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

Should you visit Bern or Heidelberg?

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

Should I visit Bern or Heidelberg? 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.

Heidelberg

Heidelberg is a energetic, lively, and charming town. You'll find world class beauty here as well. This is an attractive and quaint destination worth visiting as well. It's also known for nightlife, food, and shopping.

Bern and Heidelberg: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Bern or Heidelberg?

Visitors will usually find more to do in Bern than Heidelberg, as it offers more sights, attractions, and activities. Bern is better known for its museums and shopping, while Heidelberg is more popular for its food, nightlife, historical sights, impressive beauty, and quaint atmosphere. Heidelberg is more touristy than Bern and is popular for its picturesque beauty, romantic atmosphere, and its classic old town. Bern is well known for its well-preserved old town and its reputation as the home of the Lindt chocolate factory. Also, Bern is famous for The Zytglogge Clock Tower.

How is Bern different from Heidelberg?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Bern is a great city for its historical sights. However, Heidelberg does not have museums and landmarks.

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.

Heidelberg does not have museums and landmarks.

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

Heidelberg 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, Heidelberg makes for a great culinary experience. The old town is filled with local restaurants that offer an assortment of traditional dishes. The restaurants offer a mix of outdoor and indoor seating and classic dishes include saumagen, lewwerkneedl, and dampfnudeln.

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 Heidelberg Better for Nightlife?

Heidelberg 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.

Heidelberg offers plenty to do in the evening. As a university town, you'll find a very young population and many bars, pubs, and nightclubs where you can hang out.

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 Heidelberg Better for its Old Town?

Heidelberg 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 Heidelberg is one of the most recognized in the world. The charming old town, or Altstadt, is lined with cafes that spill out onto the street and churches with bells that chime hourly. The area is filled with activity and there are many shops, ice cream vendors, and restaurants to choose from.

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 Heidelberg?

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

Heidelberg is a great destination for shopping. The pedestrian area is the best place to pass your time shopping. There are name brand stores mixed in with local independent shops which you'll mostly find on the side streets. Popular items to buy include wooden toys, Christmas decorations, and candy.

Is Bern or Heidelberg Better for Families?

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

Heidelberg is a family-friendly place to visit. With its many ice cream shops, playgrounds, and impressive castle, this city makes a nice stop for families with kids. The restaurants usually have a kid's menu and there are a number of kid-friendly museums and activities.

Is Bern or Heidelberg Better for Couples?

With fun activities for couples, both Bern and Heidelberg 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.

Heidelberg makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. This beautiful city offers an impressive backdrop for a couple's getaway. The view from the castle looks out beautifully over the city and the old town has many excellent restaurants and activities that are great for couples.

Is Bern or Heidelberg Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Both Bern and Heidelberg 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 Heidelberg. Prices are reasonable and there are a handful of hostels around town. As a university town, you can be assured there are plenty of fun activities and cheap places to eat.

Is Bern or Heidelberg Better for Students?

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

Heidelberg is a good town to visit for students. It is a beautiful student town with a lot of activities for young visitors. This is not the most popular study abroad destination, but it does have a lot to offer for those who visit.

Bern is not popular with students.

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

Both Bern and Heidelberg 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 Heidelberg can get you around easily. There are trams and buses that connect the old town to the train station.

Is Bern or Heidelberg a more walkable city?

Bern and Heidelberg 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.

Heidelberg is a very walkable city. The old town is particularly walkable.

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

Should I spend more time in Heidelberg or Bern?

How long in Bern or Heidelberg?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Bern and Heidelberg. In our opinion, Heidelberg has more to see and do, so we recommend spending more time in Heidelberg than Bern. However, 1-3 days is a good amount of time to spend in either destination.

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

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

One day in Bern or Heidelberg?

With museums and nightlife around the historic city of Bern, there's plenty to do. Anyone can find something fun to do here. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Bern, one day is sufficent for most.

Visitors enjoy the shopping and nightlife when visiting the destination of Heidelberg. 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 Heidelberg?

With nightlife and food around the destination of Bern, there's plenty to do. Most visitors spend time around the old town while in the area. It offers something for everyone. Many people spend a weekend here. In a weekend, you should have a good grasp of this city.

Heidelberg 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 Heidelberg?

Bern, a popular city, is full of activities for travelers. Visiting the old town is also a must. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

You'll find food and shopping around the character-filled destination of Heidelberg. This town 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 Heidelberg?

Bern is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. One week is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

The character-filled town of Heidelberg offers shopping and nightlife. 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 Vineyard & Wine Tours in Germany, and The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Germany.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Bern or Heidelberg?

Heidelberg has a larger population, and is about 18% larger than the population of Bern. When comparing the sizes of Bern and Heidelberg, 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 Heidelberg?

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 Heidelberg in the Summer?

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

In July, Bern is generally around the same temperature as Heidelberg. Daily temperatures in Bern average around 21°C (70°F), and Heidelberg fluctuates around 21°C (69°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Heidelberg. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Bern this time of the year. In the summer, Bern often gets more sunshine than Heidelberg. Bern gets 250 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Heidelberg receives 224 hours of full sun.

Bern usually gets less rain in July than Heidelberg. Bern gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Heidelberg receives 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Bern or Heidelberg in the Autumn?

Both Heidelberg 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 Heidelberg this time of year.

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

Bern usually receives more sunshine than Heidelberg during autumn. Bern gets 126 hours of sunny skies, while Heidelberg receives 102 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In October, Bern usually receives less rain than Heidelberg. Bern gets 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Heidelberg receives 57 mm (2.2 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Bern or Heidelberg in the Winter?

Both Heidelberg 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 Heidelberg for the shopping scene and the cuisine.

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

In the winter, Bern often gets more sunshine than Heidelberg. Bern gets 65 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Heidelberg receives 38 hours of full sun.

Bern usually gets around the same amount of rain in January as Heidelberg. Bern gets 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain, while Heidelberg receives 52 mm (2 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Bern or Heidelberg in the Spring?

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

In April, Bern is generally around the same temperature as Heidelberg. Daily temperatures in Bern average around 11°C (52°F), and Heidelberg fluctuates around 11°C (52°F).

Bern usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Heidelberg during spring. Bern gets 164 hours of sunny skies, while Heidelberg receives 155 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Bern usually receives around the same amount of rain as Heidelberg. Bern gets 59 mm (2.3 in) of rain, while Heidelberg receives 57 mm (2.2 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Heidelberg and Bern