A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Recife vs. Santa Elena for Backpackers, Food, Nightlife, and Families

Should you visit Recife or Santa Elena?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Recife and Santa Elena can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Recife

Recife is a authentic, cultural, and under-rated city. Because this is such a big city, visitors will find many sights and attractions around town. It's also popular because of the food, beaches, and shopping. See Recife travel costs.

Santa Elena

Santa Elena is a tranquil, outdoorsy, and scenic town. Santa Elena is a beautiful place to visit, too. And you can't forget about the hiking and shopping. See Santa Elena travel costs.

Recife and Santa Elena: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Recife or Santa Elena?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Recife. Although Recife and Santa Elena are both popular with visitors, Recife has more sights, activities, and attractions for travelers. Recife is more popular for its museums and attractions, food, nightlife, beaches, shopping, and big city activities, while Santa Elena is known for its hiking and impressive beauty. Santa Elena is more touristy than Recife and is popular for its birdwatching and environmental conservation. Recife is popular for its football and music scenes. It is also home to Praia de Boa Viagem.

How is Recife different from Santa Elena?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Recife or Santa Elena?

Recife is great for its historical sights. However, Santa Elena is not a good destination for its sights and museums.

Visitors can fill many days exploring the museums and attractions around Recife. The city is large and cultural, so there are a number of museums that you can explore. Some of the favorites include the Instituto Ricardo Brennand, the Jewish Museum and Cultural Center, the State of Pernambuco Museum, and the Recife City Museum.

Santa Elena offers a few options for museum-goers. The area is filled with outdoor gardens, parks, and nature reserves, but there are few museums to visit.

Is the Food Better in Recife or Santa Elena? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Recife is great for its local flavors and cuisine. However, Santa Elena is not a good destination for its local cuisine and restaurants.

Recife has a number of nationally recognized food spots and restaurants. You'll find plenty of local restaurants around town. Grilled meat is a staple in many of the dishes and you should definitely visit a churrascaria, which is a restaurant that specializes in cooking meat in the churrasco style. Food carts are great for picking up a coxinha (a pastry), and other local dishes include camarão na moranga (pumpkin stuffed with shrimp) and picanha (sirloin cap).

Santa Elena offers some easy restaurants to choose from. You'll find some basic but good restaurants around town. Many offer pasta, pizza, and typical Costa Rican dishes.

Is Recife or Santa Elena Better for Nightlife?

Recife is great for its evening party scene. However, Santa Elena is not a good destination for nightlife.

Many people head to Recife for the nightlife scene. Many visitors come for Carnival, and this is the obvious time to visit if you're looking for the best parties. Even during the other times of the year, you'll find many happy hours, dance clubs, and live music to enjoy.

Most people don't head to Santa Elena specifically for the nightlife scene, but you can find a few options. There's a couple of bars but not much else for nightlife in town.

Is Recife or Santa Elena Better for Beaches?

Recife is great for the beach. However, Santa Elena is not a beach destination.

Many people visit Recife for it's beautiful beaches. The city's beaches are clean and enjoyable to visit and one of the most famous is Praia de Boa Viagem. Some beaches are lined with hotels and nightclubs while others are a bit more removed. If you decide to swim, do take note that shark attacks in the area are a real concern.

Santa Elena is not a beach destination.

Is Recife or Santa Elena Better for Hiking?

Santa Elena is a well-known place for the nearby hiking options. However, Recife is not a hiking destination.

Santa Elena is a popular spot for hiking. Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve has a range of trails including a walk along the Continental Divide. There's also the famous red hanging bridge.

Recife is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Recife or Santa Elena?

Recife is great for its shopping areas. Also, Santa Elena is not as popular, but is still a nice town for shopping.

Many visitors explore the shopping areas in Recife. The city has many local shops, art galleries, and larger shopping centers. Whether you're looking for clothing or a cultural souvenir, there are many places to browse.

Santa Elena is a great destination for shopping. There are some art galleries and artisan shops around town where you can pick up some interesting souvenirs.

Is Recife or Santa Elena More Beautiful?

Santa Elena is a town with good options for its scenery and beauty. However, Recife is not a destination known for its beauty.

Santa Elena is a beautiful place to visit, too. The cloud forest and canopy walks give you access to breathtaking views and unique wildlife.

Recife is not a destination known for its beauty.

Is Recife or Santa Elena Better for Families?

Santa Elena is a well-known place for its family-friendly activities. However, Recife is not a good city for its kid-friendly activities.

Santa Elena is a very kid-friendly town. Monteverde has many canopy walks, zipline courses, and animal parks that the kids will love. The nature and wildlife make this a fun and educational destination for everyone.

Recife is not always a place people visit with their families. There are a couple of museums that are good for kids, like Museu do Mamulengo. There are also beaches that are relatively clean for swimming, but make sure you go where the locals go and be very aware of the water conditions.

Is Recife or Santa Elena Better for Couples?

Santa Elena is a well-known place for its romantic activities. Also, Recife is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for couples.

Santa Elena is a very popular place to visit for couples. The cloud forest is filled with romantic views and unique landscapes. Couples who enjoy the outdoors will fall in love with this magical setting.

Recife is a good city for couples to visit. There are beaches and restaurants that make for a nice date day. You can explore the city, visit some museums, and soak up the local culture.

Is Recife or Santa Elena Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Santa Elena is an unbeatable place for backpackers. Also, Recife is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for backpackers and budget travelers.

Backpackers and budget travelers come from all over the world to visit Santa Elena. Backpackers will enjoy hiking and affordable activities. There are also many hostels with social activities that make this a great backpacker-friendly destination.

Plenty of backpackers visit Recife. There are a few hostels around town, but they do fill up quickly. The city is often overlooked by tourists but if you're looking for an authentic experience, then this is your place.

