A Travel Price Comparison for Switzerland Geneva vs. Bern for Attractions, Food, Old Town, and Families

Should you visit Geneva or Bern?

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

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Geneva and Bern. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Geneva

Geneva is a diverse, international, and professional city. It's a large city with plenty of activites for visitors as well. It's a gorgeous place to visit. It's also known for nightlife, food, and shopping.

Bern

Bern is a beautiful, cultural, and historic city. This is also a very beautiful destination which attracts plenty of visitors. It's also known for shopping, museums, and nightlife.

Geneva and Bern: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Geneva or Bern?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Geneva than Bern, as it is bigger with more sights, attractions, and activities for visitors. Geneva is more popular for its food, shopping, and big city activities, while Bern is known for its historical sights and impressive beauty. Geneva is popular for its role as a global hub for the United Nations, the Red Cross, and the World Health Organization. It is also home to The Geneva Water Fountain (The Jet d'Eau). Bern is popular for its well-preserved old town and its reputation as the home of the Lindt chocolate factory.

How is Geneva different from Bern?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

Both Geneva and Bern have superb landmarks and museums for visitors.

Visitors can fill many days exploring the museums and attractions around Geneva. Famous sights and landmarks include the spectacular Water Jet, St Pierre Cathedral, and the Palais des Nations. There are also impressive art and history museums in the city.

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.

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

Geneva 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, Geneva makes for a great culinary experience. The city has an amazing mix of traditional Swiss restaurants as well as diverse ethnic options. Traditional dishes include fondue and raclette, both of which involve the decadent Swiss cheese.

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 Geneva or Bern Better for Nightlife?

It's hard to distinguish whether Geneva or Bern has a better nightlife scene.

Geneva has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. During the day the city is all business, but at night the professionals, interns, students, and NGO workers all come together to enjoy a drink at a bar or dance at one of the city's diverse clubs.

If you're looking for night time activities Bern has a few options to choose from. There are bars, Irish pubs, and clubs around town.

Is Geneva or Bern Better for its Old Town?

Bern is a great destination for its historic old town. Also, Geneva is still popular, but not quite as popular for its old town.

There are many historical things to see 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.

Plenty of visitors enjoy exploring the old town in Geneva. The Old Town offers a number of charming streets where you can wander as well as historical buildings including St. Pierre Cathedral.

Is the Shopping Better in Geneva or Bern?

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

Geneva is a famous shopping destination with plenty of stores. Famous for its posh shops and luxury brands, this city is a popular shopping destination. From chic boutiques to deluxe toy stores, you'll find something for everyone. In particular, the city is known for its Swiss watches, Swiss Army knives, chocolate, and wine.

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 Geneva or Bern Better for Families?

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

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.

Geneva offers lots of family activities. This diverse city has a number of chocolate shops, toy stores, and parks where kids can play. They'll be impressed by the Water Jet and there are few places where you can swim in the lake when the weather is warm.

Is Geneva or Bern Better for Couples?

Bern is a great destination for romance. Also, Geneva is still popular, but not quite as popular for its romantic activities.

Couples visit Bern frequently as it offers plenty of romantic activities. With charming restaurants, a beautiful rose garden, and nice hotels and spas, this town makes a beautiful romantic getaway.

Geneva makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Wandering Old Town, sampling Swiss chocolate, and enjoying one of the many ethnic restaurants around town all make for great date activities. Fondue in a traditional restaurant is also a not to be missed experience.

Is Geneva or Bern Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Bern is a great destination for backpackers. However, Geneva is a city with minimal options for backpackers and budget travelers.

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.

Geneva is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. The city is often overlooked by backpackers as it is pretty expensive. Many hotels cater to the business traveler crowd, but there are a few hostels to choose from.

Is Geneva or Bern Better for Students?

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

Geneva is a very popular city for students and younger travelers. The University of Geneva attracts many international students and the city is quite diverse. It feels like a mixing bowl of cultures, so students will feel very welcomed and comfortable here.

Bern is not popular with students.

