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

Should you visit Bern or Bruges?

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

Should I visit Bern or Bruges? 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. With stunning beauty, it attracts visitors from all around. It's also popular because of the museums, nightlife, and food.

Bruges

Bruges is a cultural, beautiful, and historic city. You'll find world class beauty here as well. It also has that perfectly quaint feel that is like no other place. It's also known for nightlife, food, and shopping.

Bern and Bruges: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Bern or Bruges?

Visitors will usually find more to do in Bruges than Bern, as it offers more sights, attractions, and activities. Bruges is better known for its food, historical sights, impressive beauty, and quaint atmosphere, while Bern is more popular for its shopping. Bruges is more touristy than Bern and is popular for its scenic old town, charming streets, local chocolate, and unique Christmas market. Also, Bruges is famous for Bruges' Markt (The Main Square). Bern is well known for its well-preserved old town and its reputation as the home of the Lindt chocolate factory.

How is Bern different from Bruges?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Both Bern and Bruges have superb 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 Bruges specifically to visit some of its top-rated museums and other sights. The city is filled with charming hidden corners as well as notable landmarks. The main square is Bruges' Markt which is where you'll find the the Belfry Tower. Other must-see sights include the Historium, Groeninge Museum, the Town Hall, and Brugse Vrije Museum.

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

Bruges is a well-known place for its local cuisine and restaurants. Also, Bern is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for its restaurants.

With its innovative style combined with traditional elements, Bruges makes for a great culinary experience. From its world class breweries to its famous chocolate shops, there is plenty to eat and drink around town. In the old town prices can be a bit high, but the dishes and atmosphere are great. Popular local dishes include Belgian waffles, fries, mussels, and beef stew.

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 Bruges Better for Nightlife?

Both Bern and Bruges are notable 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 Bruges. It's famous for its beer and breweries, so you'll find a number of places to gather in the evening. There is a lack of nightclubs, so if dancing and partying hard is your style, then this may not be your place. The vibes are generally chill and relaxed at night. Most places are concentrated around old town or near Kuipersstraat or Zilverstraat.

Is Bern or Bruges Better for its Old Town?

Bruges is renowned for its historic old town. Also, Bern is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for its old town.

The old town of Bruges is one of the most recognized in the world. The old town is the main attraction, with its quaint cobblestone streets and beautiful brick architecture.

There is a nice variety of sights in the old town of 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.

Is the Shopping Better in Bern or Bruges?

Bern is great for its shopping areas. Also, Bruges is not as popular, but is still a nice city for shopping.

Many visitors explore the shopping areas in Bern. 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.

Bruges is a great destination for shopping. The city offers plenty of shopping, whether you're looking for souvenirs, trendy European brands, or local items. It's more geared towards tourists than locals, and you want find the same diversity that you get in some of the larger nearby cities, but you'll find unique lace items and other local goods in the old town. The streets around Markt Square, Steenstraat, Geld Monstraat, and Jakobstraat are the main shopping areas.

Is Bern or Bruges Better for Families?

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

You'll find plenty of family-friendly things to do in Bern. 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.

Bruges is a family-friendly place to visit. Kids will enjoy sampling the unique chocolate around town, eating their fill of waffles, and getting their energy out in the park or at a local playground. There are also canal boat tours and horse drawn carriage rides that are fun for the whole family.

Is Bern or Bruges Better for Couples?

With fun activities for couples, both Bern and Bruges make for a superb 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.

Bruges makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. This romantic city has amazing restaurants, charming streets, and impressive architecture. Couples will enjoy exploring the canals by boat or taking a horse drawn carriage ride through the old town. There are also a number of cute bed and breakfasts where you can stay.

Is Bern or Bruges Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Both Bern and Bruges are superb destinations for backpackers.

Backpackers come from all over to visit Bern. Like most of Switzerland, prices are a bit high, but there are some hostels and free activities that backpackers and budget travelers can enjoy.

