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

Should you visit Bern or Bordeaux?

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

Should I visit Bern or Bordeaux? 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 beautiful, cultural, and historic city. The beauty of this spot is also one of the main reasons why visitors come. And you can't forget about the shopping, museums, and nightlife.

Bordeaux

Bordeaux is a elegant, charming, and romantic city. Since it's a large city, you'll find plenty of things to do. This is also a very beautiful destination which attracts plenty of visitors. It's also known for nightlife, food, and shopping.

Bern and Bordeaux: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Bern or Bordeaux?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Bordeaux than Bern. It is bigger and it has more sights, attractions, and activities for travelers. Bordeaux is very popular for its food and big city activities, while Bern attracts visitors for its museums and historical sights. Bordeaux is more touristy than Bern and is known for its world-renowned wine and the many nearby vineyards. It is also well known for Cathédrale Saint-André. Bern is famous for its well-preserved old town and its reputation as the home of the Lindt chocolate factory.

How is Bern different from Bordeaux?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Bordeaux 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 Bordeaux?

Bern is a great destination for its museums and landmarks. Also, Bordeaux is still popular, but not quite as popular for its historical sights.

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.

If you're looking for an educational opportunity, there are a decent number of museums and historical sights around Bordeaux. The city has many historical landmarks and museums to explore. Cathédrale Saint-André, Tour Le Grand-Théâtre, and Basilique Saint-Seurin are all notable monuments that are worth visiting.

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

Bordeaux is renowned for its local cuisine and restaurants. Also, Bern is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for its restaurants.

For foodies, Bordeaux is an obvious choice, as it is one of the food capitals of the world. Both food and wine are a major draw to this culinary city, which is known for its pastries and rich flavors. Popular local dishes include grilled duck, duck foie gras, and canelés.

Bern has a delicious restaurant scene that relies on local flavors. The city has cozy cafes, high end fine dining, traditional eateries, and modern venues.

Is Bern or Bordeaux Better for Nightlife?

Both Bern and Bordeaux are nice 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 Bordeaux. The city comes to life at night with dance clubs, wine bars, student pubs, and more.

Is Bern or Bordeaux Better for its Old Town?

Bern is a great destination for its old town. Also, Bordeaux is still popular, but not quite as popular for its historic old town charm.

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.

Bordeaux has an old town worth visiting. The old town is between Cours de l'Intendance and rue Peyronnet. The area has many distinct neighborhoods, monuments, and historical buildings.

Is the Shopping Better in Bern or Bordeaux?

Both Bern and Bordeaux 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.

Bordeaux is well-known for its shopping. The city has a mix of luxury fashion brands, jewelry shops, perfume suppliers, and leather goods. There are department stores, local boutiques, and pedestrian shopping areas that you can explore.

Is Bern or Bordeaux Better for Families?

Bern is a great destination for its family-friendly activities. Also, Bordeaux is still popular, but not quite as popular for its kid-friendly activities.

Bern is a very kid-friendly city. 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.

Bordeaux offers lots of family activities. The city has a number of parks and playgrounds as well as museums, including a kid's science museum. Kids also enjoy splashing around in the Miroir d’eau, which is the world's largest water mirror.

Is Bern or Bordeaux Better for Couples?

With fun activities for couples, both Bern and Bordeaux make for a high quality place to visit.

Bern is a very popular place to visit for couples. With charming restaurants, a beautiful rose garden, and nice hotels and spas, this town makes a beautiful romantic getaway.

Bordeaux makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Wine lovers will enjoy an amazing weekend in this beautiful city. Some of the most romantic activities include wine walks, river cruises, and exploring scenic gardens.

Is Bern or Bordeaux Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Bern is a great destination for backpackers. Also, Bordeaux is still popular, but not quite as popular for backpackers and budget travelers.

Bern is a great city to visit for backpackers. Like most of Switzerland, prices are a bit high, but there are some hostels and free activities that backpackers and budget travelers can enjoy.

Bordeaux is popular with backpackers and budget travelers. There are a handful of hostels and a diversity of activities that backpackers can enjoy.

Is Bern or Bordeaux Better for Students?

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

Bordeaux is a very popular city for students and younger travelers. The city has a great student atmosphere and a unique culture with a diversity of activities. It's grown in popularity with students, and the prices have climbed a bit over the past few years.

Bern is not popular with students.

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

Both Bern and Bordeaux 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 Bordeaux can get you around easily. There are buses, trams and a ferry that runs along the river.

