Siena are excellent 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 Siena. It's home to one of the oldest universities in Italy, and it's a wonderful study abroad destination for any student who wants to spend some time in Italy.

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

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

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

You'll find some public transit in Siena, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. TIEMME is the bus service that runs in and around town. Many lines pass through the train station and provide service from there.

Is Toledo or Siena a more walkable city?

Toledo and Siena are excellent 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.

Siena is a very walkable city. The compact town center is best explored on foot.

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

Should I spend more time in Siena or Toledo?

How long in Toledo or Siena?

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

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

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

One day in Toledo or Siena?

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 Siena. 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 Siena?

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.

Siena 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 Siena?

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 Siena. 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 Siena?

You'll find food and shopping around the ancient 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 history destination of Siena. 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 Family-Friendly Tours to Italy, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Italy.

When comparing the travel costs between Toledo and Siena, we can see that Siena 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 Siena Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Toledo or Siena?

Toledo has a larger population, and is about 42% larger than the population of Siena. When comparing the sizes of Toledo and Siena, 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.