Many backpackers visit Bruges. There are a few good hostels around town. The city sees its share of tourists, but many arrive as part of tours or river boat cruises. If you stay in a hostel, you shouldn't have trouble meeting other young travelers though. There are also plenty of well known breweries where you can gather with friends.

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

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

Many visitors use the public transit system in Bern. There are trams and buses that run around town.

Bruges has a few public transit options. There is a bus system that connects the train station to the old town. Otherwise, the city is best explored on foot.

Is Bern or Bruges a more walkable city?

Bruges is renowned for its walkability. Also, Bern is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for its high level of walkability.

It is easy to get around Bruges on foot. The train station is a short walk from the old town but the city is very walkable and best explored on foot.

Bern is a very walkable city. 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.

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

Should I spend more time in Bruges or Bern?

How long in Bern or Bruges?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Bern and Bruges. 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 Bern than Bruges. 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 Bruges than Bern. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Bruges that are perfect for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

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

One day in Bern or Bruges?

Many travelers enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting the destination of Bern. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. One day is often enough time to do most activities.

Visitors enjoy the food and shopping when visiting the destination of Bruges. 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 Bruges?

Bern 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.

Bruges 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 Bruges?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Bern. 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.

You'll find museums and nightlife around the historic destination of Bruges. 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 Bruges?

Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the beautiful destination of Bern. This city 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.

The beautiful city of Bruges 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 Cultural Tours in Belgium, and The Best Luxury Tours to Belgium.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Bern or Bruges?

Bern has a larger population, and is about 4% larger than the population of Bruges. When comparing the sizes of Bern and Bruges, 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 Bruges?

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 Bruges in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Bern as well as Bruges. Most visitors come to Bern for the family-friendly experiences during these months. Also, the summer months attract visitors to Bruges because of the family-friendly experiences.

In July, Bern is generally a little warmer than Bruges. Daily temperatures in Bern average around 21°C (70°F), and Bruges fluctuates around 17°C (63°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Bruges. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Bern this time of the year. In the summer, Bern often gets more sunshine than Bruges. Bern gets 250 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Bruges receives 202 hours of full sun.

Bern usually gets around the same amount of rain in July as Bruges. Bern gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Bruges receives 66 mm (2.6 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Bern or Bruges in the Autumn?

Both Bruges and Bern are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The autumn months attract visitors to Bern because of the shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area. Also, the shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Bruges this time of year.

Bern is around the same temperature as Bruges in the autumn. The daily temperature in Bern averages around 13°C (55°F) in October, and Bruges fluctuates around 12°C (54°F).

Bern usually receives more sunshine than Bruges during autumn. Bern gets 126 hours of sunny skies, while Bruges receives 105 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In October, Bern usually receives less rain than Bruges. Bern gets 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Bruges receives 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Bern or Bruges in the Winter?

Both Bruges and Bern during the winter are popular places to visit. The museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Bern this time of year. Furthermore, many travelers come to Bruges for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.

Be prepared for some very cold days in Bruges. It's quite cold in Bern in the winter. In the winter, Bern is cooler than Bruges. Typically, the winter temperatures in Bern in January average around 3°C (37°F), and Bruges averages at about 3°C (38°F).

In the winter, Bern often gets more sunshine than Bruges. Bern gets 65 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Bruges receives 47 hours of full sun.

Bern usually gets less rain in January than Bruges. Bern gets 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain, while Bruges receives 59 mm (2.3 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Bern or Bruges in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Bern and Bruges. Many travelers come to Bern for the natural beauty. Furthermore, many visitors come to Bruges in the spring for the natural beauty.

In April, Bern is generally a little warmer than Bruges. Daily temperatures in Bern average around 11°C (52°F), and Bruges fluctuates around 8°C (47°F).

Bern usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Bruges during spring. Bern gets 164 hours of sunny skies, while Bruges receives 158 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Bern usually receives more rain than Bruges. Bern gets 59 mm (2.3 in) of rain, while Bruges receives 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Bruges and Bern