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

Should you visit Bern or Montpellier?

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

Should I visit Bern or Montpellier? 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 beautiful, cultural, and historic city. With stunning beauty, it attracts visitors from all around. Other popular activities here include shopping, museums, and nightlife.

Montpellier

Montpellier is a bustling, beautiful, and friendly city. This is also a very beautiful destination which attracts plenty of visitors. It's also known for beaches, shopping, and museums.

Bern and Montpellier: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Bern or Montpellier?

You'll generally find more things to do in Montpellier than Bern. Montpellier is bigger than Bern, and it also has more attractions and activities for travelers. Bern is well known for its well-preserved old town and its reputation as the home of the Lindt chocolate factory. Montpellier is well known for its relaxed atmosphere, grand boulevards, and authentic personality. Also, Montpellier is famous for The Place de la Comédie.

How is Bern different from Montpellier?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Both Bern and Montpellier have superb 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 Montpellier specifically to visit some of its top-rated museums and other sights. With such a long history, the city has many landmarks and monuments. Also make sure you visit Musée Fabre and Saint-Pierre Cathedral.

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

There are opportunities to sample the local cuisine at notable restaurants in both Bern and Montpellier.

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

Montpellier has a delicious restaurant scene that relies on local flavors. The dishes are made with fresh ingredients produced in the agricultural areas just outside of town. The area is known for its seafood and fish stews.

Is Bern or Montpellier Better for Nightlife?

Both Bern and Montpellier are notable 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 Montpellier. The weather is mild, making for a nice evening out. The population is also young, so you can expect a lot of activity during the evenings, particularly in the area around Place Jean Jaurés. Make sure you enjoy local wine and champagne while you're in town.

Is Bern or Montpellier Better for Beaches?

Montpellier is a well-known place for its beaches. However, Bern is not a beach destination.

Montpellier is considered a top beach destination. The coastline near Montpellier feels pristine and beautiful. You can also visit Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone to the southwest of town, which is a protected area.

Bern is not a beach destination.

Is Bern or Montpellier Better for its Old Town?

Montpellier 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 Montpellier is one of the most recognized in the world. Known as L'Écusson the town's old town dates back to the Middle Ages. It is a pedestrian area that is filled with boutiques, restaurants, and churches.

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 Montpellier?

Both Bern and Montpellier are superb 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.

Montpellier is well-known for its shopping. Head to Rue de la Loge for some of the city's best shopping.

Is Bern or Montpellier Better for Families?

Bern is a great destination for its family-friendly activities. Also, Montpellier is still popular, but not quite as popular for its kid-friendly activities.

Bern is known to be 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.

Montpellier offers lots of family activities. Popular activities for kids include taking a ride on the carousel in the Comedie, visiting the playground - Jardin Champs de Mars, and visiting the botanical garden - Jardin des Plantes.

Is Bern or Montpellier Better for Couples?

With fun activities for couples, both Bern and Montpellier 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.

Montpellier makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Rich in history and beautiful architecture, this city offers a romantic setting for a great couple's getaway.

Is Bern or Montpellier Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Both Bern and Montpellier 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 Montpellier. With a young population and a number of hostels to choose from, Montpellier attracts its share of backpackers.

Is Bern or Montpellier Better for Students?

Montpellier is renowned for students. However, Bern is not popular with students.

Many students frequent Montpellier. Montpellier is a popular university town that is home to many trendy university students. It's also where you'll find the youngest population of any city in France.

Bern is not popular with students.

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

Both Bern and Montpellier 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 Montpellier can get you around easily. There are a number of options for getting around town including the tramway, bus, and tourist train.

Is Bern or Montpellier a more walkable city?

Bern and Montpellier 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.

Montpellier is a very walkable city. Many of the sights and attractions are easily accessible on foot and can be enjoyed as part of a self-guided walking tour.

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

Should I spend more time in Montpellier or Bern?

