A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Manchester vs. Bern for Attractions, Food, Nightlife, and Families

Should you visit Manchester or Bern?

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 Manchester and Bern can help you decide which place is right for you.

Manchester

Manchester is a dynamic, diverse, and cultural city. It's a large city with plenty of activites for visitors as well. It's also known for food, shopping, and museums.

Bern

Bern is a cultural, historic, and charming city. This is also a very beautiful destination which attracts plenty of visitors. Other reasons to visit include museums, nightlife, and food.

Manchester and Bern: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Manchester or Bern?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Manchester than Bern, as it is bigger with more sights, attractions, and activities for visitors. Manchester is more popular for its food, nightlife, music, and big city activities, while Bern is known for its historical sights and impressive beauty. Manchester is popular for its strong music culture as well as being home to the world-renowned Manchester United Football Club. It is also home to The National Football Museum. Bern is popular for its well-preserved old town and its reputation as the home of the Lindt chocolate factory.

How is Manchester different from Bern?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

Spend time exploring the great sights and museums in either Manchester or Bern.

Many visitors head to Manchester specifically to visit some of its top-rated museums and other sights. Head to the Science and Industry Museum, the Imperial War Museum North, Manchester Cathedral, or John Rylands Library & Manchester Central Library to see some of the cities most interesting sights.

With a variety of museums, monuments, and historical sights, a trip to Bern can be an interesting and educational experience. 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 Manchester or Bern? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Manchester 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, Manchester makes for a great culinary experience. You'll find a great food scene with diverse restaurant options that include international flavors, vegetarian options, and more. There are also many great places to try craft beer.

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 Manchester or Bern Better for Nightlife?

Manchester is a well-known place for nightlife. Also, Bern is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for nightlife and partying.

Manchester offers plenty to do in the evening. The nightlife scene is diverse and high energy. Head to Deansgate or the Northern Quarter for some of the best nightlife venues. You'll also find a huge rave scene in town.

With a handful of venues, visitors can find a fairly lively vibe in Bern. There are bars, Irish pubs, and clubs around town.

Is Manchester or Bern Better for Music?

Manchester is a well-known place for live music. However, Bern is not a live music destination.

The music scene in Manchester is very popular with diverse venues. There's a long running music reputation here. Some of the iconic bands that began here include Oasis and Stone Roses.

Bern is not a live music destination.

Is Manchester or Bern Better for its Old Town?

Bern is great for its historic old town. However, Manchester does not have a historic old town.

There is a nice variety of sights 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.

Manchester does not have a historic old town.

Is the Shopping Better in Manchester or Bern?

If you're looking to go shopping, Manchester and Bern both offer plenty of great spots.

Shopping is a popular activity when visiting Manchester. From jewelry to boutique clothing outlets, there are many places to shop around town. Head to Manchester Arndale, Trafford Centre, or Market Street for some of the best shopping.

Bern is a popular shopping destination with plenty of stores. 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 Manchester or Bern Better for Families?

You'll find great kid-friendly activities in either Manchester or Bern.

Manchester is a very family-friendly destination. You'll find a number of kid-friendly activities around town including the popular Legoland Discovery Center. Another fun activity is taking a behind the scenes CBBC interactive tour at MediaCityUK. Animal lovers will enjoy visiting the SeaLife Aquarium or the Chester Zoo and sports enthusiasts will not want to miss a visit to the National Football Museum or doing a tour of Old Trafford where you can also visit the Manchester United Museum.

Bern is a very kid-friendly city. 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.

Is Manchester or Bern Better for Couples?

Both Manchester and Bern are great destinations to visit as a couple.

Manchester is a great city if you're traveling as a couple. Couples can enjoy a visit to a spa, a nice meal out, or simply wandering down the canal. For a unique experience, you can hit to slopes at Chill Factore.

Bern is a very popular place to visit for couples. With charming restaurants, a beautiful rose garden, and nice hotels and spas, this town makes a beautiful romantic getaway.

Is Manchester or Bern Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Bern is great for backpackers and budget travelers. Also, Manchester is not as popular, but is still a nice city for backpackers.

Bern is very popular with the backpacker crowd. Like most of Switzerland, prices are a bit high, but there are some hostels and free activities that backpackers and budget travelers can enjoy.

It's common for backpackers to visit Manchester. You'll find hostels around town and a number of visitors, particularly during the sports season.

Is Manchester or Bern Better for Students?

