Guide · Winter

Things to do in Bern, Switzerland in winter

Lights over the arcades, onion braids in November, Advent stalls in front of the Minster and an ice rink under the Federal Palace. This is how the cold months fill a few days in the Swiss federal city.

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Editorial team, walkingtourbern.comUpdated October 21, 20267-minute read29 sources

The tour that goes with it Bern Old Town walk, 90 minutes 4.4 (713 reviews) 1.5 hoursFrom the Tourist Information at the stationGuides in 4 languages from$33per person Check availabilityFree cancellation up to 24 hrs before

Winter at a glance

01Christmas markets: The Sternenmarkt on Kleine Schanze opens on 19 November 2026 and closes on 27 December.¹
02Onion market: The Zibelemärit falls on 23 November 2026 and officially starts at 6:00 a.m.² ³
03Cold and short days: December averages a high of 4.1 °C and 8.6 hrs of daylight at mid-month.⁴
04Staying dry: Six kilometres of arcades let you walk the Old Town under cover.⁵
05A guided walk: Bern Welcome's 90-minute Old Town walk starts at the station, from $33.

Advent stalls across the Old Town

The heart of a December visit is a cluster of Christmas markets that sit close enough to string together in one evening. Bern Welcome says the Christmas attractions of the Old Town are all within walking distance of each other and barrier-free.⁶ That suits a slow loop: start under the station arcades, drift east past the towers and finish where the Minster's steeple catches the floodlights.

The Sternenmarkt on Kleine Schanze is a village of chalets with a fondue chalet, a corner for children and a view across to the Bundeshaus, and the whole market takes no cash, only cards or Twint.⁷ In 2026 it runs from 19 November to 27 December, open from 11:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. from Monday to Saturday and until 8:00 p.m. on Sundays.¹ It closes on Christmas Day, so plan that evening elsewhere.¹

On Waisenhausplatz the classic Christmas market runs from 27 November to 24 December 2026, followed by a Boxing Week market from 28 to 31 December and a New Year's market from 4 to 9 January 2027.⁸ In front of the Minster, artisans from Bern and its surroundings sell what they make themselves, and that market runs from 28 November to 24 December 2026.⁹ ¹⁰ A smaller artisans' market fills the Minster terrace over the same weeks.¹¹

Season calendar

From onion braids to carnival drums

November

Daily windows

A decorated window opens somewhere in Bern every day from 1 to 30 November.¹²
23 November

Zibelemärit

The onion market fills the Upper Old Town from 6:00 a.m.² ³
Late November

Markets open

Waisenhausplatz from 27 November, the Minster market from 28 November 2026.⁸ ¹⁰
13 and 20 December

Sunday shopping

Most shops open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.¹³
4 to 9 January

New Year's market

Waisenhausplatz keeps a market going into 2027.⁸
11 to 13 February

Bärner Fasnacht

The carnival dates for 2027.¹⁴

Braided onions on a Monday in November

Before Advent begins, Bern holds its most eccentric day of the year. The Zibelemärit, the onion market, takes place on the fourth Monday in November, which in 2026 is 23 November.² Farmers arrive with braided onions and garlic, and the streets of the Upper Old Town fill with visitors from all over Switzerland and beyond.³ Expect confetti in the lanes, onion tarts at every corner and a noise level that has little to do with the calm city you see the rest of the year.

The official start is 6:00 a.m., although the city's early risers know that some of the fun begins as early as 4 a.m.¹⁵ More than 200 stalls sell onion strings, wreaths and figures in every shape and color, so an early arrival gives you room to look before the crowds thicken.¹⁶ Dress for a dark, cold morning and bring a bag for whatever braid you cannot resist.

The market has deep roots: Bern's autumn fair first appears in records in the 15th century, when it was known as the Martinmas Fair and townspeople stocked up for winter.¹⁷ November also brings a gentler ritual, a decorated window that opens somewhere in the city every day from 1 to 30 November.¹² Hunting for that day's window makes a pleasant excuse for a slow walk through side lanes you might otherwise miss.