Is Bern or Bordeaux a more walkable city?

Bern and Bordeaux 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.

Bordeaux is a very walkable city. The city has many pedestrian areas and large squares to explore.

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

Should I spend more time in Bordeaux or Bern?

How long in Bern or Bordeaux?

In either Bern or Bordeaux, you'll find plenty of activities to fill your time. Most visitors tend to spend more time in Bordeaux than Bern because of the overall number of sights and activities. Usually, 1-3 days is a good amount of time for Bern, and 2-5 days is enough time in Bordeaux.

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

Couples should spend more time in Bern than Bordeaux. 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 Bordeaux 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 Bordeaux?

The beautiful city of Bern 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.

Visitors enjoy the food and shopping when visiting the destination of Bordeaux. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. With so much to do, one day is probably not enough time to see everything.

A weekend in Bern or Bordeaux?

Bern 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 Bern, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

Bordeaux is a fun place to experience. Most people visit for the food. If you have a weekend, this is a great place to go. 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 Bordeaux?

Bern 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.

Visitors enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting the historical destination of Bordeaux. This city offers something for everyone. Plenty of people spend five days in the area when traveling. Five days is often enough time to do most activities.

A week in Bern or Bordeaux?

Bern 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.

The romantic city of Bordeaux offers nightlife and food. 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 10-Day Tours from Paris, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Paris.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Bern and Bordeaux, we can see that Bern is more expensive. And not only is Bordeaux much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Bordeaux would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Bordeaux 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 Bordeaux.

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

Which is Bigger, Bern or Bordeaux?

Bordeaux has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Bern. When comparing the sizes of Bern and Bordeaux, 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 Bordeaux?

Both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. And since both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.

Should I visit Bern or Bordeaux in the Summer?

The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Bern and Bordeaux. The summer months attract visitors to Bern because of the family-friendly experiences. Furthermore, the city activities and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Bordeaux this time of year.

In the summer, Bern is around the same temperature as Bordeaux. Typically, the summer temperatures in Bern in July average around 21°C (70°F), and Bordeaux averages at about 21°C (69°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Bordeaux this time of the year. In Bern, it's very sunny this time of the year. Bern usually receives less sunshine than Bordeaux during summer. Bern gets 250 hours of sunny skies, while Bordeaux receives 276 hours of full sun in the summer.

In July, Bern usually receives more rain than Bordeaux. Bern gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Bordeaux receives 47 mm (1.9 in) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit Bern or Bordeaux in the Autumn?

The autumn brings many poeple to Bern as well as Bordeaux. The shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Bern this time of year. Additionally, many travelers come to Bordeaux for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area.

In October, Bern is generally cooler than Bordeaux. Daily temperatures in Bern average around 13°C (55°F), and Bordeaux fluctuates around 14°C (58°F).

In the autumn, Bern often gets less sunshine than Bordeaux. Bern gets 126 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Bordeaux receives 165 hours of full sun.

Bern usually gets less rain in October than Bordeaux. Bern gets 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Bordeaux receives 88 mm (3.5 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Bern or Bordeaux in the Winter?

Both Bordeaux and Bern are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. Many travelers come to Bern for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. Also, many visitors come to Bordeaux in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.

Be prepared for some very cold days in Bern. Bern is much colder than Bordeaux in the winter. The daily temperature in Bern averages around 3°C (37°F) in January, and Bordeaux fluctuates around 6°C (43°F).

Bern usually receives less sunshine than Bordeaux during winter. Bern gets 65 hours of sunny skies, while Bordeaux receives 86 hours of full sun in the winter.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Bordeaux. In January, Bern usually receives less rain than Bordeaux. Bern gets 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain, while Bordeaux receives 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain each month for the winter.

Should I visit Bern or Bordeaux in the Spring?

Both Bordeaux and Bern during the spring are popular places to visit. Many visitors come to Bern in the spring for the natural beauty. Also, most visitors come to Bordeaux for the activities around the city and the natural beauty during these months.

In the spring, Bern is around the same temperature as Bordeaux. Typically, the spring temperatures in Bern in April average around 11°C (52°F), and Bordeaux averages at about 12°C (53°F).

In the spring, Bern often gets less sunshine than Bordeaux. Bern gets 164 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Bordeaux receives 190 hours of full sun.

Bern usually gets less rain in April than Bordeaux. Bern gets 59 mm (2.3 in) of rain, while Bordeaux receives 72 mm (2.8 in) of rain this time of the year.

Typical Weather for Bordeaux and Bern