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

Should you visit Bern or Toulouse?

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

Should I visit Bern or Toulouse? 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.

Toulouse

Toulouse is a friendly, relaxed, and dynamic city. Since it's a large city, you'll find plenty of things to do. It's a gorgeous place to visit. It's also known for nightlife, food, and shopping.

Bern and Toulouse: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Bern or Toulouse?

You'll generally find more things to do in Toulouse than Bern. Toulouse is bigger than Bern, and it also has more attractions and activities for travelers. Toulouse is better known for its food, nightlife, and big city activities, while Bern is more popular for its impressive beauty. Bern is more touristy than Toulouse and is popular for its well-preserved old town and its reputation as the home of the Lindt chocolate factory. Toulouse is well known for its impressive old town, many museums, and delicious local cuisine. Also, Toulouse is famous for Basilique Saint-Sernin.

How is Bern different from Toulouse?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Both Bern and Toulouse have excellent 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 Toulouse specifically to visit some of its top-rated museums and other sights. There is a long running history with countless landmarks and museums. Highlights include Basilique Saint-Sernin, Place du Capitole, Muséum de Toulouse, and Fondation Bemberg.

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

Toulouse 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, Toulouse is an obvious choice, as it is one of the food capitals of the world. There are many unique regional recipes that make use of poultry, cold meats, and foie gras. Toulouse sausage, cassoulet, Poulet à la Toulousaine, and Foie gras d’oie are all popular local dishes.

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 Toulouse Better for Nightlife?

Toulouse 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.

Toulouse offers plenty to do in the evening. You'll find a large number of students in town so the nightlife scene is active and fun. For the most lively atmosphere head to Carmes, Saint-Cyprien, or Place Saint-Pierre.

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 Toulouse Better for its Old Town?

It's fun to wander around the excellent old towns in both Bern and Toulouse.

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 Toulouse. The old town is filled with terra-cota buildings and pedestrian walkways. The area flows out around the Capitole and is crossed by the Garonne.

Is the Shopping Better in Bern or Toulouse?

Both Bern and Toulouse are excellent 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.

Toulouse is well-known for its shopping. There are many great shopping districts around town including Place du Capitole, The Saint Georges district, and Rue Alsace Lorraine.

Is Bern or Toulouse Better for Families?

Kids will enjoy a visit to either Bern or Toulouse.

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, Toulouse is very family-friendly. The city's known for its space industry so the La Cite de l’Espace (Space Museum) is a favorite attraction for kids and adults alike. You can also visit Aeroscopia, the airplane museum. La Halle de la machine is a truly unique and impressive playground. The city also has many other museums and outdoor spaces to explore.

Is Bern or Toulouse Better for Couples?

With fun activities for couples, both Bern and Toulouse make for a excellent 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.

Toulouse makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. There are many beautiful parks, gardens, and walking paths. Make sure you take a stroll along the Canal du Midi and visit Jardin Japonais Pierre Baudis. This is also a great city for visiting a spa.

Is Bern or Toulouse Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Bern is great for backpackers and budget travelers. However, Toulouse is not a good destination 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.

Toulouse is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. It's not a major stop off for many backpackers in Europe so you won't find as many hostels as you do in other cities.

Is Bern or Toulouse Better for Students?

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

Toulouse is a good city to visit for students. You'll find a diverse student population with many international students.

Bern is not popular with students.

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

Bern is great for times when you don't have a car. Also, Toulouse is not as popular, but is still a nice city for its public transit.

Bern offers a very effecient public transportation network. There are trams and buses that run around town.

Toulouse has a few public transit options. There are a large number of bus routes that travel both locally and regionally.

Is Bern or Toulouse a more walkable city?

Bern and Toulouse both are excellent 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.

Toulouse is a very walkable city. Within the city center it is very walkable and easy to explore on foot.

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

Should I spend more time in Toulouse or Bern?

How long in Bern or Toulouse?

It's fun to spend time in either Bern or Toulouse. Generally, people tend to spend more time in Toulouse due to the larger number of activities and things to do. Usually, 1-3 days is a good amount of time for Bern, and 2-4 days is enough time in Toulouse.

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

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

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

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 Toulouse. 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 Toulouse?

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.

Toulouse is a fun place to experience. Most people visit for the food. 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 Toulouse?

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 dynamic destination of Toulouse. 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 Toulouse?

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 Toulouse 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 Historical Tours in France, and The Best 10-Day Tours in France.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Bern or Toulouse?

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

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 Toulouse in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Bern as well as Toulouse. Many visitors come to Bern in the summer for the family-friendly experiences. Also, most visitors come to Toulouse for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences during these months.

In July, Bern is generally around the same temperature as Toulouse. Daily temperatures in Bern average around 21°C (70°F), and Toulouse fluctuates around 22°C (72°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Toulouse. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Bern this time of the year. In the summer, Bern often gets less sunshine than Toulouse. Bern gets 250 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Toulouse receives 275 hours of full sun.

Bern usually gets more rain in July than Toulouse. Bern gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Toulouse receives 41 mm (1.6 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Bern or Toulouse in the Autumn?

Both Toulouse and Bern are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Most visitors come to Bern for the shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area during these months. Also, the autumn months attract visitors to Toulouse because of the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area.

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

Bern usually receives less sunshine than Toulouse during autumn. Bern gets 126 hours of sunny skies, while Toulouse receives 161 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In October, Bern usually receives around the same amount of rain as Toulouse. Bern gets 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Toulouse receives 52 mm (2 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Bern or Toulouse in the Winter?

Both Toulouse and Bern during the winter are popular places to visit. The winter months attract visitors to Bern because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. Furthermore, the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Toulouse this time of year.

The weather in Bern can be very cold. In the winter, Bern is much colder than Toulouse. Typically, the winter temperatures in Bern in January average around 3°C (37°F), and Toulouse averages at about 6°C (44°F).

In the winter, Bern often gets less sunshine than Toulouse. Bern gets 65 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Toulouse receives 88 hours of full sun.

Bern usually gets around the same amount of rain in January as Toulouse. Bern gets 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain, while Toulouse receives 55 mm (2.2 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Bern or Toulouse in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Bern and Toulouse. The natural beauty are the main draw to Bern this time of year. Furthermore, many travelers come to Toulouse for the activities around the city and the natural beauty.

In April, Bern is generally cooler than Toulouse. Daily temperatures in Bern average around 11°C (52°F), and Toulouse fluctuates around 12°C (54°F).

Bern usually receives less sunshine than Toulouse during spring. Bern gets 164 hours of sunny skies, while Toulouse receives 178 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Bern usually receives less rain than Toulouse. Bern gets 59 mm (2.3 in) of rain, while Toulouse receives 64 mm (2.5 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Toulouse and Bern