Is Recife or Santa Elena Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Both Recife and Santa Elena offer good public transit options.

Recife has a few public transit options. The city has a metro system as well as city buses.

Santa Elena has some public transit options. There are buses through town that travel to Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve.

Is Recife or Santa Elena a more walkable city?

Santa Elena is a town with good options for its high level of walkability. However, Recife is not a good city for its ease of walking around.

Santa Elena is a somewhat walkable place. It's relatively easy to walk around, but you will need to take a bus to Monteverde.

Recife is generally not a very walkable city. Parts of the city are more walkable than others. It's also best not to walk alone at night.

For even more information, also check out Is Recife Worth Visiting? and Is Santa Elena Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Santa Elena or Recife?

How long in Recife or Santa Elena?

It's fun to spend time in either Recife or Santa Elena. Generally, people tend to spend more time in Santa Elena due to the larger number of activities and things to do. Usually, 1-3 days is a good amount of time for Recife, and 2-4 days is enough time in Santa Elena.

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Santa Elena than Recife 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 Santa Elena.

One day in Recife or Santa Elena?

Visitors enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the authentic city of Recife. It's also a great beach destination, too. One day should give you a good understanding of everything this city has to offer. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

Many travelers enjoy the shopping when visiting the destination of Santa Elena. Hikers are also drawn to this area. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

A weekend in Recife or Santa Elena?

Visitors enjoy the food and shopping when visiting the authentic destination of Recife. It's a great spot for a beach vacation. This city offers something for everyone. Plenty of people spend a weekend in the area when traveling. If you enjoy all that's offered here, then a weekend is just the right amount of time to spend here.

Santa Elena 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 Recife or Santa Elena?

The cultural city of Recife offers shopping and museums. You'll find plenty of activities on the beach. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Santa Elena. Make sure you spend some time hiking while you're in the area. 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 Recife or Santa Elena?

Many people enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting Recife. Anyone can find something fun to do here. Most people come for the beaches. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

Travelers enjoy the shopping when visiting the scenic destination of Santa Elena. This town offers a variety of activities to choose from. Many travelers plan to spend time hiking 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 Luxury Tours to Brazil, The Best Budget Tours to Brazil, The Best G Adventures Tours to Costa Rica, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Costa Rica.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Recife and Santa Elena, we can see that Recife is more expensive. And not only is Santa Elena much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Recife is in South America and Santa Elena is in Central America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Santa Elena would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Santa Elena 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 Recife would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Recife than you might in Santa Elena.

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

When is the best time to visit Recife or Santa Elena?

Recife has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Santa Elena experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.

Should I visit Recife or Santa Elena in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Recife as well as Santa Elena. The beaches, the city activities, and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Recife this time of year. The warm climate attracts visitors to Santa Elena throughout the year.

In the summer, Recife is around the same temperature as Santa Elena. Typically, the summer temperatures in Recife in January average around 26°C (79°F), and Santa Elena averages at about 28°C (82°F)in July.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Recife this time of the year. In the summer, Recife often gets more sunshine than Santa Elenain July. Recife gets 246 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Santa Elena receives 164 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Santa Elena. Recife receives a lot of rain in the summer. Recife usually gets less rain in January than Santa Elenain July. Recife gets 108 mm (4.3 in) of rain, while Santa Elena receives 164 mm (6.5 in) of rain this time of the year. March to August in Recife is the rainy season.

Should I visit Recife or Santa Elena in the Autumn?

Both Santa Elena and Recife are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Many travelers come to Recife for the city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene. Plenty of visitors come to Santa Elena because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.

In April, Recife is generally around the same temperature as Santa Elenain October. Daily temperatures in Recife average around 26°C (79°F), and Santa Elena fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).

Recife usually receives more sunshine than Santa Elena during autumn. Recife gets 185 hours of sunny skies, while Santa Elena receives 169 hours of full sun in the autumn.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Santa Elena. It's quite rainy in Recife. In April, Recife usually receives more rain than Santa Elenain October. Recife gets 338 mm (13.3 in) of rain, while Santa Elena receives 254 mm (10 in) of rain each month for the autumn. June to October is the hurricane season in Santa Elena.

Should I visit Recife or Santa Elena in the Winter?

Both Santa Elena and Recife during the winter are popular places to visit. Many visitors come to Recife in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Santa Elena year-round.

Recife is cooler than Santa Elena in the winter. The daily temperature in Recife averages around 24°C (76°F) in July, and Santa Elena fluctuates around 27°C (81°F)in January.

In Santa Elena, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the winter, Recife often gets less sunshine than Santa Elenain January. Recife gets 170 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Santa Elena receives 264 hours of full sun.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Recife. Recife usually gets more rain in July than Santa Elenain January. Recife gets 388 mm (15.3 in) of rain, while Santa Elena receives 8 mm (0.3 in) of rain this time of the year. March to August is the rainy season in Recife. February to May is the dry season in Santa Elena.

Should I visit Recife or Santa Elena in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Recife and Santa Elena. Most visitors come to Recife for the beaches and the activities around the city during these months. Santa Elena attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.

In the spring, Recife is cooler than Santa Elena. Typically, the spring temperatures in Recife in October average around 25°C (77°F), and Santa Elena averages at about 29°C (85°F)in April.

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Santa Elena this time of the year. In Recife, it's very sunny this time of the year. Recife usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Santa Elena during spring. Recife gets 247 hours of sunny skies, while Santa Elena receives 255 hours of full sun in the spring.

In October, Recife usually receives more rain than Santa Elenain April. Recife gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Santa Elena receives 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain each month for the spring. October to December in Recife is the dry season. February to May in Santa Elena is the dry season. June to October in Santa Elena is the hurricane season.

Typical Weather for Santa Elena and Recife