A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers San Cristobal de Las Casas vs. Ottawa for Attractions, Food, Nightlife, and Couples

Should you visit San Cristobal de Las Casas or Ottawa?

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

Should I visit San Cristobal de Las Casas or Ottawa? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

San Cristobal de Las Casas

San Cristobal de Las Casas is a charming, colorful, and cultural town. It offers plenty of small town charm along with sights and activities, too. San Cristobal de Las Casas offers plenty of beauty for visitors. As this is a very quaint destination, you'll find it has a special atmosphere. It's also popular because of the food, shopping, and museums. See San Cristobal de Las Casas travel costs.

Ottawa

Ottawa is a cultural, friendly, and welcoming city. Other reasons to visit include food, shopping, and museums. See Ottawa travel costs.

San Cristobal de Las Casas and Ottawa: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in San Cristobal de Las Casas or Ottawa?

Visitors will generally find more to do in San Cristobal de Las Casas than Ottawa. While Ottawa is larger than San Cristobal de Las Casas, San Cristobal de Las Casas has more sights, attractions, and activities for tourists. San Cristobal de Las Casas is more touristy than Ottawa and is known for its historical buildings, local markets, and traditional churches. Also, San Cristobal de Las Casas is famous for the Cathedral of San Cristobal de las Casas. Ottawa is well known for its history, politics, and green space.

How is San Cristobal de Las Casas different from Ottawa?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Ottawa and San Cristobal de Las Casas. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in San Cristobal de Las Casas or Ottawa?

Spend time exploring the high quality sights and museums in either San Cristobal de Las Casas or Ottawa.

San Cristobal de Las Casas offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. The town is filled with historical churches such as the main Cathedral of San Cristobal. While this is the most notable church, there are also smaller churches worth visiting like the Templo Santo Domingo, Iglesia de Guadalupe, and Iglesia de San Cristobal. For museums, make sure you check out the Centro de Textiles del Mundo Maya, Na Bolom, and Museo de Ambar.

Many visitors head to Ottawa specifically to visit some of its top-rated museums and other sights. As the country's capital, there are a large number of museums to explore. There are summer national museums in town which include the National Gallery of Canada, the Museum of History, the Science and Technology Museum, the Aviation and Space Museum, the Agriculture and Food Museum, the Museum of Nature, and the War Museum.

Is the Food Better in San Cristobal de Las Casas or Ottawa? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

San Cristobal de Las Casas is a very popular place for its restaurants. Also, Ottawa is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its restaurant scene.

San Cristobal de Las Casas has a number of nationally recognized food spots and restaurants. The cuisine is a mix of Spanish-influenced cured meats such as ham and sausage, as well as indigenous flavors like tamales and burritos. There's also a lot of great pizza around town as well as several Asian restaurants.

Ottawa offers number of good local restaurants to choose from. The culinary scene highlights many Canadian classics like poutine and maple donuts (and, of course, the classic Tim Horton's), but you'll also find plenty of international options like shawarma.

Is San Cristobal de Las Casas or Ottawa Better for Nightlife?

San Cristobal de Las Casas is a very popular place for its evening party scene. However, Ottawa is lacking in good options for nightlife.

San Cristobal de Las Casas has a large number of nightlife venues. There's an active nightlife scene that includes everything from late night clubs to salsa lessons. Most tourists who want to party head to the pedestrian streets around the plaza. There are countless bars where you'll likely find a crowd late into the night. Some clubs have a cover charge on weekends but, in general, drinks are cheap and getting around is easy.

Ottawa is generally a quiet destination but there are options around. It's not the first place that comes to mind when you think about partying, but there are live music venues and a some great bars around town.

Is San Cristobal de Las Casas or Ottawa Better for its Old Town?

San Cristobal de Las Casas is a very popular place for its historic old town charm. However, Ottawa does not have a historic old town.

Many visitors explore the old town while visiting San Cristobal de Las Casas. The town is filled with narrow pedestrian streets, colorful markets, and historic churches.

Ottawa does not have a historic old town.

Is the Shopping Better in San Cristobal de Las Casas or Ottawa?

San Cristobal de Las Casas is a world-class destination for its shopping areas. Also, Ottawa is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for shopping.

Many people travel to San Cristobal de Las Casas specifically to go shopping. The nearby villages are famous for their weaving, leather, pottery, and embroidery, so many visitors pick up souvenirs at the colorful markets around town. This is one of the best towns in Mexico to purchase local items, and you should definitely set aside time to explore and shop.

Ottawa is a great destination for shopping. You'll find large malls, outlets, and shopping streets that are fun to browse. Some of the favorite shopping areas include ByWard Market, Sparks Street, and CF Rideau Centre.

Is San Cristobal de Las Casas or Ottawa More Beautiful?

San Cristobal de Las Casas is a popular place for its scenery and beauty. However, Ottawa is not a destination known for its beauty.

San Cristobal de Las Casas offers plenty of beauty for visitors. Set against the backdrop of mountains, this town is colorful and charming.

Ottawa is not a destination known for its beauty.