How long in Bern or Montpellier?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Bern and Montpellier. In our opinion, Montpellier has more to see and do, so we recommend spending more time in Montpellier 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 Montpellier. 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 Montpellier than Bern. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Montpellier that are perfect for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

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

One day in Bern or Montpellier?

Visitors enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the beautiful city of Bern. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. One day should give you a good understanding of everything this city has to offer. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

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

Visitors enjoy the food and shopping when visiting the historic destination of Bern. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. This city offers something for everyone. Plenty of people spend a weekend in the area when traveling. If you enjoy all that's offered here, then a weekend is just the right amount of time to spend here.

Montpellier is a fun place to experience. If you have a weekend, this is a great place to go. It's also a great beach destination, too. 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 Montpellier?

The historic city of Bern offers shopping and museums. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel.

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

Many people enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting Bern. Anyone can find something fun to do here. Most visitors spend time around the old town while in the area. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

The historic city of Montpellier 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 One Week (7-Day) Tours in France, and The Best 2-Week Tours in France.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Bern or Montpellier?

Montpellier has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Bern. When comparing the sizes of Bern and Montpellier, 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 Montpellier?

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 Montpellier in the Summer?

The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Bern and Montpellier. Most visitors come to Bern for the family-friendly experiences during these months. Furthermore, the summer months attract visitors to Montpellier because of the beaches and the family-friendly experiences.

In July, Bern is generally around the same temperature as Montpellier. Daily temperatures in Bern average around 21°C (70°F), and Montpellier fluctuates around 23°C (73°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Montpellier this time of the year. In Bern, it's very sunny this time of the year. Bern usually receives less sunshine than Montpellier during summer. Bern gets 250 hours of sunny skies, while Montpellier receives 351 hours of full sun in the summer.

In July, Bern usually receives more rain than Montpellier. Bern gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Montpellier receives 20 mm (0.8 in) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit Bern or Montpellier in the Autumn?

The autumn brings many poeple to Bern as well as Montpellier. The autumn months attract visitors to Bern because of the shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area. Additionally, the shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Montpellier this time of year.

Bern is cooler than Montpellier in the autumn. The daily temperature in Bern averages around 13°C (55°F) in October, and Montpellier fluctuates around 15°C (60°F).

In the autumn, Bern often gets less sunshine than Montpellier. Bern gets 126 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Montpellier receives 187 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Montpellier. Bern usually gets less rain in October than Montpellier. Bern gets 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Montpellier receives 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Bern or Montpellier in the Winter?

Both Montpellier and Bern are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Bern this time of year. Also, many travelers come to Montpellier for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.

It's quite cold in Bern in the winter. In the winter, Bern is much colder than Montpellier. Typically, the winter temperatures in Bern in January average around 3°C (37°F), and Montpellier averages at about 7°C (44°F).

Bern usually receives less sunshine than Montpellier during winter. Bern gets 65 hours of sunny skies, while Montpellier receives 147 hours of full sun in the winter.

In January, Bern usually receives less rain than Montpellier. Bern gets 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain, while Montpellier receives 72 mm (2.8 in) of rain each month for the winter.

Should I visit Bern or Montpellier in the Spring?

Both Montpellier and Bern during the spring are popular places to visit. Many travelers come to Bern for the natural beauty. Also, many visitors come to Montpellier in the spring for the beaches and the natural beauty.

In April, Bern is generally cooler than Montpellier. Daily temperatures in Bern average around 11°C (52°F), and Montpellier fluctuates around 13°C (55°F).

In Montpellier, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the spring, Bern often gets less sunshine than Montpellier. Bern gets 164 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Montpellier receives 230 hours of full sun.

Bern usually gets around the same amount of rain in April as Montpellier. Bern gets 59 mm (2.3 in) of rain, while Montpellier receives 55 mm (2.2 in) of rain this time of the year.

Typical Weather for Montpellier and Bern