A first weekend in Bern: arcades, clockwork and the Aare
Bern by the Aare: bridge views, Matte and the BearPark paths
Bern Minster: the portal, tower climb and terrace belowAn example packing list for Bern in December
Use this as a starting point and choose what suits your plans. Packtricia tailors your list and quantities to your trip length, weather and preferences.
Clothing
- Underwear
- Bras (if worn)
- Socks
- Sleepwear
- Long-sleeved base layer
- Warm trousers
- Sweater or fleece
- Warm weather-resistant coat
- Warm hat
- Gloves
- Scarf
- Comfortable walking shoes with grip
- Respectful church clothing (for a planned interior visit)
Toiletries
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Body wash or soap
- Deodorant
- Skincare products
- Sunscreen
- Hairbrush or comb
- Shaving supplies (if used)
- Menstrual products (if needed)
- Contact lens solution (if used)
Essentials
- Passport or accepted travel ID
- Travel tickets and booking confirmations
- Wallet and payment cards
- Phone
- Charging cable and charger
- Swiss-compatible travel adapter (if needed)
- Medication (if needed)
- Glasses or contact lenses (if used)
- Refillable water bottle
- Small day bag
Monthly weather and packing notes
December calls for a winter coat, gloves and a hat for outdoor pauses. Einstein House closes from 19 December 2026, and Fischerstübli lists a 22–30 December holiday closure. Choose available alternatives and confirm your own travel dates.
- Daytime
- 3–7°C
- Evenings
- -2–2°C
- Rain
- Rain or wintry showers possible
- Daylight
- Plan unfamiliar steps and river paths in daylight; check actual sunset.
- Packing style
- Winter warmth, rain protection and shoes with grip
Packtricia calculated December Bern-area ERA5 reanalysis averages via Open-Meteo for 1991–2020: mean daily high 5.1°C, mean daily low -0.5°C and mean monthly precipitation 92.7mm. Thirty complete year-months contribute equally using daily high/low means and precipitation sums. Requested coordinates 46.948,7.4474 returned grid 47,7.5 at 554m model elevation. These gridded estimates are not Bern station normals or forecasts. Display bands extend rounded means by 2°C each way and do not bound extremes. Rain totals are not wet-day probabilities. River levels, frost and any mountain outing need separate actual-date checks.
Outfit ideas for your outings
Old-town arcades and fountain walk
- Long-sleeved base layer
- Warm trousers
- Sweater or fleece
- Warm weather-resistant coat
- Warm hat
- Gloves
- Scarf
- Comfortable walking shoes with grip
Minster interior or booked Zytglogge visit
- Long-sleeved base layer
- Warm trousers
- Sweater or fleece
- Warm weather-resistant coat
- Warm hat
- Gloves
- Scarf
- Small day bag
- Respectful church clothing (for a church visit)
Matte, river paths and Rosengarten
- Long-sleeved base layer
- Warm trousers
- Sweater or fleece
- Warm weather-resistant coat
- Warm hat
- Gloves
- Scarf
- Extra removable layer for exposed viewpoints
- Comfortable shoes with grip
What to leave behind
- Smooth-soled shoes for wet cobbles, bridge paths or frosty steps.
- Swimming equipment unless you have planned a separate appropriate activity.
- Only light summer clothes for an exposed evening viewpoint.
Reviewed 2026-10-16
Open-Meteo: historical reanalysis methodology · Reproducible Bern-area ERA5 query · MeteoSwiss: actual forecasts and warnings · Berner Münster operator: winter hours from 12 October 2026 · Tierpark Bern: free BearPark and winter visibility · Einstein House operator: 2026 winter closure and 2027 season