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

Should you visit Bern or Graz?

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

Should I visit Bern or Graz? 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. The beauty of this spot is also one of the main reasons why visitors come. Visitors also love the museums, nightlife, and food.

Graz

Graz is a cultural, historical, and beautiful city. It's a gorgeous place to visit. It's also known for nightlife, food, and shopping.

Bern and Graz: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Bern or Graz?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Graz than Bern. It is bigger and it has more sights, attractions, and activities for travelers. Graz is very popular for its food, nightlife, and historical sights, while Bern attracts visitors for its impressive beauty. Graz is more touristy than Bern and is popular for its many cultural activities, its impressive old town, and its beautiful Baroque architecture. It is also well known for The Schlossberg and the Clock Tower. 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 Graz?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Both Bern and Graz 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 Graz specifically to visit some of its top-rated museums and other sights. The old town is among the largest in Europe and it's filled with sights and museums. The Schlossberg and the Clock Tower are among the most iconic sights but other highlights include the GrazMuseum, the Mohren Apotheke's Theriak Museum, a Gothic Franciscan Church, and the Robert Stolz Museum.

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

Graz 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, Graz makes for a great culinary experience. There's a huge focus on sustainable dining in town, so you'll find many restaurants that use a farm to table approach. Local ingredients are heavily valued and it's fun to sample the many local flavors. Backhendl is a classic fried chicken dish that you must try.

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 Graz Better for Nightlife?

Graz is a well-known place for nightlife. Also, Bern is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for nightlife and partying.

Graz offers plenty to do in the evening. The large student population means that there's an active nightlife scene that is diverse and fun. There's a wide variety of bars and pubs with almost any music genre you could want. There are also dance clubs for those who are looking for a party.

With a handful of venues, visitors can find a fairly lively vibe in Bern. There are bars, Irish pubs, and clubs around town.

Is Bern or Graz Better for its Old Town?

Graz 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 Graz is one of the most recognized in the world. The medieval city center is very well preserved and one of the largest in Europe. The city has a lot of hidden charm and quaint streets to explore.

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 Graz?

Both Bern and Graz 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.

Graz is well-known for its shopping. You'll find a lot of shopping around both Jakominiplatz and Hauptplatz Squares. There are also a number of shopping streets in town including Herrengasse which is filled with shops, restaurants, and more.

Is Bern or Graz Better for Families?

Kids will enjoy a visit to either Bern or Graz.

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, Graz is very family-friendly. Kids will love the fairytale train and there's also a 4D cinema that is fun for the whole family. In Schlossberg Hill, families should check out The Slide, which is the largest underground slide in the world. Other highlights include a Children's Museum, a Folklife Museum, and a Natural History Museum.

Is Bern or Graz Better for Couples?

With fun activities for couples, both Bern and Graz 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.

Graz makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. It's filled with culture, history, and amazing food. Couples will appreciate the romantic old town and the many world class sights around town.

Is Bern or Graz Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

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

Many backpackers 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.

Graz is popular with backpackers and budget travelers. There are hostels and budget-friendly hotels around town that make this a nice town to explore as a backpacker.

Is Bern or Graz Better for Students?

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

Graz is a very popular city for students and younger travelers. It's long been an education center in Austria and students make up a significant portion of the population. It's also a chill city with a relaxed and student-friendly vibe.

Bern is not popular with students.

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

Both Bern and Graz 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 Graz can get you around easily. There are buses and trams that travel around the town.

Is Bern or Graz a more walkable city?

Graz 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 Graz on foot. You'll find everything you'd want to see in the old town, which is large, but still compact enough to explore 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 Graz Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Graz or Bern?

How long in Bern or Graz?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Bern and Graz. In our opinion, Graz has more to see and do, so we recommend spending more time in Graz than Bern. In general, 1-3 days is a good amount of time for Bern, and 2-3 days is enough time in Graz.

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

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

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

One day in Bern or Graz?

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 Graz. Visiting the old town is also a must. 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 Graz?

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.

Graz 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 Graz?

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

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 cultural city of Graz 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 Christmas Market Tours in Austria, and The Best Bicycle Tours in Austria.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Bern or Graz?

Graz has a larger population, and is about 83% larger than the population of Bern. When comparing the sizes of Bern and Graz, 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 Graz?

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 Graz in the Summer?

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

In the summer, Bern is around the same temperature as Graz. Typically, the summer temperatures in Bern in July average around 21°C (70°F), and Graz averages at about 23°C (73°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Graz. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Bern this time of the year. In the summer, Bern often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Graz. Bern gets 250 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Graz receives 236 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Graz. Bern usually gets less rain in July than Graz. Bern gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Graz receives 126 mm (5 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Bern or Graz in the Autumn?

Both Graz 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 Graz for the shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area.

In October, Bern is generally around the same temperature as Graz. Daily temperatures in Bern average around 13°C (55°F), and Graz fluctuates around 13°C (55°F).

Bern usually receives less sunshine than Graz during autumn. Bern gets 126 hours of sunny skies, while Graz receives 139 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In October, Bern usually receives less rain than Graz. Bern gets 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Graz receives 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Bern or Graz in the Winter?

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

Graz can get quite cold in the winter. Be prepared for some very cold days in Bern. Bern is much warmer than Graz in the winter. The daily temperature in Bern averages around 3°C (37°F) in January, and Graz fluctuates around 1°C (34°F).

In the winter, Bern often gets less sunshine than Graz. Bern gets 65 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Graz receives 95 hours of full sun.

Bern usually gets more rain in January than Graz. Bern gets 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain, while Graz receives 31 mm (1.2 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Bern or Graz in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Bern and Graz. Many visitors come to Bern in the spring for the natural beauty. Furthermore, most visitors come to Graz for the natural beauty during these months.

In the spring, Bern is cooler than Graz. Typically, the spring temperatures in Bern in April average around 11°C (52°F), and Graz averages at about 13°C (55°F).

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

In April, Bern usually receives more rain than Graz. Bern gets 59 mm (2.3 in) of rain, while Graz receives 52 mm (2 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Graz and Bern