A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Birmingham vs. Bern for Attractions, Nightlife, Families, and Couples

Should you visit Birmingham or Bern?

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

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Birmingham and Bern can help you decide which place is right for you.

Birmingham

Birmingham is a bustling, historic, and vibrant city. This is a quaint and attractive place to visit, too. It's also known for nightlife, live music, and food.

Bern

Bern is a cultural, historic, and charming city. This is also a very beautiful destination which attracts plenty of visitors. Other reasons to visit include museums, nightlife, and food.

Birmingham and Bern: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Birmingham or Bern?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Birmingham than Bern, as it is bigger with more sights, attractions, and activities for visitors. Birmingham is more popular for its theatre productions, nightlife, music, and quaint atmosphere, while Bern is known for its historical sights and impressive beauty. Birmingham is popular for its strong musical routes and its very livable atmosphere. It is also home to Victoria Square. Bern is popular for its well-preserved old town and its reputation as the home of the Lindt chocolate factory.

How is Birmingham different from Bern?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Bern and Birmingham. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Birmingham or Bern?

Spend time exploring the great sights and museums in either Birmingham or Bern.

Many visitors head to Birmingham specifically to visit some of its top-rated museums and other sights. Famous sights include the Museum & Art Gallery, Thinktank, and St. Philip's Cathedral.

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.

Is Birmingham or Bern Better for Theater?

Birmingham is a well-known place for theatre. However, Bern is not a theatre destination.

While in town, many visitors enjoy seeing a show in Birmingham. The impressive theater scene includes Broadway shows and musicals. Birmingham Hippodrome is a major theater in town.

Bern is not a theatre destination.

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

Picking the best cuisine and restaurants between Birmingham and Bern can be difficult as they are each good in their own way.

There are plenty of up and coming restaurants around Birmingham. Food reviews are mixed around town. The city has its share of award-winning restaurants, but there are also popular dishes that are more of an acquired taste. Local flavors include pork scratching, Birmingham soup, and brummie bacon cakes.

Visitors will find a budding food and restaurant scene in Bern. The city has cozy cafes, high end fine dining, traditional eateries, and modern venues.

Is Birmingham or Bern Better for Nightlife?

Birmingham 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.

Birmingham offers plenty to do in the evening. With tons of students and young people looking to party, there is plenty to do in the evening. You'll find no shortage of pubs, clubs, and music venues around town.

With a handful of venues, visitors can find a fairly lively vibe in Bern. There are bars, Irish pubs, and clubs around town.

Is Birmingham or Bern Better for Music?

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

Birmingham is a world class music destination. The city has long been a haven for musical creativity, and its influence over the global music scene is apparent. Popular music venues around town include Ghetto Golf, Digbeth Dining Club, and the Sunflower Lounge.

Bern is not a live music destination.

Is Birmingham or Bern Better for its Old Town?

Bern is great for its historic old town. However, Birmingham does not have a historic old town.

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.

Birmingham does not have a historic old town.

Is the Shopping Better in Birmingham or Bern?

If you're looking to go shopping, Birmingham and Bern both offer plenty of great spots.

Shopping is a popular activity when visiting Birmingham. The city offers everything from large department stores to smaller local shops. There are several good shopping streets around town as well as large markets and even a jewelry quarter.

Bern is a popular shopping destination with plenty of stores. 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 Birmingham or Bern Better for Families?

You'll find great kid-friendly activities in either Birmingham or Bern.

Birmingham is a very family-friendly destination. The city has put effort into making sure there are plenty of family-friendly activities around. You can visit a chocolate factory, explore an aquarium, enjoy an animal safari, or explore one of the hands-on museums.

Bern is a very kid-friendly city. 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.

Is Birmingham or Bern Better for Couples?

Both Birmingham and Bern are great destinations to visit as a couple.

Birmingham is a great city if you're traveling as a couple. Romantic activities around town include taking a beautiful stroll through town, wandering around a park or garden, or seeing the ballet.

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.

Is Birmingham or Bern Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

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

Bern is very popular with the backpacker crowd. Like most of Switzerland, prices are a bit high, but there are some hostels and free activities that backpackers and budget travelers can enjoy.

Birmingham is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. It's not the most popular destination for backpackers, but there's at least one affordable hostel in town.

