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

Should you visit Bern or Brussels?

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

Should I visit Bern or Brussels? 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. This is also a very beautiful destination which attracts plenty of visitors. It's also known for shopping, museums, and nightlife.

Brussels

Brussels is a cosmopolitan, authentic, and colorful city. It's an amazing and huge city with tons of activities and things to do. It's also known for nightlife, food, and shopping.

Bern and Brussels: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Bern or Brussels?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Brussels than Bern, as it is bigger with more sights, attractions, and activities for visitors. Brussels is more popular for its food, shopping, and big city activities, while Bern is known for its impressive beauty. Bern is popular for its well-preserved old town and its reputation as the home of the Lindt chocolate factory. Brussels is popular for its beautiful architecture, grand squares, diverse population, and delicious waffles. It is also home to La Grand Place (Grote Markt).

La Grand Place (Grote Markt)

How is Bern different from Brussels?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Both Bern and Brussels 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 Brussels specifically to visit some of its top-rated museums and other sights. Popular sights include Saint-Michel Cathedral, Place Royale, and the Belgian Royal Museum of Fine Arts. The city is filled with impressive architecture, fascinating art museums, and innovative science and technology museums.

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

Brussels 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, Brussels makes for a great culinary experience. While the city is most known for its waffles and fries, the diversity of dishes and international restaurant selection continues to grow. There are Lebanese, Japanese, and Indian restaurants among others. Popular local dishes include moules-frites, waterzooi (a stew), and stoemp (made with mashed potatoes and vegetables).

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 Brussels Better for Nightlife?

Both Bern and Brussels 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 Brussels. The city's nightlife is quieter and more mellow than some other major cities around Europe. That doesn't mean there aren't plenty of dance clubs and bars where you can hang out. Keep your wits about you after the sun goes down as some areas are a bit rougher than others.

Is Bern or Brussels Better for its Old Town?

It's fun to wander around the superb old towns in both Bern and Brussels.

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 Brussels. The old town in the city center is where you'll find the greatest concentration of historic sights. The area is surrounded by tree-lined boulevards and is easy to explore.

Is the Shopping Better in Bern or Brussels?

Brussels is renowned for shopping. Also, Bern is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for its shopping opportunities.

Brussels is a famous shopping destination with plenty of stores. Although it's famous for diamonds, the city also has many shopping streets where you can find designer brands, vintage shops, and other unique boutiques that are fun to explore.

Bern is well-known for its shopping. 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.

Is Bern or Brussels Better for Families?

Kids will enjoy a visit to either Bern or Brussels.

Bern is a very family-friendly place to visit. 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.

Because of its large number of kid-friendly activities, Brussels is very family-friendly. The city has a number of unique kid-friendly activities including a Mini-Europe Museum, a Comic Strip Museum, and Train World. The city is also a chocolate lover's dream with many factories and chocolate shops around town.

Is Bern or Brussels Better for Couples?

With fun activities for couples, both Bern and Brussels 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.

Brussels makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. From beautiful buildings and museums to shopping, dining, and chocolate shops, there are plenty of romantic spots around town. There's a vibrant nightlife scene and many diverse restaurants that couples can enjoy exploring.

Is Bern or Brussels Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Both Bern and Brussels 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 Brussels. The city has an active nightlife and a number of hostels that are great for backpackers, but do take note that some areas can get a bit rough at night, so make sure you understand where you are.

Is Bern or Brussels Better for Students?

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

Brussels is a very popular city for students and younger travelers. The city has a number of universities that attract students from around the world. The multicultural setting is great for students of the world.

Bern is not popular with students.

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

Brussels is renowned for its public transit. Also, Bern is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for times when you don't have a car.

Brussels has a great public transit system. Transit options include train, tram, metro, bus, and waterbuses.

The public transit in Bern can get you around easily. There are trams and buses that run around town.

Is Bern or Brussels a more walkable city?

Bern and Brussels both are superb 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.

Brussels is a very walkable city. If you stay in the historical area, it's easy to walk around and many boulevards are being converted to pedestrian areas.

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

Should I spend more time in Brussels or Bern?

How long in Bern or Brussels?

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

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Brussels 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 Brussels.

One day in Bern or Brussels?

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.

Brussels is a big city destination where you can fill many days. 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 Brussels?

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.

Brussels is a fun place to experience. Most people visit for the shopping. 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 Brussels?

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.

Brussels is a multicultural big city where you can fill many days. This city offers something for everyone. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. 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 Brussels?

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 historic city of Brussels 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 Brussels, we can see that Bern is more expensive. And not only is Brussels much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Brussels would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Brussels 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 Brussels.

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

Which is Bigger, Bern or Brussels?

Brussels has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Bern. When comparing the sizes of Bern and Brussels, 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 Brussels?

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 Brussels in the Summer?

The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Bern and Brussels. Most visitors come to Bern for the family-friendly experiences during these months. Also, the summer months attract visitors to Brussels because of the city activities and the family-friendly experiences.

Bern is a little warmer than Brussels in the summer. The daily temperature in Bern averages around 21°C (70°F) in July, and Brussels fluctuates around 18°C (65°F).

In Bern, it's very sunny this time of the year. Bern usually receives more sunshine than Brussels during summer. Bern gets 250 hours of sunny skies, while Brussels receives 186 hours of full sun in the summer.

In July, Bern usually receives less rain than Brussels. Bern gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Brussels receives 75 mm (3 in) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit Bern or Brussels in the Autumn?

The autumn brings many poeple to Bern as well as Brussels. The autumn months attract visitors to Bern because of the shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area. Also, the city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene are the main draw to Brussels this time of year.

In the autumn, Bern is around the same temperature as Brussels. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Bern in October average around 13°C (55°F), and Brussels averages at about 12°C (54°F).

In the autumn, Bern often gets more sunshine than Brussels. Bern gets 126 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Brussels receives 114 hours of full sun.

Bern usually gets less rain in October than Brussels. Bern gets 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Brussels receives 70 mm (2.8 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Bern or Brussels in the Winter?

Both Brussels and Bern are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Bern this time of year. Also, many travelers come to Brussels for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.

Be prepared for some very cold days in Brussels. It's quite cold in Bern in the winter. In January, Bern is generally cooler than Brussels. Daily temperatures in Bern average around 3°C (37°F), and Brussels fluctuates around 3°C (38°F).

Bern usually receives more sunshine than Brussels during winter. Bern gets 65 hours of sunny skies, while Brussels receives 49 hours of full sun in the winter.

In January, Bern usually receives less rain than Brussels. Bern gets 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain, while Brussels receives 67 mm (2.6 in) of rain each month for the winter.

Should I visit Bern or Brussels in the Spring?

Both Brussels and Bern during the spring are popular places to visit. Many travelers come to Bern for the natural beauty. Furthermore, many visitors come to Brussels in the spring for the activities around the city.

Bern is a little warmer than Brussels in the spring. The daily temperature in Bern averages around 11°C (52°F) in April, and Brussels fluctuates around 10°C (49°F).

In the spring, Bern often gets more sunshine than Brussels. Bern gets 164 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Brussels receives 147 hours of full sun.

Bern usually gets around the same amount of rain in April as Brussels. Bern gets 59 mm (2.3 in) of rain, while Brussels receives 57 mm (2.2 in) of rain this time of the year.

Typical Weather for Brussels and Bern