A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Bern vs. Bonn for Families, Attractions, Old Town, and Couples

Should you visit Bern or Bonn?

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

Should I visit Bern or Bonn? 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.

Bern

Bern is a cultural, historic, and charming city. This is also a very beautiful destination which attracts plenty of visitors. Other reasons to visit include museums, nightlife, and food.

Bonn

Bonn is a lively, cultural, and beautiful city. This is a quaint and attractive place to visit, too. It's also known for nightlife, food, and shopping.

Bern and Bonn: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Bern or Bonn?

Both Bonn and Bern have plenty of things to do for travelers. Both provide a wide variety of sights and activities for tourists. Bern is more popular for its impressive beauty, while Bonn is known for its quaint atmosphere. Bern is popular for its well-preserved old town and its reputation as the home of the Lindt chocolate factory. Bonn is popular for its many museums, cultural venues, and university atmosphere, as well as being the birthplace of Beethoven.

How is Bern different from Bonn?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Bern or Bonn?

Both Bern and Bonn have high quality landmarks and museums for visitors.

Bern offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. The city is filled with architecture and charming character. While you're in town make sure you visit the Einstein Museum, the Clock Tower, and the Bern Cathedral.

Many visitors head to Bonn specifically to visit some of its top-rated museums and other sights. Some of the most popular museums include Haus der Geschichte (history), Beethoven's House, and Kunstmuseum Bonn (art). For architecture check out the Old Town Hall and Bonn Minster. Other landmarks include Poppelsdorf Palace and Schloss Drachenburg.

Is the Food Better in Bern or Bonn? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

There are opportunities to sample the local cuisine at good restaurants in both Bern and Bonn.

Bern offers number of good local restaurants to choose from. The city has cozy cafes, high end fine dining, traditional eateries, and modern venues.

Bonn has a delicious restaurant scene that relies on local flavors. Like much of the food in Germany, you'll find local dishes are hearty and filling. Potatoes and meats are popular ingredients, as are milk, butter, and vegetables. For local flavors try the Rhenish Sauerbraten (veal stew), Reibekuchen (German pancakes), or Christmas Sausages.

Is Bern or Bonn Better for Nightlife?

Both Bern and Bonn are good when it comes to partying.

There's a variety of activities in the evening in Bern. There are bars, Irish pubs, and clubs around town.

With a handful of venues, visitors can find a fairly lively vibe in Bonn. There are bars and nightclubs around town but even more popular are the cultural events that the city hosts. If nightlife is important to you, try to visit during one of the festivals around town.

Is Bern or Bonn Better for its Old Town?

It's fun to wander around the high quality old towns in both Bern and Bonn.

Many visitors explore the old town while visiting Bern. The charming old town is filled with quaint alleys and sandstone buildings. It's a compact area that flows down a hill to the River Aare.

There is a nice variety of sights in the old town of Bonn. The old town is filled with cobblestone streets and charming shops. There are also cafes and restaurants where you can grab a bite to eat.

Is the Shopping Better in Bern or Bonn?

Both Bern and Bonn are high quality shopping destinations.

Bern is an extremely popular place for shoppers. The old town is filled with boutique shops and unique markets. The main shopping streets are Spitalgasse and Marktgasse and popular items to buy include jewelry, art, and watches.

Bonn is well-known for its shopping. A mix of local shops and major chains make shopping fun and easy. Whether you're interested in souvenir gifts or a new outfit, there are countless stores around town.

Is Bern or Bonn Better for Families?

Bonn is renowned for its family-friendly activities. Also, Bern is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for its kid-friendly activities.

As it has a large number of activities for kids, Bonn is a very family-friendly destination. Just outside of the town is the Haribo factory outlet store where you can pick up a number of sweet treats and spend some time exploring with the kids. Another favorite activity for the whole family is a trip to nearby Phantasialand. This is one of the best amusement parks in Germany and it has many rides for teens and younger kids alike. In town, you'll find playgrounds and kid-friendly museums. Kids will also love a visit to Schloss Drachenburg Castle.

Because of its large number of kid-friendly activities, Bern is very family-friendly. This charming town has riverside parks and pools, a zoo, a waterpark, and kid-friendly museums that the whole family can enjoy. You can also visit nearby Gurten, a mountain with tobogganing, concerts, and a mini ski resort.

Is Bern or Bonn Better for Couples?

Bern is a great city for romance. Also, Bonn is not as popular, but is still a nice city for its romantic activities.

Bern is a great city if you're traveling as a couple. With charming restaurants, a beautiful rose garden, and nice hotels and spas, this town makes a beautiful romantic getaway.

Bonn makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Churches, architecture, and botanical gardens all make this a great couples destination. You can take a cruise down the Rhein or enjoy a meal at one of the best restaurants.

Is Bern or Bonn Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Bern is a great city for backpackers and budget travelers. Also, Bonn is not as popular, but is still a nice city for backpackers.