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

Geneva is renowned for its public transit. Also, Bern is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for times when you don't have a car.

Geneva has a great public transit system. The very comprehensive system includes trams, buses, and boats.

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

Is Geneva or Bern a more walkable city?

Geneva and Bern both are superb when exploring on foot.

Geneva is very walkable. Most areas where visitors spend their time can be easily explored on foot.

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 Geneva Worth Visiting? and Is Bern Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Bern or Geneva?

How long in Geneva or Bern?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Geneva and Bern. You can spend similar amounts of time exploring each one. However, 1-3 days is a good amount of time to spend in either destination.

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

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

Geneva is a big city destination where you can fill many days. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One day is usually enough time to experience most activities.

Many travelers enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting the destination of Bern. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. One day is often enough time to do most activities.

A weekend in Geneva or Bern?

Geneva is a fun place to experience. Most people visit for the shopping. 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.

Bern is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Five days in Geneva or Bern?

You'll find museums and nightlife around the international big city of Geneva. This city offers something for everyone. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Bern. 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. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

A week in Geneva or Bern?

The classy city of Geneva offers nightlife and food. 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.

Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the cultural destination of Bern. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. 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.

For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Switzerland, The Best Adventure Tours to Switzerland, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Switzerland, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Switzerland.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Geneva or Bern?

Geneva has a larger population, and is about 51% larger than the population of Bern. When comparing the sizes of Geneva 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 Geneva or Bern?

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 Geneva or Bern in the Summer?

The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Geneva and Bern. The city activities and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Geneva this time of year. Also, many travelers come to Bern for the family-friendly experiences.

Geneva is around the same temperature as Bern in the summer. The daily temperature in Geneva averages around 22°C (71°F) in July, and Bern fluctuates around 21°C (70°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Bern this time of the year. In Geneva, it's very sunny this time of the year. Geneva usually receives more sunshine than Bern during summer. Geneva gets 285 hours of sunny skies, while Bern receives 250 hours of full sun in the summer.

In July, Geneva usually receives around the same amount of rain as Bern. Geneva gets 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Bern receives 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit Geneva or Bern in the Autumn?

The autumn brings many poeple to Geneva as well as Bern. Many travelers come to Geneva for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area. Also, many visitors come to Bern in the autumn for the shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area.

In the autumn, Geneva is around the same temperature as Bern. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Geneva in October average around 14°C (56°F), and Bern averages at about 13°C (55°F).

In the autumn, Geneva often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Bern. Geneva gets 127 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Bern receives 126 hours of full sun.

Geneva usually gets more rain in October than Bern. Geneva gets 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Bern receives 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Geneva or Bern in the Winter?

Both Bern and Geneva are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. Many visitors come to Geneva in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. Also, most visitors come to Bern for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine during these months.

Bern can be very cold during winter. Geneva can get quite cold in the winter. In January, Geneva is generally a little warmer than Bern. Daily temperatures in Geneva average around 4°C (39°F), and Bern fluctuates around 3°C (37°F).

Geneva usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Bern during winter. Geneva gets 62 hours of sunny skies, while Bern receives 65 hours of full sun in the winter.

In January, Geneva usually receives around the same amount of rain as Bern. Geneva gets 55 mm (2.1 in) of rain, while Bern receives 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain each month for the winter.

Should I visit Geneva or Bern in the Spring?

Both Bern and Geneva during the spring are popular places to visit. Most visitors come to Geneva for the activities around the city and the natural beauty during these months. Furthermore, the spring months attract visitors to Bern because of the natural beauty.

Geneva is around the same temperature as Bern in the spring. The daily temperature in Geneva averages around 11°C (53°F) in April, and Bern fluctuates around 11°C (52°F).

In the spring, Geneva often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Bern. Geneva gets 174 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Bern receives 164 hours of full sun.

Geneva usually gets more rain in April than Bern. Geneva gets 65 mm (2.6 in) of rain, while Bern receives 59 mm (2.3 in) of rain this time of the year.

Typical Weather for Bern and Geneva