Is Birmingham or Bern Better for Students?

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

Many students frequent Birmingham. With world class academic institutions and a very diverse and international population, this is a popular place for international students to study.

Bern is not popular with students.

Is Birmingham or Bern 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, Birmingham is not as popular, but is still a nice city for its public transit.

Visitors to Bern can move around easily with public transportation. There are trams and buses that run around town.

Birmingham has a few public transit options. There is a reasonably comprehensive bus system.

Is Birmingham or Bern a more walkable city?

Birmingham and Bern are great when it comes to walkability.

Birmingham is very walkable. Many parts of the city are very walkable.

Bern is a very walkable city. 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.

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

Should I spend more time in Bern or Birmingham?

How long in Birmingham or Bern?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Birmingham and Bern. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Birmingham than in Bern. Usually, 1-5 days is a good amount of time for Birmingham, and 1-3 days is enough time in Bern.

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

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

Visitors enjoy the theater and nightlife when visiting the destination of Birmingham. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One day is usually enough time to experience most activities.

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.

A weekend in Birmingham or Bern?

Birmingham is a fun place to experience. Most people visit for the live music. If you have a weekend, this is a great place to go. 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.

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.

Five days in Birmingham or Bern?

Visitors enjoy the live music and food when visiting the bustling destination of Birmingham. This city offers something for everyone. Plenty of people spend five days in the area when traveling. Five days is often enough time to do most activities.

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.

A week in Birmingham or Bern?

The historic city of Birmingham offers food and shopping. 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.

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.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Bicycle Tours in United Kingdom, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in United Kingdom, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Switzerland, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Switzerland.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Birmingham or Bern?

Birmingham has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Bern. When comparing the sizes of Birmingham and Bern, 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 Birmingham or Bern?

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 Birmingham or Bern in the Summer?

Both Bern and Birmingham during the summer are popular places to visit. Most visitors come to Birmingham for the music scene and the family-friendly experiences during these months. Furthermore, the summer months attract visitors to Bern because of the family-friendly experiences.

Birmingham is cooler than Bern in the summer. The daily temperature in Birmingham averages around 17°C (63°F) in July, and Bern fluctuates around 21°C (70°F).

In Bern, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the summer, Birmingham often gets less sunshine than Bern. Birmingham gets 196 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Bern receives 250 hours of full sun.

Birmingham usually gets less rain in July than Bern. Birmingham gets 44 mm (1.7 in) of rain, while Bern receives 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Birmingham or Bern in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Birmingham and Bern. The autumn months attract visitors to Birmingham because of the shopping scene and the music scene. Furthermore, the shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Bern this time of year.

In the autumn, Birmingham is cooler than Bern. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Birmingham in October average around 11°C (52°F), and Bern averages at about 13°C (55°F).

Birmingham usually receives less sunshine than Bern during autumn. Birmingham gets 103 hours of sunny skies, while Bern receives 126 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In October, Birmingham usually receives more rain than Bern. Birmingham gets 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain, while Bern receives 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Birmingham or Bern in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Birmingham as well as Bern. The museums, the shopping scene, the theater shows, and the cuisine are the main draw to Birmingham this time of year. Additionally, many travelers come to Bern for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.

Be prepared for some very cold days in Bern. It's quite cold in Birmingham in the winter. In January, Birmingham is generally a little warmer than Bern. Daily temperatures in Birmingham average around 3°C (38°F), and Bern fluctuates around 3°C (37°F).

In the winter, Birmingham often gets less sunshine than Bern. Birmingham gets 58 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Bern receives 65 hours of full sun.

Birmingham usually gets more rain in January than Bern. Birmingham gets 64 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Bern receives 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Birmingham or Bern in the Spring?

Both Bern and Birmingham are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Also, many visitors come to Bern in the spring for the natural beauty.

Birmingham is cooler than Bern in the spring. The daily temperature in Birmingham averages around 9°C (48°F) in April, and Bern fluctuates around 11°C (52°F).

Birmingham usually receives less sunshine than Bern during spring. Birmingham gets 136 hours of sunny skies, while Bern receives 164 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Birmingham usually receives less rain than Bern. Birmingham gets 44 mm (1.7 in) of rain, while Bern receives 59 mm (2.3 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Bern and Birmingham