Bern is very popular with the backpacker crowd. Like most of Switzerland, prices are a bit high, but there are some hostels and free activities that backpackers and budget travelers can enjoy.

Bonn is popular with backpackers and budget travelers. Many backpackers skip this town, so its a good option for travelers who want to get off the beaten backpacker trail. There are affordable hotels and hostels around town as well as restaurants where you can pick up something cheap to eat.

Is Bern or Bonn Better for Students?

Bonn is a well-known place for students. However, Bern is not popular with students.

Bonn is a very popular city for students and younger travelers. The city has a very international vibe and you'll likely run into people speaking English around town. Job opportunities in the area are good and there are schools that attract students from around the globe.

Bern is not popular with students.

Is Bern or Bonn Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Both Bern and Bonn offer high quality public transit options.

Visitors to Bern can move around easily with public transportation. There are trams and buses that run around town.

The public transit in Bonn can get you around easily. There is a light rail system that includes 9 lines and 64 stations. There are also buses around town. Bonn is connected to the region by convenient commuter trains so it's possible to visit as a day trip.

Is Bern or Bonn a more walkable city?

Bern and Bonn both are high quality when exploring on foot.

Bern is very walkable. It's fun to explore the old town on foot. It is compact enough to that you can see all of the highlights in a few hours.

Bonn is a very walkable city. The compact old town is easy to explore on foot.

For even more information, also check out Is Bern Worth Visiting? and Is Bonn Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Bonn or Bern?

How long in Bern or Bonn?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Bern and Bonn. You can spend similar amounts of time exploring each one. However, 1-3 days is a good amount of time to spend in either destination.

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Bern than Bonn 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 Bern.

One day in Bern or Bonn?

Visitors enjoy the food and shopping when visiting the destination of Bern. Visiting the old town is also a must. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One day is usually enough time to experience most activities.

Visitors enjoy the food and shopping when visiting the destination of Bonn. Visiting the old town is also a must. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One day is usually enough time to experience most activities.

A weekend in Bern or Bonn?

Bern is a fun place to experience. If you have a weekend, this is a great place to go. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. A weekend is often enough time to do most activities. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

Bonn is a fun place to experience. If you have a weekend, this is a great place to go. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. A weekend is often enough time to do most activities. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

Five days in Bern or Bonn?

You'll find museums and nightlife around the charming destination of Bern. This city offers something for everyone. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

You'll find museums and nightlife around the beautiful destination of Bonn. This city offers something for everyone. 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 Bern or Bonn?

The historic city of Bern offers nightlife and food. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. 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.

The outdoorsy city of Bonn offers nightlife and food. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. 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.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Switzerland, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Switzerland, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Berlin, and The Best 10-Day Tours from Berlin.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Bern or Bonn?

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

When is the best time to visit Bern or Bonn?

Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.

Should I visit Bern or Bonn in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Bern as well as Bonn. The summer months attract visitors to Bern because of the family-friendly experiences. Additionally, the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Bonn this time of year.

Bern is a little warmer than Bonn in the summer. The daily temperature in Bern averages around 21°C (70°F) in July, and Bonn fluctuates around 19°C (66°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Bern this time of the year. In the summer, Bern often gets more sunshine than Bonn. Bern gets 250 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Bonn receives 191 hours of full sun.

Bern usually gets less rain in July than Bonn. Bern gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Bonn receives 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Bern or Bonn in the Autumn?

Both Bonn and Bern are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Bern this time of year. Also, many travelers come to Bonn for the shopping scene.

In the autumn, Bern is around the same temperature as Bonn. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Bern in October average around 13°C (55°F), and Bonn averages at about 12°C (53°F).

Bern usually receives more sunshine than Bonn during autumn. Bern gets 126 hours of sunny skies, while Bonn receives 109 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In October, Bern usually receives around the same amount of rain as Bonn. Bern gets 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Bonn receives 47 mm (1.9 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Bern or Bonn in the Winter?

Both Bonn and Bern during the winter are popular places to visit. Many travelers come to Bern for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. Also, many visitors come to Bonn in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.

Bonn can get quite cold in the winter. Be prepared for some very cold days in Bern. In January, Bern is generally around the same temperature as Bonn. Daily temperatures in Bern average around 3°C (37°F), and Bonn fluctuates around 3°C (37°F).

In the winter, Bern often gets more sunshine than Bonn. Bern gets 65 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Bonn receives 45 hours of full sun.

Bern usually gets more rain in January than Bonn. Bern gets 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain, while Bonn receives 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Bern or Bonn in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Bern and Bonn. Many visitors come to Bern in the spring for the natural beauty.

Bern is a little warmer than Bonn in the spring. The daily temperature in Bern averages around 11°C (52°F) in April, and Bonn fluctuates around 10°C (50°F).

Bern usually receives more sunshine than Bonn during spring. Bern gets 164 hours of sunny skies, while Bonn receives 145 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Bern usually receives more rain than Bonn. Bern gets 59 mm (2.3 in) of rain, while Bonn receives 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Bonn and Bern