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

Should you visit Santorini or Graz?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Santorini or Graz, 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.

Santorini

Santorini is a historic, romantic, and stunning island. With plenty of activities and sights, this is a small town worth visiting. Many visitors also come to Santorini because of it's amazing beauty. Since it has a quaint atmosphere, you'll want to spend time soaking it all in. Visitors also love the shopping, museums, and nightlife. See Santorini travel costs.

Graz

Graz is a medieval, cultural, and historical city. Graz is a beautiful place to visit, too. Visitors also love the museums, nightlife, and food. See Graz travel costs.

Santorini and Graz: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Santorini or Graz?

You'll generally find more things to do in Santorini than Graz. Santorini is bigger than Graz, and it also has more attractions and activities for travelers. Santorini is better known for its resorts, scuba diving & snorkeling, beaches, hiking, small town charm, impressive beauty, and quaint atmosphere, while Graz is more popular for its museums and attractions, nightlife, and historical sights. Santorini is more touristy than Graz and is known for its beautiful volcanic beaches, stunning natural beauty, and breathtaking sunsets over the whitewashed villages. Also, Santorini is famous for The Caldera and Volcano of Santorini. Graz is well known for its many cultural activities, its impressive old town, and its beautiful Baroque architecture.

How is Santorini different from Graz?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Santorini or Graz?

Graz is a great city for its historical sights. Also, Santorini is not as popular, but is still a nice island for its sights and museums.

With a variety of museums, monuments, and historical sights, a trip to Graz can be an interesting and educational experience. The old town is among the largest in Europe and it's filled with sights and museums. The Schlossberg and the Clock Tower are among the most iconic sights but other highlights include the GrazMuseum, the Mohren Apotheke's Theriak Museum, a Gothic Franciscan Church, and the Robert Stolz Museum.

If you're looking for an educational opportunity, there are a decent number of museums and historical sights around Santorini. One of the most impressive historical sights is Akrotiri Archaeological Site. The island has many archeological sites as well as the Archeological Museum in Fira.

Is the Food Better in Santorini or Graz? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Dining out at restaurants in both Santorini and Graz can be an enjoyable experience.

Santorini has a huge number of terrific restaurants. Popular foods on this island include fava, Greek salad, and kofta.

Dining out in Graz is an experience not to be missed. There's a huge focus on sustainable dining in town, so you'll find many restaurants that use a farm to table approach. Local ingredients are heavily valued and it's fun to sample the many local flavors. Backhendl is a classic fried chicken dish that you must try.

Is Santorini or Graz Better for Nightlife?

Graz is a great city for nightlife and partying. Also, Santorini is not as popular, but is still a nice island for its evening party scene.

The nightlife in Graz has something for everybody. The large student population means that there's an active nightlife scene that is diverse and fun. There's a wide variety of bars and pubs with almost any music genre you could want. There are also dance clubs for those who are looking for a party.

There's a variety of activities in the evening in Santorini. It is one of the calmer, more romantic islands in Greece. For the best nightlife, you'll want to stay near Fira.

Is Santorini or Graz Better for Resorts?

Santorini is renowned for its luxury resorts. However, Graz is not a resort destination.

For the ultimate resort vacation, Santorini is a great choice. The resorts range from all-inclusive options to resorts with a more local feel. The island is one of the most romantic of the Greek Islands, and the resorts are no exception.

Graz is not a resort destination.

Is Santorini or Graz Better for Scuba Diving and Snorkeling?

Santorini is a popular place for its diving and snorkeling. However, Graz is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Santorini has a few good snorkeling spots. Some of the best snorkeling places are found at Red Beach, White Beach, and the less accessible Kambia. One of the island's best diving spots is Caldera Beach.

Graz is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Is Santorini or Graz Better for Beaches?

Santorini is a popular place for the beach. However, Graz is not a beach destination.

Santorini is a good option for a beach vacation. The island has many beaches, most of which are made of black pebbly sand that are a result of the island's volcanic history. Popular beaches include Perissa Beach, Kamari Beach, and Perivolos Beach.

Graz is not a beach destination.

Is Santorini or Graz Better for its Old Town?

Graz is an unbeatable place for its old town. Also, Santorini is not as popular, but is still a nice island for its historic old town charm.

With a famous historical old-town, Graz offers plenty to see. The medieval city center is very well preserved and one of the largest in Europe. The city has a lot of hidden charm and quaint streets to explore.

Santorini offers a nice historic old town area. The historic towns of Fira and Oia are the two most popular with visitors, although they have become more built up and less historic over the past few decades. Historical areas are still found within these towns mixed in with restaurants, shops, and hotels set among the beautiful cliff-side views.

Is Santorini or Graz Better for Hiking?

Santorini is a popular place for hiking. However, Graz is not a hiking destination.

Santorini is a good destination for hiking. The best hiking trails on the island pass by quaint villages and offers stunning ocean views. You can also hike along the edge of a volcano.

Graz is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Santorini or Graz?

If you're looking to go shopping, Santorini and Graz both offer plenty of very good spots.

Santorini is well-known for its shopping. Towns around the island are filled with clothing and jewelry boutiques as well as many unique Greek shopping experiences.

