A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Lausanne vs. Marseille for Food, Nightlife, Old Town, and Couples

Should you visit Lausanne or Marseille?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Lausanne or Marseille, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Lausanne

Lausanne is a international, diverse, and vibrant city. It offers plenty of beauty for visitors. It's also popular because of the food, shopping, and museums.

Marseille

Marseille is a energetic and vibrant city. With stunning beauty, it attracts visitors from all around. With a quaint atmosphere, it also offers a unique feeling. Other popular activities here include beaches, shopping, and nightlife.

Lausanne and Marseille: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Lausanne or Marseille?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Marseille than Lausanne. It is bigger and it has more sights, attractions, and activities for travelers. Marseille is very popular for its food, nightlife, beaches, historical sights, christmas markets, impressive beauty, and quaint atmosphere, while Lausanne attracts visitors for its museums. Marseille is more touristy than Lausanne and is popular for its unique history, its diverse population, and its authenticity. It is also well known for The Vieux Port. Lausanne is famous for being the home of the International Olympic Committee headquarters.

How is Lausanne different from Marseille?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

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

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.

Marseille does not have museums and landmarks.

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

Marseille is a world-class destination for its restaurant scene. Also, Lausanne is still popular, but not quite as popular for its local flavors and cuisine.

Known for it's food and restaurant scene, Marseille is always at the top of any foodie's travel list. It's famous for its bouillabaisse, which is a hearty seafood soup that was once affordable but is now quite pricey.

The food selection at local restaurants is excellent in Lausanne. 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 Lausanne or Marseille Better for Nightlife?

Marseille is a world-class destination for its evening party scene. Also, Lausanne is still popular, but not quite as popular for nightlife.

People head to Marseille just to party. Much of the city's nightlife is centered around being outdoors. Whether you're on the beach or hanging out at a rooftop bar, Marseille is a magical place.

If you're looking for night time activities Lausanne has a few options to choose from. 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 Lausanne or Marseille Better for Beaches?

Marseille is a nice place to visit for the beach. However, Lausanne is not a beach destination.

Marseille has a beach worth visiting. The city has nice beaches that offer both culture and diversity, which may be lacking some other coastal parts of the French Riviera.

Lausanne is not a beach destination.

Is Lausanne or Marseille Better for its Old Town?

Marseille is a world-class destination for its historic old town charm. Also, Lausanne is still popular, but not quite as popular for its historic old town.

The historic old town of Marseille is revered around the world. The Old Port is filled with shops and boutiques, and is the most scenic part of the city. It dates back to the Middle Ages and is filled with history and character.

Lausanne is a good destination for visiting its old town. There's a relatively large historic section that has a Gothic cathedral and many quaint shops.

Is the Shopping Better in Lausanne or Marseille?

Shopping is a popular activity in both Marseille and Lausanne.

Browsing through shops is a popular activity 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.

Shopping is a popular activity when visiting Marseille. The city has boutiques, farmers markets, and flea markets to explore, as well as any luxury brand you may want.

Is Lausanne or Marseille Better for Christmas Markets?

Marseille is a nice place to visit for its Christmas markets. However, Lausanne does not offer Christmas markets.

Marseille has Christmas markets worth visiting. The old town has a Christmas craft market where you can buy toys, Christmas treats, or decorations.

Lausanne does not offer Christmas markets.

Is Lausanne or Marseille Better for Families?

Lausanne is a nice place to visit for its kid-friendly activities. However, Marseille is lacking in options for its family-friendly activities.

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.

Marseille doesn't usually come to mind when thinking about kid-friendly destinations. Nearby beaches and an outdoor climbing area make it a diverse city to visit with kids.

Is Lausanne or Marseille Better for Couples?

Marseille is well known for couples. Also, Lausanne is still popular, but not quite as popular for romance.

Couples visit Marseille frequently as it offers plenty of romantic activities. Strolling the boulevards and exploring the history and culture of this city make it a top couples' destination.

Lausanne is a nice destination for couples. 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 Lausanne or Marseille Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Marseille is a nice place to visit for backpackers. However, Lausanne is not particularly known for backpackers and budget travelers.

It's common for backpackers to visit Marseille. It has a decent number of hostels for a city of its size.

Lausanne is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. It's not the most popular town for backpackers but there are some affordable hotels. It's also more reasonably priced than many Swiss cities.

Is Lausanne or Marseille Better for Students?

Lausanne and Marseille are superb places to visit for students.

Lausanne is a great city to visit as a student. 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.

Students come from all over to stay in Marseille. It attracts international students because of its rich culture, unique atmosphere, and lively bar scene.

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

You'll find somewhat comparable public transit options in both Lausanne and Marseille.

You'll find some public transit in Lausanne, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. There is a comprehensive network of transportation options available in town including buses and boats.

While Marseille offers some public transit options, it might not be your first choice. The city has trams, a metro, and buses that you can use to explore.

Is Lausanne or Marseille a more walkable city?

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

Marseille is a very walkable destination. The Old Port (Vieux Port) is particularly walkable and is one of the best areas to explore 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 Lausanne Worth Visiting? and Is Marseille Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Marseille or Lausanne?

How long in Lausanne or Marseille?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Lausanne and Marseille. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Marseille than in Lausanne. Usually, 1-2 days is a good amount of time for Lausanne, and 2-3 days is enough time in Marseille.

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

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

One day in Lausanne or Marseille?

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.

The beautiful city of Marseille offers nightlife and food. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. With so much to do, one day is probably not enough time to see everything. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

A weekend in Lausanne or Marseille?

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.

Marseille 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 Marseille, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

Five days in Lausanne or Marseille?

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.

Marseille 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.

A week in Lausanne or Marseille?

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.

Marseille 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.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Switzerland, The Best Tours for Seniors to Switzerland, The Best Contiki Tours to France, and The Best G Adventures Tours to France.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Lausanne or Marseille?

Marseille has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of Lausanne. When comparing the sizes of Lausanne and Marseille, 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.