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

Should you visit Zaragoza or Lucca?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Zaragoza 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.

Zaragoza

Zaragoza is a compact, authentic, and cultural city. With stunning beauty, it attracts visitors from all around. Other popular activities here include shopping, museums, and nightlife.

Lucca

Lucca is a historic, charming, and quaint city. With stunning beauty, it attracts visitors from all around. Other popular activities here include nightlife, food, and shopping.

Zaragoza and Lucca: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Zaragoza or Lucca?

Visitors will generally find more to do in Lucca than Zaragoza. While Zaragoza is larger than Lucca, Lucca has more sights, attractions, and activities for tourists. Lucca is very popular for its historical sights, while Zaragoza attracts visitors for its shopping. Lucca is more touristy than Zaragoza and is known for its ancient city walls and its many historic buildings. It is also well known for The Guinigi Tower. Zaragoza is famous for its grand landmarks, local cuisine, and rich cultural scene.

How is Zaragoza different from Lucca?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Lucca and Zaragoza. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Zaragoza or Lucca?

For an educational experience, head to a museum or a notable sight in either Zaragoza or Lucca.

With a variety of museums, monuments, and historical sights, a trip to Zaragoza can be an interesting and educational experience. For such a small city, it really has a large number of cultural and historical attractions. The Basilica of Our Lady of Pilar is the most recognizable sight, but there's also the Museum of the Roman Forum of Caesaraugusta, the cathedral of Zaragoza, and the Aljafería Palace, among others.

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 Zaragoza or Lucca? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Picking the best cuisine and restaurants between Zaragoza and Lucca can be difficult as they are each high quality in their own way.

Dining out in Zaragoza is an experience not to be missed. There are authentic restaurants that cater to locals and tourists alike. You'll also find some interesting food tours around town. Tapas are popular, as is chocolate and fresh, traditional recipes.

The food selection at local restaurants is excellent in 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 Zaragoza or Lucca Better for Nightlife?

Evening events are nice in both Zaragoza and Lucca.

There's a variety of activities in the evening in Zaragoza. The nightlife is at its best on weekends, when students and young locals head out on the town. Many evenings start with tapas and wine, but there are nightclubs and dancing as well.

With a handful of venues, visitors can find a fairly lively vibe in Lucca. 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 Zaragoza or Lucca Better for its Old Town?

Lucca is an amazing city to visit for its historic old town charm. Also, Zaragoza is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for its historic old town.

Lucca offers visitors a world-class historical old town to explore. The historic city is surrounded by city walls, which you can walk around. Within the walls there are cobblestone streets and a charming atmosphere.

Zaragoza is an extremely popular place to visit the historic old town area. The old town is small but filled with monumental buildings and an authentic atmosphere.

Is the Shopping Better in Zaragoza or Lucca?

Zaragoza is well known for its shopping areas. Also, Lucca is still popular, but not quite as popular for shopping.

Browsing through shops is a popular activity in Zaragoza. The city has many local shops selling locally produced items and interesting souvenirs. There are also boutiques, markets, and vintage shops that are fun to browse though.

Plenty of visitors enjoy shopping while in Lucca. 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 Zaragoza or Lucca Better for Families?

Zaragoza and Lucca are both nice destinations for the whole family.

Zaragoza is a family-friendly place to visit. When your kids get their fill of architecture and history, you can head to the Zaragoza Aquarium. Also worth a visit is the Emoz Museum, which is an origami museum. And if you need a break from sightseeing, take a kayak out on the Ebro River.

Lucca is a family-friendly city. 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 Zaragoza or Lucca Better for Couples?

Zaragoza and Lucca are both high quality to visit as a couple.

Zaragoza is a very popular place to visit for couples. Filled with culture, beauty, and monumental buildings, this is a small and romantic city. It's particularly romantic at night when the streets are quiet and many of the buildings are lit up.

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.

Is Zaragoza or Lucca Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Both Zaragoza and Lucca are nice destinations for backpackers.

It's common for backpackers to visit Zaragoza. There are enough hostels around town to choose from, and while it's not the backpacker haven that some Spanish cities are, it still sees a good number of young travelers.

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

Is Zaragoza or Lucca Better for Students?

Zaragoza is a city with good options for students. However, Lucca is not popular with students.

Zaragoza is popular with students. International students enjoy this small city because it has a local vibe where they can practice their Spanish and enjoy an authentic experience.

Lucca is not popular with students.

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

Zaragoza is well known for its public transit. However, Lucca is not particularly known for times when you don't have a car.

Many visitors use the public transit system in Zaragoza. There are buses and trams around the city.

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 Zaragoza or Lucca a more walkable city?

Zaragoza and Lucca both are high quality when exploring on foot.

Zaragoza is a very walkable destination. The city center is very walkable.

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

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

Should I spend more time in Lucca or Zaragoza?

How long in Zaragoza or Lucca?

You'll be able to find lots of things to do in Zaragoza or Lucca to fill your time. Many travelers usually spend more of their time in Zaragoza than Lucca because of the number of activities and things to do in the area. Usually, 1-3 days is a good amount of time for Zaragoza, and 1-2 days is enough time in Lucca.

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

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

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

One day in Zaragoza or Lucca?

In Zaragoza, many people enjoy the shopping and museums that this historical 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.

The beautiful city of Lucca offers food and shopping. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. With all of its activities, you can easily fill one day here. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

A weekend in Zaragoza or Lucca?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Zaragoza. 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 popular place that is full of things to see and experience. If you have a weekend, this city makes for a great vacation. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Lucca, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

Five days in Zaragoza or Lucca?

Zaragoza is a fun place to experience. Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the destination of Zaragoza. Visiting the old town is also a must. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything.

Lucca is a popular choice for travelers. Five days 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. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

A week in Zaragoza or Lucca?

You'll find food and shopping around the authentic destination of Zaragoza. 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.

Lucca is a great place to explore. Visiting the old town is also a must. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. This city offers something for everyone.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Barcelona, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Spain, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Italy, and The Best Historical Tours in Italy.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Zaragoza and Lucca, we can see that Zaragoza is more expensive. And not only is Lucca much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Lucca would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Lucca 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 Zaragoza would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Zaragoza than you might in Lucca.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Zaragoza Expensive? and Is Lucca Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Zaragoza or Lucca?

Zaragoza has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Lucca. When comparing the sizes of Zaragoza 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.