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

Should you visit Murren or Galway?

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 Galway 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 stunning, serene, and authentic town. This is a great small town that is just waiting to be explored. You'll find world class beauty here as well. It's also known for skiing, food, and hiking.

Galway

Galway is a cultural, historical, and vibrant city. Since it's a large city, you'll find plenty of things to do. It's also known for shopping, museums, and nightlife.

Murren and Galway: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Murren or Galway?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Galway. Although Murren and Galway are both popular with visitors, Galway has more sights, activities, and attractions for travelers. Galway is more popular for its museums, nightlife, shopping, and big city activities, while Murren is known for its skiing, hiking, small town charm, and impressive beauty. Murren is more touristy than Galway and is known for its spectacular mountain views, authentically local atmosphere, and world class hiking and skiing. Galway is popular for its many festivals, its traditional pubs, and its live Irish folk music. It is also home to The Galway Market.

How is Murren different from Galway?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Is Murren or Galway Better for Skiing?

Murren is an unbeatable place for snow skiing. However, Galway is not a skiing destination.

Visitors will find world class skiing in Murren. 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.

Galway is not a skiing destination.

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

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

Galway is a good place to visit if you're interested in museums or other recognizable sights. Popular landmarks and sights in town include Eyre Square, St. Nicholas' Church, the Galway Cathedral, and the Galway City Museum.

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 Galway? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Picking the best cuisine and restaurants between Murren and Galway can be difficult as they are each good 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.

Galway has a delicious restaurant scene that relies on local flavors. There are local pubs and traditional restaurants offering authentic Irish dishes. Popular options include Irish Stew, Cockles and Mussels, and Galway Oysters.

Is Murren or Galway Better for Nightlife?

Galway is well known for nightlife. However, Murren is not particularly known for nightlife and partying.

Galway is a popular destination for visitors looking to party into the night. The nightlife scene is among the best in Ireland. The city embraces the friendly Irish hospitality and there are laid back pubs and bars around town as well as a few trendy nightclubs.

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 Galway Better for Hiking?

Murren is an unbeatable place for the nearby hiking options. However, Galway is not a hiking destination.

Around Murren visitors will find world-class hiking trails. 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.

Galway is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Murren or Galway?

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

Galway is a great destination for shopping. You'll find shopping both in the city center as well as at suburban shopping malls. For some of the best shopping head to The Latin Quarter, The Westend or the outdoor market which is found in Church lane by St Nicholas' Church.

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 Galway Better for Families?

Murren is notable for its family-friendly activities. Also, Galway is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for its kid-friendly activities.

Murren is 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.

Galway is a family-friendly town. Kids will enjoy the National Aquarium Galway or simply wandering around the Latin Quarter. About 15 minutes outside of the city is the Wildlands Adventure Park which has ziplines, ropes courses, and other adrenaline filled activities. Brigit's Garden is another fun place to let kids stretch their legs.

Is Murren or Galway Better for Couples?

Murren is an unbeatable place for romance. Also, Galway is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for its romantic activities.

Murren is a great town for couples, as it has plenty to offer. 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.

Galway makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. There are nice restaurants, beautiful walks, and a few parks to explore. There are also several romantic places just outside of town that make for a great day trip.

Is Murren or Galway Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Galway is well known for backpackers. However, Murren is not particularly known for backpackers and budget travelers.

Backpackers come from all over to visit Galway. There are plenty of hostels in the area and it's easy to meet other travelers.

Murren is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. There aren't any hostels in town so it's a bit difficult to stay in Murren as a backpacker. There are a number of charming hostels in the surrounding area though and they each have a unique local character.

Is Murren or Galway Better for Students?

Galway is a city with good options for students. However, Murren is not popular with students.

Galway is popular with students. The city has a solid student population with a number of activities and entertainment options.

Murren is not popular with students.

Is Murren or Galway 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 Galway.

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 Galway offers some public transit options, it might not be your first choice. There are two bus companies in Galway, Bus Eireann and City Direct.

Is Murren or Galway a more walkable city?

Murren is an unbeatable place for its walkability. Also, Galway is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for its high level of walkability.

It is easy to get around Murren on foot. 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.

Galway is a very walkable town. If you stay in central Galway, the area is generally compact and walkable.

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

Should I spend more time in Galway or Murren?

How long in Murren or Galway?

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

Families should spend more time in Murren than Galway. 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 Galway. 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 Galway 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 Galway.

One day in Murren or Galway?

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 Galway. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

A weekend in Murren or Galway?

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.

Galway 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 Galway?

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 Galway. 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 Galway?

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 vibrant destination of Galway. 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 Ireland, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Ireland.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Murren or Galway?

Galway has a larger population, and is about 160 times larger than the population of Murren. When comparing the sizes of Murren and Galway, 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.