A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Interlaken vs. Caen for Families, Couples, Food, and Backpackers

Should you visit Interlaken or Caen?

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 Interlaken and Caen can help you decide which place is right for you.

Interlaken

Interlaken is a adventurous, adrenaline-filled, and breathtaking town. It's considered by many to be an absolutely beautiful destination, too. This is a quaint and attractive place to visit, too. Other reasons to visit include skiing, food, and hiking.

Caen

Caen is a historic, park-filled, and important city. Since it's a large city, you'll find plenty of things to do. Other reasons to visit include nightlife, food, and museums.

Interlaken and Caen: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Interlaken or Caen?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Caen. Although Interlaken and Caen are both popular with visitors, Caen has more sights, activities, and attractions for travelers. Caen is more popular for its museums, nightlife, and big city activities, while Interlaken is known for its skiing, hiking, impressive beauty, and quaint atmosphere. Interlaken is more touristy than Caen and is known for its adventure sports, alpine setting, and beautiful lakes. Caen is popular for its role in World War II and its memorials and historical buildings. It is also home to Pegasus Bridge.

How is Interlaken different from Caen?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Is Interlaken or Caen Better for Skiing?

Interlaken is a good destination for skiing and snowboarding. However, Caen is not a skiing destination.

Interlaken is a great destination for skiing with plenty areas to explore. While the city itself has no skiing, there is access to several ski areas in Jungfrau. There are several different resorts in the area near Grindelwald, Wengen, and Mürren. You'll need to take a train or ski bus to get most places.

Caen is not a skiing destination.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Interlaken or Caen?

Caen is an excellent place to visit for its museums and history. However, Interlaken does not have museums and landmarks.

Many visitors head to Caen specifically to visit some of its top-rated museums and other sights. There are many monuments around town commemorating the city's long history. You'll want to see Château de Caen, Pegasus Bridge, Mémorial de Caen, Musée de Normandie, and Musée des beaux-arts de Caen.

Interlaken does not have museums and landmarks.

Is the Food Better in Interlaken or Caen? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Foodies will find both Interlaken and Caen both to be high quality destinations.

The food selection at local restaurants is excellent in Interlaken. Restaurants in the area serve local classics like fondue, local meats, cheeses, and chocolate. You can finish your meal off with strudel or head to a local bakery and try their samplings. Meals are expensive but the quality is good. You should also out into the countryside and enjoy a meal looking out over the mountains.

Eating is part of the travel experience when you visit Caen. There's a market that's at its best on Sundays where you'll find fresh produce and other local ingredients. There are also Michelin starred restaurants, seafood restaurants, and other traditional dishes. Head to the Vaugueux Quarter for traditional dishes.

Is Interlaken or Caen Better for Nightlife?

Caen is very good for nightlife. However, Interlaken is not a destination with noteworthy nightlife.

With a handful of venues, visitors can find a fairly lively vibe in Caen. The nightlife scene stays active thanks to the 30,000 students living in town. Head to the Rue Ecuyère for a pub crawl or hit up any of the other bars around town.

Interlaken is not a destination with noteworthy nightlife.

Is Interlaken or Caen Better for Hiking?

Interlaken is renowned for its hiking trails. However, Caen is not a hiking destination.

Interlaken is well-known for its hiking and trekking. Hikes in the area range from easy to challenging with every option in between. You can experience beautiful waterfalls, breathtaking views, and dramatic ridge hikes. Several of the best hikes in the area include Schynige Platte Ridge Trail, Mt Niesen Panorama Trail, and Giessbach Waterfalls.

Caen is not a hiking destination.

Is Interlaken or Caen Better for Families?

Interlaken is renowned for its kid-friendly activities. Also, Caen is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its family-friendly activities.

With a huge array of activities for kids, Interlaken is very family-friendly. While the city is beautiful, it's really the surrounding areas that you and your family will enjoy. There are amazing hikes, stunning views, playgrounds, lakes, and more. There's also an impressive ropes course that adventurous kids will love, funiculars, gondolas, and so many water sports!

You'll find plenty of kid-friendly things to do in Caen. There are museums, parks, monasteries, and castles that kids and adults alike with enjoy visiting.

Is Interlaken or Caen Better for Couples?

Interlaken is renowned for romance. Also, Caen is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its romantic activities.

Interlaken is fantastic couple's destination with fun and romantic activities. The mountaintop views, breathtaking hikes, and beautiful lakes make this a top destination for couples. Make sure you head out of town and fully immerse yourself in everything that the area has to offer. Kayaking, canoeing, paragliding, and more will make this a trip of a lifetime.

Caen makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Couples that are fascinated by history will enjoy a visit to this town in Normandy. There are also abbeys, castles and parks.

Is Interlaken or Caen Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Interlaken and Caen are both good destinations for backpackers.

Interlaken is popular with backpackers and budget travelers. It's a world class destination with so many activities that backpackers will love, but it's also one of the most expensive areas in one of the most expensive countries. There are hostels in town as well as a few in the nearby towns and countryside, but prices are steep. Cook when you can and enjoy all of the free activities that the area has to offer.

It's common for backpackers to visit Caen. You'll find more apartments and bed and breakfasts than hostels in town, but backpackers still make their way here.