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

Manchester is a very popular city for students and younger travelers. There's a large number of students as well as a great music scene and tons of festivals that make this a great city to do your studies.

Bern is not popular with students.

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

Manchester and Bern both offer great public transit to get you around.

Many visitors rely on the effecient and affordable public transportation in Manchester. The city has bus, train, and tram options for travel.

Public transit in Bern can get you to some places easily. There are trams and buses that run around town.

Is Manchester or Bern a more walkable city?

Bern is great for its walkability. Also, Manchester is not as popular, but is still a nice city for its high level of walkability.

Bern is very walkable. 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.

Manchester is a somewhat walkable place. Some neighborhoods are more walkable than others.

For even more information, also check out Is Manchester Worth Visiting? and Is Bern Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Bern or Manchester?

How long in Manchester or Bern?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Manchester and Bern. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Manchester than in Bern. Usually, 2-4 days is a good amount of time for Manchester, and 1-3 days is enough time in Bern.

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

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

Manchester is a big city destination where you can fill many days. 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 Bern, there's plenty to do. Anyone can find something fun to do here. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Bern, one day is sufficent for most.

A weekend in Manchester or Bern?

Manchester is a fun place to experience. 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.

With nightlife and food around the destination of Bern, there's plenty to do. Most visitors spend time around the old town while in the area. 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 Manchester or Bern?

You'll find food and shopping around the cultural big city of Manchester. This city offers something for everyone. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

Bern, a popular city, is full of activities for travelers. Visiting the old town is also a must. 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 Manchester or Bern?

The vibrant city of Manchester offers shopping and museums. 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.

Bern 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 2-Week Tours from Edinburgh, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to United Kingdom, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Switzerland, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Switzerland.

When comparing the travel costs between Manchester and Bern, we can see that Bern 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 Manchester Expensive? and Is Bern Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Manchester or Bern?

Manchester has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Bern. When comparing the sizes of Manchester 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 Manchester or Bern?

Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.

Should I visit Manchester or Bern in the Summer?

Both Bern and Manchester during the summer are popular places to visit. Most visitors come to Manchester for the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences during these months. Furthermore, the summer months attract visitors to Bern because of the family-friendly experiences.

Manchester is cooler than Bern in the summer. The daily temperature in Manchester averages around 16°C (62°F) in July, and Bern fluctuates around 21°C (70°F).

In Bern, it's very sunny this time of the year. In the summer, Manchester often gets less sunshine than Bern. Manchester gets 176 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Bern receives 250 hours of full sun.

Manchester usually gets around the same amount of rain in July as Bern. Manchester gets 65 mm (2.6 in) of rain, while Bern receives 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Manchester or Bern in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Manchester and Bern. The autumn months attract visitors to Manchester because of the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the music scene. Furthermore, the shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Bern this time of year.

In the autumn, Manchester is cooler than Bern. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Manchester in October average around 11°C (52°F), and Bern averages at about 13°C (55°F).

Manchester usually receives less sunshine than Bern during autumn. Manchester gets 97 hours of sunny skies, while Bern receives 126 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In October, Manchester usually receives more rain than Bern. Manchester gets 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Bern receives 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Manchester or Bern in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Manchester as well as Bern. The museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Manchester this time of year. Additionally, many travelers come to Bern for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.

Be prepared for some very cold days in Bern. It's quite cold in Manchester in the winter. In January, Manchester is generally a little warmer than Bern. Daily temperatures in Manchester average around 4°C (39°F), and Bern fluctuates around 3°C (37°F).

In the winter, Manchester often gets less sunshine than Bern. Manchester gets 53 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Bern receives 65 hours of full sun.

Manchester usually gets more rain in January than Bern. Manchester gets 69 mm (2.7 in) of rain, while Bern receives 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Manchester or Bern in the Spring?

Both Bern and Manchester are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Many travelers come to Manchester for the activities around the city. Also, many visitors come to Bern in the spring for the natural beauty.

Manchester is cooler than Bern in the spring. The daily temperature in Manchester averages around 8°C (46°F) in April, and Bern fluctuates around 11°C (52°F).

Manchester usually receives less sunshine than Bern during spring. Manchester gets 144 hours of sunny skies, while Bern receives 164 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Manchester usually receives less rain than Bern. Manchester gets 51 mm (2 in) of rain, while Bern receives 59 mm (2.3 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Bern and Manchester