A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Bern vs. Dijon for Food, Attractions, Families, and Couples

Should you visit Bern or Dijon?

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

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

Dijon

Dijon is a relaxing, historical, and cultural city. Since it's a large city, you'll find plenty of things to do. It's a gorgeous place to visit. It's also known for nightlife, food, and shopping.

Bern and Dijon: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Bern or Dijon?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Dijon than Bern, as it is bigger with more sights, attractions, and activities for visitors. Dijon is more popular for its food and big city activities, while Bern is known for its historical sights, shopping, and impressive beauty. Dijon is more touristy than Bern and is known for its cuisine, wine, and nearby vineyards. It is also home to The Ducal Palace. Bern is popular for its well-preserved old town and its reputation as the home of the Lindt chocolate factory.

How is Bern different from Dijon?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Both Bern and Dijon 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 Dijon specifically to visit some of its top-rated museums and other sights. This historic city is filled with sights worth checking. Palais des Ducs and the Musée des Beaux-Arts, Cathédrale Saint-Bénigne, and Eglise Notre-Dame are among the favorites.

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

Dijon 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, Dijon is an obvious choice, as it is one of the food capitals of the world. It is one of the top foodie destinations in France, and you'll find amazing local markets, award winning restaurants, and world class cuisine. Make sure you check out Les Halles Market to try local flavors. In addition to its famous mustard, the city is also popular for gingerbread, truffles, escargot, and, of course, wine.

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 Dijon Better for Nightlife?

Both Bern and Dijon 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 Dijon. While it's not a active as the larger European cities, there's still an fun nightlife scene that is driven mostly by the large student population.

Is Bern or Dijon Better for its Old Town?

Bern is notable for its historic old town. However, Dijon does not have a historic old town.

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.

Dijon does not have a historic old town.

Is the Shopping Better in Bern or Dijon?

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

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.

Shopping is a popular activity when visiting Dijon. For the best shopping in town, head to the main shopping street - Rue de la Liberté. It's lined with everything from clothing stores to wine shops and larger department stores. You'll even be able to pick up some of the famed mustard while you're in town.

Is Bern or Dijon Better for Families?

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

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.

Dijon is a family-friendly city. Kids will enjoy the open space that the city offers. There are parks where they can run around, like The Parc de la Colombieres which has a carousel and a ropes course. There are also many museums including two favorites for young ones - Musee de la Vie Bourguignonne and Musee d'Histoire Naturelle.

Is Bern or Dijon Better for Couples?

With fun activities for couples, both Bern and Dijon 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.

Dijon makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Art, palaces, gardens, and fine wine make it a perfect couple's getaway. There is some of the best food in France, as well as a welcoming culture and many beautiful sights to explore.

Is Bern or Dijon Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Bern is notable for backpackers. Also, Dijon is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for backpackers and budget travelers.

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.

Dijon is popular with backpackers and budget travelers. It's a beautiful city with a touristy vibe, so you'll likely meet other travelers while you're in town.

Is Bern or Dijon Better for Students?

Dijon is a popular place for students. However, Bern is not popular with students.

Dijon is a good city to visit for students. While it's quieter than the bigger cities, you'll find a young vibe and enough of a nightlife scene to keep it interesting.

Bern is not popular with students.

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

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

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

Dijon has some public transit options. Tram and buses offer access to many parts of the city.

Is Bern or Dijon a more walkable city?

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

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.

Dijon is a somewhat walkable place. Most of the inner city is walkable.

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

Should I spend more time in Dijon or Bern?

How long in Bern or Dijon?

It's fun to spend time in either Bern or Dijon. Generally, people tend to spend more time in Dijon due to the larger number of activities and things to do. Usually, 1-3 days is a good amount of time for Bern, and 2-4 days is enough time in Dijon.

Families should spend more time in Bern than Dijon. 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 Dijon. 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 Dijon 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 Dijon?

In Bern, many people enjoy the shopping and museums that this charming destination offers. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Because of this, one day is usually enough time for a trip here.

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

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Bern. For many, it makes a great getaway for a weekend. Most visitors spend time around the old town while in the area. This would be the perfect place to spend a weekend, as it has just the right amount of activities. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision.

Dijon 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 Dijon?

Bern is a fun place to experience. Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the destination of Bern. Visiting the old town is also a must. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything.

You'll find museums and nightlife around the laid-back destination of Dijon. This city offers something for everyone. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

A week in Bern or Dijon?

You'll find food and shopping around the cultural destination of Bern. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One week is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

The cultural city of Dijon 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 Family-Friendly Tours to France, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in France.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Bern or Dijon?

Dijon has a larger population, and is about 23% larger than the population of Bern. When comparing the sizes of Bern and Dijon, 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 Dijon?

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 Dijon in the Summer?

Both Dijon and Bern are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The summer months attract visitors to Bern because of the family-friendly experiences. Also, the city activities and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Dijon this time of year.

Bern is around the same temperature as Dijon in the summer. The daily temperature in Bern averages around 21°C (70°F) in July, and Dijon fluctuates around 21°C (70°F).

It's quite sunny in Dijon. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Bern. Bern usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Dijon during summer. Bern gets 250 hours of sunny skies, while Dijon receives 266 hours of full sun in the summer.

In July, Bern usually receives more rain than Dijon. Bern gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Dijon receives 51 mm (2 in) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit Bern or Dijon in the Autumn?

Both Dijon and Bern during the autumn are popular places to visit. The shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Bern this time of year. Furthermore, many travelers come to Dijon for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area.

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

In the autumn, Bern often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Dijon. Bern gets 126 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Dijon receives 121 hours of full sun.

Bern usually gets less rain in October than Dijon. Bern gets 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Dijon receives 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Bern or Dijon in the Winter?

The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Bern and Dijon. Many travelers come to Bern for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. Furthermore, many visitors come to Dijon in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.

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

Bern usually receives more sunshine than Dijon during winter. Bern gets 65 hours of sunny skies, while Dijon receives 53 hours of full sun in the winter.

In January, Bern usually receives less rain than Dijon. Bern gets 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain, while Dijon receives 59 mm (2.3 in) of rain each month for the winter.

Should I visit Bern or Dijon in the Spring?

The spring brings many poeple to Bern as well as Dijon. Many visitors come to Bern in the spring for the natural beauty. Additionally, most visitors come to Dijon for the activities around the city and the natural beauty during these months.

Bern is around the same temperature as Dijon in the spring. The daily temperature in Bern averages around 11°C (52°F) in April, and Dijon fluctuates around 11°C (53°F).

In the spring, Bern often gets less sunshine than Dijon. Bern gets 164 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Dijon receives 178 hours of full sun.

Bern usually gets more rain in April than Dijon. Bern gets 59 mm (2.3 in) of rain, while Dijon receives 52 mm (2 in) of rain this time of the year.

Typical Weather for Dijon and Bern