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

Should you visit Bern or Hannover?

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

Should I visit Bern or Hannover? 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. This is also a very beautiful destination which attracts plenty of visitors. Other reasons to visit include museums, nightlife, and food.

Hannover

Hannover is a vibrant, cultural, and dynamic city. Since it's a large city, you'll find plenty of things to do. It's also known for nightlife, food, and shopping.

Bern and Hannover: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Bern or Hannover?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Hannover than Bern, as it is bigger with more sights, attractions, and activities for visitors. Hannover is more popular for its nightlife and big city activities, while Bern is known for its museums, historical sights, shopping, and impressive beauty. Bern is popular for its well-preserved old town and its reputation as the home of the Lindt chocolate factory. Hannover is popular for its many parks and gardens as well as its accessibility to the German train system. It is also home to The Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen.

How is Bern different from Hannover?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Bern is a great city for its historical sights. Also, Hannover is not as popular, but is still a nice city for its sights and museums.

Visitors can fill many days exploring the museums and attractions around Bern. 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.

Hannover offers a variety of museums and landmarks to choose from. You'll see many of the city's sights along the Red Thread Trail in the city center. Make sure you check out the New Town Hall, the Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen, and the Lower Saxony State Museum as well.

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

There are opportunities to sample the local cuisine at good restaurants in both Bern and Hannover.

Bern offers number of good local restaurants to choose from. The city has cozy cafes, high end fine dining, traditional eateries, and modern venues.

Hannover has a delicious restaurant scene that relies on local flavors. You'll find classic tearooms, food halls, fine dining restaurants, and markets. Try all of the classic German sausages or sample international dishes in this dynamic city.

Is Bern or Hannover Better for Nightlife?

Hannover 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.

Hannover offers plenty to do in the evening. There are many students who keep the nightlife scene active. From beer halls to jazz venues, you'll find a diversity of options around town.

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 Hannover Better for its Old Town?

Bern is a great city for its historic old town. Also, Hannover is not as popular, but is still a nice city for its old town.

There are many historical things to see 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.

Many people head to Hannover to see the old town. Check out the half-timbered buildings, the old churches, and the charming streets around old town.

Is the Shopping Better in Bern or Hannover?

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

Shopping is a popular activity when visiting 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.

Hannover offers some nice shopping areas. Head to the 14th-century Market Church (Marktkirche) and wander around the nearby streets for some of the city's best shopping. Also make sure you check out the city flea market. In addition to boutiques and independent shops, there are also major department stores and large shopping malls in the area.

Is Bern or Hannover Better for Families?

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

Bern is a very family-friendly destination. 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.

Hannover is a family-friendly place to visit. Like many German cities, there are a number of activities geared specifically to kids. Check out the Sea Life Center or the Hannover Zoo. If you're willing to get out of town a bit, there's also Serengeti Park Hodenhagen or Rasti-Land theme park, which has rides and games.

Is Bern or Hannover Better for Couples?

Bern is a great city for romance. Also, Hannover is not as popular, but is still a nice city for its romantic activities.

Bern is a great city if you're traveling as a couple. With charming restaurants, a beautiful rose garden, and nice hotels and spas, this town makes a beautiful romantic getaway.

Hannover makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Romantic settings around town include Herrenhäuser Gärten, Berggarten, and Maschpark.

Is Bern or Hannover Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

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

Bern is very popular with the backpacker crowd. Like most of Switzerland, prices are a bit high, but there are some hostels and free activities that backpackers and budget travelers can enjoy.

Plenty of budget travelers visit Hannover. Some people use the city to split up longer train trips. There are a couple of hostels in town if you decide to stay a night or two.

Is Bern or Hannover Better for Students?

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

Hannover is a very popular city for students and younger travelers. There are a few great universities in town including Leibniz University, which attract international students. There's also a nice nightlife and easy accessibility to the rest of Germany.

Bern is not popular with students.

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

Both Bern and Hannover offer superb 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 Hannover can get you around easily. The city has 12 city trains and 38 bus lines.

Is Bern or Hannover a more walkable city?

Bern and Hannover 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.

Hannover is a very walkable city. There are some nice walkable parts to the city.

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

Should I spend more time in Hannover or Bern?

How long in Bern or Hannover?

You'll be able to find lots of things to do in Bern or Hannover to fill your time. Many travelers usually spend more of their time in Bern than Hannover because of the number of activities and things to do in the area. Usually, 1-3 days is a good amount of time for Bern, and 1-2 days is enough time in Hannover.

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

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 Hannover. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One day is usually enough time to experience most activities.

A weekend in Bern or Hannover?

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.

Hannover is a fun place to experience. 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 Hannover?

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.

You'll find museums and nightlife around the vibrant destination of Hannover. 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 Hannover?

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 vibrant city of Hannover 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, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Germany, and The Best Oktoberfest Tours in Germany.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Bern or Hannover?

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

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 Hannover in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Bern as well as Hannover. Most visitors come to Bern for the family-friendly experiences during these months. Additionally, the summer months attract visitors to Hannover because of the city activities and the family-friendly experiences.

Bern is a little warmer than Hannover in the summer. The daily temperature in Bern averages around 21°C (70°F) in July, and Hannover fluctuates around 18°C (64°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Bern this time of the year. In the summer, Bern often gets more sunshine than Hannover. Bern gets 250 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Hannover receives 198 hours of full sun.

Bern usually gets around the same amount of rain in July as Hannover. Bern gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Hannover receives 62 mm (2.5 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Bern or Hannover in the Autumn?

Both Hannover 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 city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene are the main draw to Hannover this time of year.

In the autumn, Bern is a little warmer than Hannover. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Bern in October average around 13°C (55°F), and Hannover averages at about 10°C (51°F).

Bern usually receives more sunshine than Hannover during autumn. Bern gets 126 hours of sunny skies, while Hannover receives 104 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In October, Bern usually receives more rain than Hannover. Bern gets 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Hannover receives 42 mm (1.7 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Bern or Hannover in the Winter?

Both Hannover 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. Also, many travelers come to Hannover for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.

Be prepared for some very cold days in Hannover. It's quite cold in Bern in the winter. In January, Bern is generally much warmer than Hannover. Daily temperatures in Bern average around 3°C (37°F), and Hannover fluctuates around 1°C (33°F).

In the winter, Bern often gets more sunshine than Hannover. Bern gets 65 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Hannover receives 42 hours of full sun.

Bern usually gets around the same amount of rain in January as Hannover. Bern gets 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain, while Hannover receives 52 mm (2.1 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Bern or Hannover in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Bern and Hannover. Many travelers come to Bern for the natural beauty. Also, many visitors come to Hannover in the spring for the activities around the city.

Bern is a little warmer than Hannover in the spring. The daily temperature in Bern averages around 11°C (52°F) in April, and Hannover fluctuates around 8°C (47°F).

Bern usually receives more sunshine than Hannover during spring. Bern gets 164 hours of sunny skies, while Hannover receives 150 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Bern usually receives more rain than Hannover. Bern gets 59 mm (2.3 in) of rain, while Hannover receives 50 mm (2 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Hannover and Bern