Is San Cristobal de Las Casas or Ottawa Better for Families?

Kids will enjoy a visit to either San Cristobal de Las Casas or Ottawa.

San Cristobal de Las Casas is a family-friendly town. While kids may not appreciate the town's beauty and culture, they will have fun exploring the night market or taking a chocolate-making class. There are pedestrian streets where everyone can explore without fear of traffic and pizza restaurants that appeal to the kids as well.

You'll find plenty of kid-friendly things to do in Ottawa. As the country's capital, you'll find a number of museums that will keep a kid's attention. In particular, check out the aviation, science, and nature museums. If you have a car, you can head out to Calypso Water Park, which is fun as well.

Is San Cristobal de Las Casas or Ottawa Better for Couples?

San Cristobal de Las Casas is a very popular place for couples. Also, Ottawa is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for romance.

San Cristobal de Las Casas makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Couples who enjoy culture, markets, traditional cuisines, and new experiences will love their time here. It's a fun place to simply wander. You can explore the markets and then eat at a local restaurant before making your way back to your boutique hotel.

Ottawa is a nice destination for couples. The city is filled with parks and green spaces where you can enjoy flowers or peaceful walks. Commissioners Park is particularly nice and known for its tulips during the spring season. Dow's Lake is a nice place for ice skating in the winter or kayaking in the summer. The city also offers a number of romantic restaurants and charming hotels.

Is San Cristobal de Las Casas or Ottawa Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

San Cristobal de Las Casas is a very popular place for backpackers and budget travelers. Also, Ottawa is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for backpackers.

Plenty of budget travelers and backpackers visit San Cristobal de Las Casas. There are a number of hostels in town as well as budget-friendly hotels. Backpackers love the laid back nature of this town as well as the many markets and nature-oriented activities.

Ottawa is popular with backpackers and budget travelers. Although the city is often overlooked by tourists, there are a surprising number of hostels around town.

Is San Cristobal de Las Casas or Ottawa Better for Students?

Ottawa is a popular place for its student-friendly activities. However, San Cristobal de Las Casas is not popular with students.

Plenty of students visit Ottawa. It appeals to international and Canadian students alike. It's known for its livability and diverse cultural scene.

San Cristobal de Las Casas is not popular with students.

Is San Cristobal de Las Casas or Ottawa Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Visitors will find notable public transit in both San Cristobal de Las Casas and Ottawa.

San Cristobal de Las Casas has some public transit options. Urbano buses are minibuses that connect the town to the outlying residential areas. There are also colectivos that travel to nearby villages.

You'll find some public transit in Ottawa, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. There is both a public bus and light rail system.

Is San Cristobal de Las Casas or Ottawa a more walkable city?

San Cristobal de Las Casas is a world-class destination for its ease of walking around. Also, Ottawa is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its walkability.

It's very easy to get around on foot in San Cristobal de Las Casas. Walking is the best way to experience the town. Most of the sights can be reached on foot and there are pedestrian-only streets that let you avoid the traffic.

Ottawa is somewhat walkable. Many of the urban neighborhoods are very walkable.

For even more information, also check out Is San Cristobal de Las Casas Worth Visiting? and Is Ottawa Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Ottawa or San Cristobal de Las Casas?

How long in San Cristobal de Las Casas or Ottawa?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both San Cristobal de Las Casas and Ottawa. In our opinion, San Cristobal de Las Casas has more to see and do, so we recommend that you spend more time in San Cristobal de Las Casas than Ottawa. However, 2-3 days is a good amount of time to spend in either destination.

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

Couples should spend more time in San Cristobal de Las Casas than Ottawa. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in San Cristobal de Las Casas that are great for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in San Cristobal de Las Casas than Ottawa 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 San Cristobal de Las Casas.

One day in San Cristobal de Las Casas or Ottawa?

San Cristobal de Las Casas might be a small town, but there's plenty to do in the area. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

In Ottawa, many people enjoy the food and shopping that this welcoming destination offers. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

A weekend in San Cristobal de Las Casas or Ottawa?

San Cristobal de Las Casas is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. Don't miss the shopping, as that's what most people do. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

In Ottawa, many people enjoy the shopping and museums that this destination offers. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything. Many people spend a weekend here. A weekend is often enough time to do most activities.

Five days in San Cristobal de Las Casas or Ottawa?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in San Cristobal de Las Casas. Don't miss the shopping, as that's what most people do. 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.

Many people enjoy the museums and food when visiting Ottawa. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. This city offers something for everyone.

A week in San Cristobal de Las Casas or Ottawa?

San Cristobal de Las Casas is a small town, so it's a great destination if you're short on time. This town 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.

Travelers enjoy the food and shopping when visiting the city of Ottawa. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Mexico City, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Canada, and The Best Coach Bus Tours in Canada.

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

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is San Cristobal de Las Casas Expensive? and Is Ottawa Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, San Cristobal de Las Casas or Ottawa?

Ottawa has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of San Cristobal de Las Casas. When comparing the sizes of San Cristobal de Las Casas and Ottawa, 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.