Is Interlaken or Caen Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Visitors will find high quality public transit in both Interlaken and Caen.

Public transit in Interlaken is fairly effecient and thorough. Buses travel around town, but to get into the mountains there are trains, cog railways, funiculars, and gondolas.

Caen has some very good public transit options. There are buses and trams that travel throughout the city.

Is Interlaken or Caen a more walkable city?

Interlaken and Caen are good when it comes to walkability.

Interlaken is somewhat walkable. The old town is relatively walkable.

Caen is a somewhat walkable place. The city center is best explored on foot.

For even more information, also check out Is Interlaken Worth Visiting? and Is Caen Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Caen or Interlaken?

How long in Interlaken or Caen?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Interlaken and Caen. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Interlaken than in Caen. Usually, 2-5 days is a good amount of time for Interlaken, and 2-3 days is enough time in Caen.

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

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

One day in Interlaken or Caen?

Visitors enjoy the food and skiing when visiting the destination of Interlaken. Hiking can easily take up a good amount of your time here, too. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. With so much to do, one day is probably not enough time to see everything.

With museums and nightlife around the historic city of Caen, there's plenty to do. Anyone can find something fun to do here. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

A weekend in Interlaken or Caen?

Interlaken is a fun place to experience. Most people visit for the hiking. If you have a weekend, this is a great place to go. Hikers are also drawn to this area. 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 Caen, there's plenty to do. 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 Interlaken or Caen?

Visitors enjoy the food and skiing when visiting the world-class destination of Interlaken. This town offers something for everyone. Many visitors also spend a good bit of time hiking. Plenty of people spend five days in the area when traveling. Five days is often enough time to do most activities.

Caen, a popular city, is full of activities for travelers. 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 Interlaken or Caen?

The breathtaking town of Interlaken offers skiing and food. Make sure you spend some time hiking while you're in the area. 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.

Caen 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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Geneva, The Best 10-Day Tours from Zurich, The Best 10-Day Tours in France, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in France.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Interlaken and Caen, we can see that Interlaken is more expensive. And not only is Caen much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Caen would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Caen 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 Interlaken would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Interlaken than you might in Caen.

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

Which is Bigger, Interlaken or Caen?

Caen has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Interlaken. When comparing the sizes of Interlaken and Caen, 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 Interlaken or Caen?

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 Interlaken or Caen in the Summer?

Both Caen and Interlaken are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. Many visitors come to Interlaken in the summer for the hiking and the family-friendly experiences. Also, most visitors come to Caen for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences during these months.

Interlaken is a little warmer than Caen in the summer. The daily temperature in Interlaken averages around 21°C (70°F) in July, and Caen fluctuates around 18°C (64°F).

It's quite sunny in Caen. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Interlaken. Interlaken usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Caen during summer. Interlaken gets 241 hours of sunny skies, while Caen receives 227 hours of full sun in the summer.

In July, Interlaken usually receives more rain than Caen. Interlaken gets 89 mm (3.5 in) of rain, while Caen receives 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit Interlaken or Caen in the Autumn?

Both Caen and Interlaken during the autumn are popular places to visit. Most visitors come to Interlaken for the hiking trails and the natural beauty of the area during these months. Furthermore, the autumn months attract visitors to Caen because of the city's sights and attractions.

In the autumn, Interlaken is around the same temperature as Caen. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Interlaken in October average around 13°C (56°F), and Caen averages at about 12°C (54°F).

In the autumn, Interlaken often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Caen. Interlaken gets 120 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Caen receives 128 hours of full sun.

Interlaken usually gets around the same amount of rain in October as Caen. Interlaken gets 70 mm (2.8 in) of rain, while Caen receives 68 mm (2.7 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Interlaken or Caen in the Winter?

The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Interlaken and Caen. The winter months attract visitors to Interlaken because of the skiing and the cuisine. Furthermore, the museums and the cuisine are the main draw to Caen this time of year.

It's quite cold in Caen in the winter. The weather in Interlaken can be very cold. In January, Interlaken is generally much colder than Caen. Daily temperatures in Interlaken average around 3°C (37°F), and Caen fluctuates around 5°C (41°F).

Interlaken usually receives less sunshine than Caen during winter. Interlaken gets 55 hours of sunny skies, while Caen receives 70 hours of full sun in the winter.

In January, Interlaken usually receives more rain than Caen. Interlaken gets 77 mm (3 in) of rain, while Caen receives 64 mm (2.5 in) of rain each month for the winter.

Should I visit Interlaken or Caen in the Spring?

The spring brings many poeple to Interlaken as well as Caen. The natural beauty are the main draw to Interlaken this time of year. Additionally, many travelers come to Caen for the activities around the city.

Interlaken is a little warmer than Caen in the spring. The daily temperature in Interlaken averages around 12°C (53°F) in April, and Caen fluctuates around 9°C (49°F).

In the spring, Interlaken often gets less sunshine than Caen. Interlaken gets 150 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Caen receives 171 hours of full sun.

Interlaken usually gets more rain in April than Caen. Interlaken gets 79 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Caen receives 46 mm (1.8 in) of rain this time of the year.

Typical Weather for Caen and Interlaken