Browsing through shops is a popular activity in Graz. You'll find a lot of shopping around both Jakominiplatz and Hauptplatz Squares. There are also a number of shopping streets in town including Herrengasse which is filled with shops, restaurants, and more.

Is Santorini or Graz More Beautiful?

Santorini is renowned for its scenery and beauty. Also, Graz is not as popular, but is still a nice city for its scenery and beauty.

Many visitors also come to Santorini because of it's amazing beauty. It has striking blue water and contrasting white buildings. It is the place many travelers dream of visiting for its picturesque setting.

Graz offers plenty of beauty for visitors. It's a historic city with beautiful architecture and a large old town that is fun to explore.

Is Santorini or Graz Better for Families?

Graz is a great city for its kid-friendly activities. Also, Santorini is not as popular, but is still a nice island for its family-friendly activities.

Because of its large number of kid-friendly activities, Graz is very family-friendly. Kids will love the fairytale train and there's also a 4D cinema that is fun for the whole family. In Schlossberg Hill, families should check out The Slide, which is the largest underground slide in the world. Other highlights include a Children's Museum, a Folklife Museum, and a Natural History Museum.

Santorini is a family-friendly place to visit. It is a calmer destination than many of the Greek Islands. While it's a great place to relax with kids, the beaches aren't as good as they are on some of the other islands. Most families hang out in Kamari and Perissa Beach.

Is Santorini or Graz Better for Couples?

Santorini is renowned for its romantic activities. Also, Graz is not as popular, but is still a nice city for couples.

Santorini makes for a terrific place to visit as a couple. It is a dream honeymoon destination that is famous for its picturesque setting and luxury resorts. For many couples, this is a top pick for a romantic trip to the Greek Isles.

Graz is a very popular place to visit for couples. It's filled with culture, history, and amazing food. Couples will appreciate the romantic old town and the many world class sights around town.

Is Santorini or Graz Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

For backpackers, both Santorini and Graz are notable places to visit.

It's common for backpackers to visit Santorini. The island has its share of 5 star resorts, but if you head a few streets in you'll find some surprisingly affordable accommodation. Backpackers are welcomed on the island and beaches are free, so it's possible to get by on a relatively low budget.

Graz is a good island to visit for backpackers. There are hostels and budget-friendly hotels around town that make this a nice town to explore as a backpacker.

Is Santorini or Graz Better for Students?

Graz is a great city for its student-friendly activities. However, Santorini is not popular with students.

Graz is a great city to visit as a student. It's long been an education center in Austria and students make up a significant portion of the population. It's also a chill city with a relaxed and student-friendly vibe.

Santorini is not popular with students.

Is Santorini or Graz Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Graz is a great city for times when you don't have a car. Also, Santorini is not as popular, but is still a nice island for its public transit.

The public transit in Graz can get you around easily. There are buses and trams that travel around the town.

Santorini has a few public transit options. There is a bus system, KTEL Santorini Buses, that runs 23 buses during the summer months but only a small fraction of that operate during the winter months.

Is Santorini or Graz a more walkable city?

Graz is an unbeatable place for its high level of walkability. Also, Santorini is not as popular, but is still a nice island for its ease of walking around.

Graz is a very easy city to get around on foot. You'll find everything you'd want to see in the old town, which is large, but still compact enough to explore on foot.

Santorini is a somewhat walkable island. Many towns on the island are walkable, including Fira, but the actual island is too large to explore on foot.

For even more information, also check out Is Santorini Worth Visiting? and Is Graz Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Graz or Santorini?

How long in Santorini or Graz?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Santorini and Graz. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Santorini than in Graz. Usually, 3-7 days is a good amount of time for Santorini, and 2-3 days is enough time in Graz.

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Graz than Santorini 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 Graz.

One day in Santorini or Graz?

Santorini is a small town where visitors enjoy the nightlife and food. People often spend their time relaxing at one of the resorts. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. With so much to do, one day is probably not enough time to see everything.

You'll find shopping and museums around the city of Graz. Visiting the old town is also a must. Since there is so much to do in the area, one day is probably not enough for all of it. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

A weekend in Santorini or Graz?

Santorini is a fun place to experience. You can also relax and pamper yourself at one of the resorts. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than a weekend exploring. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

You'll find museums and nightlife around the cultural destination of Graz. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. This is a popular place to visit for a weekend.A weekend should give you a good understanding of everything this city has to offer. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from.

Five days in Santorini or Graz?

Santorini might be a small town, but there's plenty to do in the area. This island offers something for everyone. It's also a relaxing resort destination. Plenty of people spend five days in the area when traveling. Five days is often enough time to do most activities.

Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the historical city of Graz. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

A week in Santorini or Graz?

Even though Santorini is a small town, it has plenty of activities to choose from. People enjoy relaxing at one of the resorts. Many people spend one week here. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. Because of this, one week is usually enough time for a trip here.

Graz is a popular choice for travelers. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. 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. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Greece, The Best Budget Tours to Greece, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Austria, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Vienna.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Santorini or Graz?

Santorini has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Graz. When comparing the sizes of Santorini and Graz, 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.