A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Inverness vs. Lausanne for Attractions, Food, Nightlife, and Families

Should you visit Inverness or Lausanne?

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 Inverness and Lausanne can help you decide which place is right for you.

Inverness

Inverness is a local, historic, and cultural city. Don't miss this spot, as it's a charming small town with plenty of activities. Other popular activities here include shopping, museums, and nightlife.

Lausanne

Lausanne is a cultural, international, and diverse city. It's a beautiful place to visit, too. And you can't forget about the nightlife, food, and shopping.

Inverness and Lausanne: Pros and Cons

Pros
  • Popular museums and historical sights
  • Active nightlife
  • Family-friendly
  • Good for couples and romance
  • Home to Loch Ness
Things to Consider
  • Less popular with backpackers
Pros
  • Popular museums and historical sights
  • Active nightlife
  • Scenic old town
  • Family-friendly
  • Good for couples and romance
  • Good for students
Things to Consider
  • Less popular with backpackers


Is there more to do in Inverness or Lausanne?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Lausanne. Although Inverness and Lausanne are both popular with visitors, Lausanne has more sights, activities, and attractions for travelers. Lausanne is more popular for its historical sights and impressive beauty, while Inverness is known for its small town charm. Inverness is more touristy than Lausanne and is known for its surrounding countryside, but also its regional heritage, local festivals and proximity to the famous Loch Ness. Lausanne is popular for being the home of the International Olympic Committee headquarters. It is also home to The Olympic Museum.

How is Inverness different from Lausanne?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Inverness or Lausanne?

Inverness
Lausanne

Plenty of people visit the excellent sights and museums in both Inverness and Lausanne.

Many visitors head to Inverness specifically to visit some of its top-rated museums and other sights. As a city rich in culture and heritage, you'll find a number of sights and museums in town. Check out the Highland House of Fraser, Culloden Moor, and Clava Cairns.

With a variety of museums, monuments, and historical sights, a trip to Lausanne can be an interesting and educational experience. You'll find many great museums around town that cover a range of topics. The Olympic Museum is very interesting. You should also check out the Cathedral of Notre-Dame, and the Hermitage Foundation.


Is the Food Better in Inverness or Lausanne? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Inverness
Lausanne

Local dishes at restaurants are fun to try in both Inverness and Lausanne.

Eating is part of the travel experience when you visit Inverness. The city makes a great spot to fill your belly after a few days exploring the Scottish Highlands. You'll find local restaurants that serve up regional specialties, and when the weather's nice, there are some spots with outdoor seating.

Lausanne has a number of nationally recognized food spots and restaurants. The city is filled with delicious chocolate, cheese, and wine. Fondue is a favorite, but you'll also find cured meats on most menus. While food can be expensive, it's also high quality and usually locally produced.

Is Inverness or Lausanne Better for Nightlife?

Inverness
Lausanne

Both Inverness and Lausanne are good when it comes to partying.

There's a variety of activities in the evening in Inverness. Nightlife isn't the first thing that comes to mind with this town, but there are actually lots of distilleries in the area and there's a surprising number of high quality bars and pubs that make for a fun evening.

With a handful of venues, visitors can find a fairly lively vibe in Lausanne. There are a surprising number of clubs around town and it's not hard to find somewhere to party. The large student population and the international vibe make this a fascinating place for nightlife.

Is Inverness or Lausanne Better for its Old Town?

Inverness
Lausanne

Lausanne is very good for its old town. However, Inverness does not have a historic old town.

Many people head to Lausanne to see the old town. There's a relatively large historic section that has a Gothic cathedral and many quaint shops.

Inverness does not have a historic old town.


Is the Shopping Better in Inverness or Lausanne?

Inverness
Lausanne

Both Inverness and Lausanne are excellent shopping destinations.

Inverness is a popular shopping destination with plenty of stores. The town is at the cultural heart of the Scottish Highlands you'll find plenty of local shops where you can pick up local products. Make sure you check out the Inverness Victorian Market.

Many visitors explore the shopping areas in Lausanne. You'll find luxury Swiss watch brands, jewelry, chocolate, and many other interesting things to buy. Prices can be high, but so is the quality. It's fun to look, even if you're not planning to purchase.

Is Inverness or Lausanne Better for Families?

Inverness
Lausanne

You'll find good kid-friendly activities in either Inverness or Lausanne.

Inverness is a family-friendly place to visit. The city has some parks and activities that are great for kids. Make sure you explore Inverness Castle and the Inverness Mystery Treasure Trail.

Lausanne is a family-friendly city. There are kid-friendly museums, petting zoos, and other fun activities in town. You can also take a boat ride or let the kids run around one of the parks in town.

Is Inverness or Lausanne Better for Couples?

Inverness
Lausanne

Both Inverness and Lausanne are good destinations to visit as a couple.

Inverness makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Located in the Scottish Highlands, there ae many scenic spots and nice activities that couples can enjoy in the area.

Lausanne is a good city for couples to visit. The medieval old city is fun to explore. The lakefront setting also offers fun activities like boating. There are also a number of museums in town to explore.


Is Inverness or Lausanne Better for Students?

Inverness
Lausanne

Lausanne is a well-known place for students. However, Inverness is not popular with students.

Lausanne is very popular with students. There are 11 institutes for higher learning in town, so students make up a significant percentage of the population. The city is also full of culture, making it a very livable city.

Inverness is not popular with students.

Is Inverness or Lausanne Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Inverness
Lausanne

Lausanne is very good for its public transit. However, Inverness is not a good city for times when you don't have a car.

Lausanne has a few public transit options. There is a comprehensive network of transportation options available in town including buses and boats.

