A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Murren vs. Calais for Couples, Families, Food, and Nightlife

Should you visit Murren or Calais?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Murren and Calais can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Murren

Murren is a authentic, breathtaking, and stunning town. As this is a charming small town, visitors also come to explore the sights and local activities. The famous beauty of this place is one of the main draws. Other popular activities here include hiking, skiing, and food.

Calais

Calais is a authentic, undiscovered, and coastal city. Since it's a large city, you'll find plenty of things to do. It's also known for nightlife, food, and beaches.

Murren and Calais: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Murren or Calais?

Visitors will usually find more to do in Calais than Murren, as it offers more sights, attractions, and activities. Calais is better known for its museums, nightlife, beaches, shopping, and big city activities, while Murren is more popular for its skiing, hiking, small town charm, and impressive beauty. Murren is more touristy than Calais and is known for its spectacular mountain views, authentically local atmosphere, and world class hiking and skiing. Calais is well known for being a gateway for travelers to France. Also, Calais is famous for The Town Hall.

How is Murren different from Calais?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Is Murren or Calais Better for Skiing?

Murren is a must-visit destination for winter skiing. However, Calais is not a skiing destination.

If you're an avid snow skiier, Murren should be on your list. If you're visiting in the winter, you're in luck because the scenery and the slopes are both amazing. The top of Schilthorn is quickly accessed from the gondola and ski lifts, and heading down you'll find some difficult runs along with easier slopes. Enjoy your apres-ski in the village with cozy drinks and a dinner of fondue. And with more time, you can easily get across the valley to the Grindelwald-Wengen ski area, too.

Calais is not a skiing destination.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Murren or Calais?

Calais is a city with good options for its museums and landmarks. However, Murren is not particularly known for its historical sights.

Calais is a good place to visit if you're interested in museums or other recognizable sights. It's a port city with a few good museums and landmarks to see. Check out the Town Hall, Burghers of Calais, La Cité de la Dentelle et de la Mode, and Musée de la Guerre de Calais, as well as the Calais Lighthouse.

If you're looking to pass the time, head to a museum or historic sight in Murren. You don't visit this area for the museums, so if you're looking for an indoor activity on a rainy day, your options are limited.

Is the Food Better in Murren or Calais? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Picking the best cuisine and restaurants between Murren and Calais can be difficult as they are each notable in their own way.

Murren offers number of good local restaurants to choose from. If you can afford the prices, you'll enjoy some great meals of fondue or local steak. There aren't many restaurants in town and some of the best are attached to the hotels. Those on a tight budget will be frustrated because cheap eats are hard to come by. You may as well pay a little more and enjoy a high quality, fine dining experience.

Calais has a delicious restaurant scene that relies on local flavors. The region is known for its mackerel, andouillette sausage, and endive and ham gratin. If you're passing through, this is also a good place to stock up on wine and cheese.

Is Murren or Calais Better for Nightlife?

Calais is a city with good options for nightlife. However, Murren is not particularly known for nightlife and partying.

Calais has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. You'll find bars and pubs around town as well as a few clubs. Places range from trendy and high end to local dive bars.

Murren doesn't have the most active nightlife scene. It's a quiet and residential town that is more about the daytime activities than the nightlife scene.

Is Murren or Calais Better for Beaches?

Calais is a city with good options for its beaches. However, Murren is not a beach destination.

Plenty of visitors enjoy relaxing on the beach in Calais. There are some sandy beaches near town that have nice stretches of sand and plenty of sand dunes. Many locals enjoy sunbathing at the beaches.

Murren is not a beach destination.

Is Murren or Calais Better for Hiking?

Murren is a must-visit destination for its hiking experiences. However, Calais is not a hiking destination.

People visit Murren specifically for its hiking, as the natural beauty is well-known. Hiking trails pass right through the town, connecting the many alpine towns in the area. There are hikes for all levels, and each offers stunning views of the surrounding peaks, which include Eiger, Jungfrau, and Monch.

Calais is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Murren or Calais?

Calais is a city with good options for shopping. However, Murren is not particularly known for its shopping opportunities.

Calais is a great destination for shopping. Many visitors stock up on wine and cheese when they're passing through. It's common to head straight to Auchan or Carrefour to stock up on some items.

Shopping in Murren can be found for those interested. Aside from a food market or two, there aren't many shops in town and prices for everything are a bit high.

Is Murren or Calais Better for Families?

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

Murren is known to be a very family-friendly place to visit. Kid-friendly activities are everywhere in this amazing town. Take the Allmendhubel Funicular Train and explore one of the coolest playgrounds ever! Family-friendly trails abound and outdoor adventures with spectacular views are fun for everyone.

Calais offers lots of family activities. There's the Nausicaa Aquarium, the Museum of the Atlantic Wall, and the Second World War Museum. There are also beaches and parks to explore as well as some nice playgrounds.

Is Murren or Calais Better for Couples?

Murren is a must-visit destination for couples. Also, Calais is still popular, but not quite as popular for romance.

Murren makes for a terrific place to visit as a couple. This small town offers charming hotels, hidden viewpoints, and romantic hikes through the Alps. If you want to experience an authentic side to the Alps, then stay in this town and explore the many hiking trails in the area.

Calais is a nice destination for couples. Couples can picnic with wine and cheese or eat their way through the town's great restaurants. There are also some nice beaches where people enjoy sunbathing or relaxing.

Is Murren or Calais Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

You'll find somewhat comparable public transit options in both Murren and Calais.

You'll find some public transit in Murren, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. Train, cable car, and funicular are the only ways to reach this car-free town.

While Calais offers some public transit options, it might not be your first choice. The city has 13 bus lines that run through town and into the surrounding areas. If you're arriving by ferry from the UK, there are shuttle buses that connect the ferry terminal to the train station.

Is Murren or Calais a more walkable city?

Murren is a must-visit destination for its ease of walking around. Also, Calais is still popular, but not quite as popular for its walkability.

Getting around Murren on foot is easy. It's a small town with a very limited number of vehicles so it's best explored on foot. There are also many walking trails in the area.

Calais is somewhat walkable. Parts of the town are more walkable than others.

For even more information, also check out Is Murren Worth Visiting? and Is Calais Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Calais or Murren?

How long in Murren or Calais?

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

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Calais than Murren 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 Calais.

One day in Murren or Calais?

Murren might be a small town, but there's plenty to do in the area. Hikers are also drawn to this area. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

Many travelers enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting the destination of Calais. One day is often enough time to do most activities.

A weekend in Murren or Calais?

Murren is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Calais is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Five days in Murren or Calais?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Murren. Make sure you spend some time hiking while you're in the area. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Calais. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

A week in Murren or Calais?

Murren is a small town, so it's a great destination if you're short on time. This town offers a variety of activities to choose from. Many travelers plan to spend time hiking while in the area. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the coastal destination of Calais. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

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

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

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

Which is Bigger, Murren or Calais?

Calais has a larger population, and is about 170 times larger than the population of Murren. When comparing the sizes of Murren and Calais, 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.