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

Should you visit Bern or Marseille?

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

Should I visit Bern or Marseille? 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 charming, beautiful, and cultural city. With stunning beauty, it attracts visitors from all around. It's also popular because of the food, shopping, and museums.

Marseille

Marseille is a energetic and vibrant city. This is also a very beautiful destination which attracts plenty of visitors. This is an attractive and quaint destination worth visiting as well. It's also known for nightlife, food, and beaches.

Bern and Marseille: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Bern or Marseille?

You'll generally find more things to do in Marseille than Bern. Marseille is bigger than Bern, and it also has more attractions and activities for travelers. Marseille is better known for its food, nightlife, beaches, historical sights, christmas markets, and quaint atmosphere, while Bern is more popular for its museums. Marseille is more touristy than Bern and is popular for its unique history, its diverse population, and its authenticity. Also, Marseille is famous for The Vieux Port. Bern is well known for its well-preserved old town and its reputation as the home of the Lindt chocolate factory.

How is Bern different from Marseille?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Bern is an excellent place to visit for its museums and history. However, Marseille does not have museums and landmarks.

With a variety of museums, monuments, and historical sights, a trip to Bern can be an interesting and educational experience. 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.

Marseille does not have museums and landmarks.

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

Marseille 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, Marseille is an obvious choice, as it is one of the food capitals of the world. It's famous for its bouillabaisse, which is a hearty seafood soup that was once affordable but is now quite pricey.

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 Marseille Better for Nightlife?

Marseille is renowned for nightlife. Also, Bern is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for nightlife and partying.

Marseille is a destination that you simply have to visit at least once for nightlife. Much of the city's nightlife is centered around being outdoors. Whether you're on the beach or hanging out at a rooftop bar, Marseille is a magical place.

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 Marseille Better for Beaches?

Marseille is a popular place for its beaches. However, Bern is not a beach destination.

Marseille is a good option for a beach vacation. The city has nice beaches that offer both culture and diversity, which may be lacking some other coastal parts of the French Riviera.

Bern is not a beach destination.

Is Bern or Marseille Better for its Old Town?

Marseille 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 Marseille is one of the most recognized in the world. The Old Port is filled with shops and boutiques, and is the most scenic part of the city. It dates back to the Middle Ages and is filled with history and character.

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 Marseille?

Both Bern and Marseille are very good 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.

Marseille is well-known for its shopping. The city has boutiques, farmers markets, and flea markets to explore, as well as any luxury brand you may want.

Is Bern or Marseille Better for Christmas Markets?

Marseille is a popular place for its Christmas markets. However, Bern does not offer Christmas markets.

Many visitors go to the Christmas markets in Marseille. The old town has a Christmas craft market where you can buy toys, Christmas treats, or decorations.

Bern does not offer Christmas markets.

Is Bern or Marseille Better for Families?

Bern is an excellent place to visit for its kid-friendly activities. However, Marseille is lacking in options 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.

Marseille doesn't usually come to mind when thinking about kid-friendly destinations. Nearby beaches and an outdoor climbing area make it a diverse city to visit with kids.

Is Bern or Marseille Better for Couples?

With fun activities for couples, both Bern and Marseille make for a very good 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.

Marseille makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Strolling the boulevards and exploring the history and culture of this city make it a top couples' destination.

Is Bern or Marseille Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Bern is an excellent place to visit for backpackers and budget travelers. Also, Marseille is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for backpackers.

Plenty of budget travelers and 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.

Marseille is a good city to visit for backpackers. It has a decent number of hostels for a city of its size.

Is Bern or Marseille Better for Students?

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

Marseille is a very popular city for students and younger travelers. It attracts international students because of its rich culture, unique atmosphere, and lively bar scene.

Bern is not popular with students.

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

Bern is an excellent place to visit for times when you don't have a car. Also, Marseille is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its public transit.

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

You'll find some public transit in Marseille, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. The city has trams, a metro, and buses that you can use to explore.

Is Bern or Marseille a more walkable city?

Bern and Marseille both are very good 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.

Marseille is a very walkable city. The Old Port (Vieux Port) is particularly walkable and is one of the best areas to explore on foot.

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

Should I spend more time in Marseille or Bern?

How long in Bern or Marseille?

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Bern than Marseille 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 Marseille?

You'll find shopping and museums around the city of Bern. Visiting the old town is also a must. One day is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Bern has to offer. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

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

You'll find museums and nightlife around the historic destination of Bern. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. This is a popular place to visit for a weekend.A weekend should give you a good understanding of everything this city has to offer. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from.

Marseille 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 Marseille?

Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the cultural city of Bern. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. 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 food and shopping around the energetic destination of Marseille. 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 Marseille?

Bern is a popular choice for travelers. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. 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. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

The vibrant city of Marseille 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 Contiki Tours to France, and The Best G Adventures Tours to France.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Bern or Marseille?

Marseille has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of Bern. When comparing the sizes of Bern and Marseille, 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 Marseille?

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 Marseille in the Summer?

Both Marseille and Bern during the summer are popular places to visit. Many travelers come to Bern for the family-friendly experiences. Furthermore, many visitors come to Marseille in the summer for the beaches and the family-friendly experiences.

In July, Bern is generally cooler than Marseille. Daily temperatures in Bern average around 21°C (70°F), and Marseille fluctuates around 24°C (75°F).

In Marseille, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Bern. In the summer, Bern often gets less sunshine than Marseille. Bern gets 250 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Marseille receives 366 hours of full sun.

Bern usually gets more rain in July than Marseille. Bern gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Marseille receives 14 mm (0.6 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Bern or Marseille in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Bern and Marseille. Many visitors come to Bern in the autumn for the shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area. Furthermore, most visitors come to Marseille for the shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area during these months.

Bern is cooler than Marseille in the autumn. The daily temperature in Bern averages around 13°C (55°F) in October, and Marseille fluctuates around 16°C (61°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Marseille this time of the year. Bern usually receives less sunshine than Marseille during autumn. Bern gets 126 hours of sunny skies, while Marseille receives 205 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In October, Bern usually receives less rain than Marseille. Bern gets 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Marseille receives 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Bern or Marseille in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Bern as well as Marseille. Most visitors come to Bern for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine during these months. Additionally, the winter months attract visitors to Marseille because of the shopping scene and the cuisine.

Bern can be very cold during winter. In the winter, Bern is much colder than Marseille. Typically, the winter temperatures in Bern in January average around 3°C (37°F), and Marseille averages at about 7°C (44°F).

In the winter, Bern often gets less sunshine than Marseille. Bern gets 65 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Marseille receives 150 hours of full sun.

Bern usually gets more rain in January than Marseille. Bern gets 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain, while Marseille receives 47 mm (1.9 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Bern or Marseille in the Spring?

Both Marseille and Bern are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The spring months attract visitors to Bern because of the natural beauty. Also, the beaches and the natural beauty are the main draw to Marseille this time of year.

In April, Bern is generally cooler than Marseille. Daily temperatures in Bern average around 11°C (52°F), and Marseille fluctuates around 13°C (56°F).

It's quite sunny in Marseille. Bern usually receives less sunshine than Marseille during spring. Bern gets 164 hours of sunny skies, while Marseille receives 245 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Bern usually receives more rain than Marseille. Bern gets 59 mm (2.3 in) of rain, while Marseille receives 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Marseille and Bern