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

Should you visit Lausanne or Villach?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Lausanne or Villach, 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 cultural, international, and diverse city. It offers plenty of beauty for visitors. Other popular activities here include nightlife, food, and shopping.

Villach

Villach is a nature-filled, outdoorsy, and historic town. Don't miss this spot, as it's a charming small town with plenty of activities. With stunning beauty, it attracts visitors from all around. Other popular activities here include museums, nightlife, and hiking.

Lausanne and Villach: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Lausanne or Villach?

Both Villach and Lausanne have plenty of things to do for visitors. Both offer a variety of sights, activities, and attractions for tourists. Lausanne is very popular for its museums, food, and shopping, while Villach attracts visitors for its hiking, small town charm, and impressive beauty. Villach is more touristy than Lausanne and is known for its many alpine hikes, nearby lakes, and its quaint main square. Lausanne is famous for being the home of the International Olympic Committee headquarters.

How is Lausanne different from Villach?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Villach 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 Villach?

Lausanne is notable for its sights and museums. Also, Villach is not as famous, but is still a good town to visit for its museums and history.

Lausanne offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. 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.

Villach is a good place to visit if you're interested in museums or other recognizable sights. There are several historical buildings in town such as the Parish Church of St. Jakob, the Holy Cross Church, and the Parish Church of St. Martin. Also worth a visit is the Museum of the City of Villach.

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

Lausanne is notable for its local cuisine and restaurants. However, Villach is a mediocre town for its restaurants.

Dining out in Lausanne is an experience not to be missed. 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.

Villach offers some easy restaurants to choose from. You'll find the standard options of pizza and burgers around town. While the food scene isn't particularly special, the quality is decent and reliable.

Is Lausanne or Villach Better for Nightlife?

Party-goers will find similar levels of energy in Lausanne and Villach.

Lausanne has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. 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.

If you're looking for night time activities Villach has a few options to choose from. The weekends are when you'll find the best nightlife. There are some local bars and clubs that come to life and attract a young crowd on a weekend night.

Is Lausanne or Villach Better for its Old Town?

Lausanne and Villach both have nice historical old towns that attract visitors.

Lausanne offers a nice historic old town area. There's a relatively large historic section that has a Gothic cathedral and many quaint shops.

Villach is a good destination for visiting its old town. You'll find churches and gardens throughout the charming old town. At the heart of the town is the main square.

Is Lausanne or Villach Better for Hiking?

Villach is well known for its hiking experiences. However, Lausanne is not a hiking destination.

You'll find a nice variety of hiking trails around Villach. The surrounding countryside is filled with both short and long hikes. You can take a short stroll or spend hours (or days) exploring the alpine scenery. Breathtaking views and peaceful retreats make this a wonderful area for hiking.

Lausanne is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Lausanne or Villach?

Lausanne is notable for its shopping areas. However, Villach is a mediocre town for shopping.

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.

Villach is a good destination for shopping. There are your standard shopping centers where you can pick up clothes or anything you may have forgotten for your trip.

Is Lausanne or Villach Better for Families?

Villach is well known for its family-friendly activities. Also, Lausanne is still popular, but not quite as popular for its kid-friendly activities.

Villach is known to be a very family-friendly place to visit. The area is filled with outdoor adventures that the whole family will enjoy. There's kid-friendly hiking, adventure parks, nature parks, and some swimming areas.

Lausanne offers lots of family activities. 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 Lausanne or Villach Better for Couples?

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

Couples visit Villach frequently as it offers plenty of romantic activities. Couples who enjoy outdoor adventures, beautiful hikes, and stunning scenery will appreciate a visit to this area.

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 Villach Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Villach is well known for backpackers. However, Lausanne is not particularly known for backpackers and budget travelers.

Villach is a very popular town for backpackers and budget travelers. There are a number of hostels in the area that cater to backpackers who enjoy the outdoor setting and beautiful hikes that are nearby.

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 Villach Better for Students?

Lausanne is notable for students. However, Villach is not popular with students.

Lausanne is a very popular city for students and younger travelers. 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.

Villach is not popular with students.

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

Lausanne is a popular place for its public transit. However, Villach is a mediocre town 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 Villach. There are buses and trains in the area, but to experience the nearby nature you'll want to have a car.

Is Lausanne or Villach a more walkable city?

Lausanne is a popular place for its ease of walking around. However, Villach is a mediocre town for its walkability.

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

Villach is generally not a very walkable city. Parts of the town are walkable but the surrounding natural areas are most easily accessed with a car.

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

Should I spend more time in Villach or Lausanne?

How long in Lausanne or Villach?

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

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

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

One day in Lausanne or Villach?

In Lausanne, you'll find nightlife and food. This city offers something for everyone. This would be the perfect place to spend one day, as it has just the right amount of activities.

The beautiful town of Villach offers museums and nightlife. Many visitors also spend a good bit of time hiking. With all of its activities, you can easily fill one day here. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

A weekend in Lausanne or Villach?

In Lausanne, you'll find food and shopping. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. A weekend here is typical. A weekend is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Lausanne has to offer.

Villach is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. If you have a weekend, this town makes for a great vacation. Make sure you spend some time hiking while you're in the area. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Villach, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

Five days in Lausanne or Villach?

Lausanne is a great place to explore. Five days is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. Anyone can find something fun to do here.

Villach 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 Villach?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Lausanne. Many people enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting Lausanne. One week may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing.

Villach is a great place to explore. Hiking can easily take up a good amount of your time here, too. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. This town 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 2-Week Tours in Austria, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Austria.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Lausanne or Villach?

Lausanne has a larger population, and is about 98% larger than the population of Villach. When comparing the sizes of Lausanne and Villach, 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.