Public transit is mostly limited in Inverness. There are local buses that pass through the town.

Is Inverness or Lausanne a more walkable city?

Inverness
Lausanne

Inverness is well known for its ease of walking around. Also, Lausanne is still popular, but not quite as popular for its walkability.

Inverness is a very walkable destination. It's compact enough that you can explore much of the town on foot.

Lausanne is somewhat walkable. Many parts of the city, including the historic sections, and relatively easy to explore on foot.


For even more information, also check out Is Inverness Worth Visiting? and Is Lausanne Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Lausanne or Inverness?

How long in Inverness or Lausanne?

You'll be able to find lots of things to do in Inverness or Lausanne to fill your time. Many travelers usually spend more of their time in Inverness than Lausanne because of the number of activities and things to do in the area. Usually, 1-3 days is a good amount of time for Inverness, and 1-2 days is enough time in Lausanne.

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Lausanne than Inverness 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 Lausanne.


  • How many days in Inverness or Lausanne? Ideal Length of Stay
    Inverness 1-3 
    Lausanne 1-2

One day in Inverness or Lausanne?

The city of Inverness offers food and shopping. With all of its activities, you can easily fill one day here. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

You'll find shopping and museums around the city of Lausanne. One day is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Lausanne has to offer. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

A weekend in Inverness or Lausanne?

Inverness 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. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Inverness, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

You'll find museums and nightlife around the diverse destination of Lausanne. This is a popular place to visit for a weekend.A weekend should give you a good understanding of everything this city has to offer. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from.

Five days in Inverness or Lausanne?

Inverness 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.

Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the international city of Lausanne. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.


A week in Inverness or Lausanne?

Inverness is a great place to explore. 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.

Lausanne is a popular choice for travelers. 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. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.


For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from London, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Edinburgh, The Best Luxury Tours to Switzerland, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Switzerland.


Which place is cheaper, Lausanne or Inverness?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Inverness is £168, while the average daily cost in Lausanne is £183. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Inverness and Lausanne in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Inverness £91
    Lausanne £110
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Inverness £182
    Lausanne £220
Compare Hotels in Inverness and Lausanne

Looking for a hotel in Inverness or Lausanne? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Inverness


Hotels in Lausanne


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Inverness Hotel Prices and Lausanne Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Inverness £33
    Lausanne £33

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Inverness

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Inverness:

  • Transfers / Tour from , inverness, Edinburgh ,Glasgow ,Aberdeen : $184
  • Arrival Private Transfer from Inverness INV to Inverness City by luxury vehicle: $105
  • Inverness Airport (INV) to Glenshee Ski Resort - Arrival Transfer: $66
  • Inverness Airport (INV) to Lecht Ski Resort - Arrival Transfer: $33
  • Inverness Airport to Glenshee Ski Resort - Round-Trip Transfer: $131
  • Inverness Private Transfer to Aviemore: $229
  • Inverness to Edinburgh Direct transfer: $781
  • Inverness to Fort William Direct transfer: $374
  • Inverness to Glasgow Direct transfer: $781
  • Inverness to Isle of Skye Direct transfer: $623

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lausanne

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Lausanne:

  • Lausanne accommodation to Geneva Airport (GVA) - Departure Private Transfer: $53
  • Private Transfer from Geneva Airport to Évian-les-Bains: $160
  • Taxi, Airport Transfer and Limousine Service in Switzerland: $233

Is it cheaper to fly into Inverness or Lausanne?

Prices for flights to both Lausanne and Inverness change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Inverness £49
    Lausanne £50

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Inverness £44
    Lausanne £30

Tours and Activities in Inverness

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Inverness are as follows:

  • City Discovery App-Based Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
  • City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour: $15
  • Inverness City Daily Walking Tour (11:30am, 2pm & 5:30pm): $15
  • Guided Walking Tour with a Local: $17
  • SEA LIFE Loch Lomond General Admission Ticket: $20
  • Northern Highlights Sightseeing Pass: $25
  • Loch Ness 1-Hour Cruise with Urquhart Castle Views: $27
  • Loch Ness and Caledonian Canal 2-Hour Cruise from Dochgarroch: $38
  • Glenaladale Cruise - Great for wizard spotting!: $38
  • Inverness Bike Tour a 2 hours guided bike tour around the Waterways of Inverness: $39
  • Gaskan cruise - Golden Eagles!: $44
  • Puffin Tour: $57

Tours and Activities in Lausanne

Here are a few actual costs in Lausanne for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.21
  • Modern Medeival A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $4.99
  • Medieval A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.20
  • Lausanne Highlights Self Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $5.35
  • Exploration Game and City Tour on your Phone: $6.41
  • Escape Game and Tour: $6.42
  • Lausanne Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.54
  • Scavenger Hunt and Self-Guided City Walking Tour: $15
  • Lausanne (Ouchy District) City Sights Self-Guided Tour: $15
  • Lausanne (City Center) Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $16
  • Lausanne Ouchy District City Sights Self-Guided Tour: $16
  • The Olympic Museum Entry Ticket: $22

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Inverness £23
    Lausanne £21

Sample the Local Flavors in Inverness

Also in Inverness, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • From Invergordon Port Dunrobin Castle, Clynelish Distillery Tour : $203
  • Speyside Distillery Tour From Inverness: $1,124

Sample the Local Flavors in Lausanne

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Lausanne:

  • Swiss cheese and charcuterie wine tasting: $50


When comparing the travel costs between Inverness and Lausanne, we can see that Lausanne is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Europe, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

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


Which is Bigger, Inverness or Lausanne?

Lausanne has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Inverness. When comparing the sizes of Inverness and Lausanne, 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.