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

Should you visit Bern or Montreal?

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

Should I visit Bern or Montreal? 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.

Montreal

Montreal is a cultural, vibrant, and colorful city. It's an amazing and huge city with tons of activities and things to do. It's also known for food, shopping, and museums.

Bern and Montreal: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Bern or Montreal?

You'll generally find more things to do in Montreal than Bern. Montreal is bigger than Bern, and it also has more attractions and activities for travelers. Montreal is better known for its museums & sights, food, nightlife, music, shopping, and big city activities, while Bern is more popular for its impressive beauty. Montreal is more touristy than Bern and is popular for its music, fashion, and cultural activities. Also, Montreal is famous for Notre-Dame Basilica. 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 Montreal?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Montreal is renowned for its sights and museums. Also, Bern is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for its museums and history.

Visitors will find world class museums and historical sights in Montreal that are not to be missed. The city is filled with world-class museums and historic sites such as Notre-Dame Basilica, St. Joseph's Oratory, the Biosphere, and the Fine Arts Museum.

Many visitors head to Bern specifically to visit some of its top-rated museums and other sights. 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.

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

Montreal 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, Montreal makes for a great culinary experience. There are both local and international restaurants that serve up excellent dishes. Some of the local recipes that you should try include tourtiere (a meat pie), a smoked meat sandwich, and, of course, poutine.

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 Montreal Better for Nightlife?

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

Montreal is a destination that you simply have to visit at least once for nightlife. The city's nightlife scene is centered around its live music scene, which is excellent. There are also many bars and clubs, as well as a young population that keep evenings lively.

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 Montreal Better for Music?

Montreal is renowned for live music. However, Bern is not a live music destination.

Montreal is a world class music destination. The music scene is thriving and world class. One of the most unique aspects of the city's music scene is its impromptu nature. You'll find many talented street performers and you'll likely stumble into many high quality performers. There's also a great indie scene as well as hip hop, classical, jazz, and heavy metal at the many live music venues.

Bern is not a live music destination.

Is Bern or Montreal Better for its Old Town?

It's fun to wander around the great old towns in both Bern and Montreal.

Many visitors explore the old town while visiting 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.

There is a nice variety of sights in the old town of Montreal. Vieux-Montreal is the historic part of the city, and it's filled with cobblestone streets and historic buildings. This is also where you'll find the Old Port, which has a waterfront promenade.

Is the Shopping Better in Bern or Montreal?

Montreal is renowned for shopping. Also, Bern is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for its shopping opportunities.

Montreal is a famous shopping destination with plenty of stores. It's known for its fashion scene and there are many independent and local vendors around town. Bonsecours Market is both historic and fascinating, but also make sure you check out Mont-Royal Avenue, which is the main shopping and dining street in town.

Bern is well-known for its shopping. 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.

Is Bern or Montreal Better for Families?

Kids will enjoy a visit to either Bern or Montreal.

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, Montreal is very family-friendly. Kids and teens will love the many science museums, parks and gardens, and the nearby La Ronde Amusement Park. If your kids are music lovers, there are many talented street performers in the city that will entertain the young and old alike.

Is Bern or Montreal Better for Couples?

With fun activities for couples, both Bern and Montreal make for a great 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.

Montreal makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. The city is filled with romance, from the world class music scene to the romantic restaurants and sunset river cruises. If you're in town during the fall months, check out the Botanical Gardens, which come to life with the annual Gardens of Light.

Is Bern or Montreal Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

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

It's common for backpackers to visit Montreal. There's a decent number of hostels as well as a great nightlife scene and plenty of younger visitors looking to meet other travelers.

Is Bern or Montreal Better for Students?

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

Many students frequent Montreal. It's regularly ranked as one of the top cities in North America for students. There are many students around town, a great nightlife scene, and plenty of opportunities to receive a world-class education.

Bern is not popular with students.

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

Both Bern and Montreal offer great 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 Montreal can get you around easily. There's an efficient and reliable metro and bus system.

Is Bern or Montreal a more walkable city?

Bern and Montreal both are great 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.

Montreal is a very walkable city. The city is very walkable, particularly in the areas that are popular with tourists.

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

Should I spend more time in Montreal or Bern?

How long in Bern or Montreal?

In either Bern or Montreal, you'll find plenty of activities to fill your time. Most visitors tend to spend more time in Montreal than Bern because of the overall number of sights and activities. Usually, 1-3 days is a good amount of time for Bern, and 3-5 days is enough time in Montreal.

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

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

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

One day in Bern or Montreal?

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.

Montreal is a big city destination where you can fill many days. 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 Montreal?

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.

Montreal is a fun place to experience. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than a weekend exploring. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

Five days in Bern or Montreal?

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.

Montreal is a colorful big city where you can fill many days. This city offers something for everyone. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. Plenty of people spend five days in the area when traveling. Five days is often enough time to do most activities.

A week in Bern or Montreal?

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 cultural city of Montreal offers shopping and museums. 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 Northern Lights Tours in Canada, and The Best Luxury Tours to Canada.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Bern and Montreal, we can see that Bern is more expensive. And not only is Montreal much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Bern is in Europe and Montreal is in North America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Montreal would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Montreal 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 Montreal.

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

Which is Bigger, Bern or Montreal?

Montreal has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Bern. When comparing the sizes of Bern and Montreal, 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 Montreal?

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 Montreal in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Bern as well as Montreal. The family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Bern this time of year. Also, many travelers come to Montreal for the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences.

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

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Montreal. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Bern this time of the year. In the summer, Bern often gets less sunshine than Montreal. Bern gets 250 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Montreal receives 276 hours of full sun.

Bern usually gets less rain in July than Montreal. Bern gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Montreal receives 91 mm (3.6 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Bern or Montreal in the Autumn?

Both Montreal and Bern are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Many travelers come to Bern for the shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area. Also, many visitors come to Montreal in the autumn for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the music scene.

Bern is much warmer than Montreal in the autumn. The daily temperature in Bern averages around 13°C (55°F) in October, and Montreal fluctuates around 8°C (47°F).

Bern usually receives less sunshine than Montreal during autumn. Bern gets 126 hours of sunny skies, while Montreal receives 141 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In October, Bern usually receives less rain than Montreal. Bern gets 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Montreal receives 79 mm (3.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Bern or Montreal in the Winter?

Both Montreal and Bern during the winter are popular places to visit. Many visitors come to Bern in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. Furthermore, most visitors come to Montreal for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine during these months.

Montreal can be very cold during winter. Bern can get quite cold in the winter. In the winter, Bern is much warmer than Montreal. Typically, the winter temperatures in Bern in January average around 3°C (37°F), and Montreal averages at about -10°C (14°F).

In the winter, Bern often gets less sunshine than Montreal. Bern gets 65 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Montreal receives 103 hours of full sun.

Bern usually gets less rain in January than Montreal. Bern gets 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain, while Montreal receives 74 mm (2.9 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Bern or Montreal in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Bern and Montreal. Most visitors come to Bern for the natural beauty during these months. Furthermore, the spring months attract visitors to Montreal because of the activities around the city.

In April, Bern is generally much warmer than Montreal. Daily temperatures in Bern average around 11°C (52°F), and Montreal fluctuates around 6°C (43°F).

Bern usually receives less sunshine than Montreal during spring. Bern gets 164 hours of sunny skies, while Montreal receives 183 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Bern usually receives less rain than Montreal. Bern gets 59 mm (2.3 in) of rain, while Montreal receives 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Montreal and Bern