Month by month

Bern's dark and cold months in numbers

Hours without sunDays with precipitationSeason

Per month: the hours between sunset and sunrise at mid-month, plus the count of days with at least 1 mm of rain or snowfall. Data: MeteoSwiss, Bern / Zollikofen, 1991 to 2020.⁴

Christmas market dates and hours

Four Advent markets, side by side

Market	Where	Dates	Hours
Sternenmarkt	Kleine Schanze	19 Nov to 27 Dec	11:00 to 22:00, Sun to 20:00
Christmas market	Waisenhausplatz	27 Nov to 24 Dec	10:00 to 20:00, Sun to 18:00
Minster market	Münsterplatz	28 Nov to 24 Dec	11:00 to 18:30, Fri to 20:00
Artisans' market	Minster terrace	28 Nov to 24 Dec	Not listed

Dates and opening hours as Bern Welcome lists them for 2026; weekend and Christmas Eve hours differ.¹ ⁸ ¹⁰ ¹¹

Three winter evenings

Chalets, makers or the classic square

Fondue chalet

Sternenmarkt

Kleine Schanze

Payment: Card or Twint only
For children: A play area
View: The Bundeshaus

See the walk

Handmade goods

Minster market

Münsterplatz

Sellers: The makers themselves
Backdrop: The Minster steeple
Late night: Fridays

See the walk

Longest season

Waisenhausplatz

Upper Old Town

After Christmas: Boxing Week market
New Year: A January market
Close to: The station

See the walk

Decision helper

Pick the winter moment that suits you

Match the season's events to the days you have

I want the classic Christmas feel I am here after Christmas I like local oddities I travel with children I want the story behind it all

The Minster market

Handmade goods below the steeple from 28 November to 24 December 2026.¹⁰ ⁹

Waisenhausplatz

A Boxing Week market and a New Year's market keep going into January.⁸

The Zibelemärit

Braided onions and more than 200 stalls on 23 November 2026.² ¹⁶

The ice rink

Free entry, skates for hire, the palace as a backdrop.¹⁸ ¹⁹

The Old Town walk

90 minutes with a guide from the Tourist Information at the station.

every day from 1 to 30 November, a beautifully decorated window opens somewhere in the city, bringing a touch of Christmas magic to even the greyest days.

Bern WelcomeSource 12

December evenings, skates and late shopping

If you are wondering about things to do in Bern in December beyond the stalls, start with the ice rink on Bundesplatz, right in front of the seat of the national government. In the 2025/26 season it reopened on 13 December and stayed open until mid-February, with the Bundeshaus as a backdrop.¹⁹ Treat those as last season's dates and look up the new ones before you pack skates, because the opening day moves from one winter to the next.

Admission to the rink is free, and you can bring your own skates or rent a pair on site.¹⁸ Even if you never step onto the ice, a hot drink at the edge of the rink while skaters circle under the domed palace is one of the most Bernese pictures of the season. Pair it with a market visit nearby and you have a full evening without ever needing a tram.

Shops add their own rhythm to the month. The official Sunday shopping days in 2026 are 13 and 20 December, when most shops open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; on 29 November the shops of the lower Old Town open the same hours for the first Sunday of Advent.¹³ Bern Welcome reminds visitors that 21 December is the shortest day of the year, so the lights come on early and the markets glow by late afternoon.²⁰

Checklist

Packing for Bern between November and February

Wear

A warm layer for lows below freezing
Waterproof shoes for wet cobbles
Gloves for an hour at the stalls

Plan

A card or Twint for the Sternenmarkt
The onion market date in November
Early dusk around the shortest day
Minster winter hours before you go in

Cost calculator

What a winter outing costs your group

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CHRISTMAS IN BERN, SWITZERLAND | Bern Christmas Market Tour: Weihnachtsmarkt + Sternenmarkt

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Cold air, early dusk and six kilometres of shelter

Winter in Bern is cold rather than harsh. At the MeteoSwiss station Bern / Zollikofen the 1991 to 2020 averages give December a daily high of 4.1 °C and a low of -1.8 °C, with 8.6 hrs of daylight at mid-month.⁴ January is the coldest month, with a high of 3.6 °C and a low of -2.6 °C.⁴ February warms only a little, to a high of 5.5 °C, while daylight stretches to 10.3 hrs.⁴

Does it snow in Bern? The station's averages show lows below 0 °C from December to February, and between 9 and 11 days in each of those months bringing 1 mm or more of rain or snow.⁴ The monthly figures count rain and snow together, so they cannot tell you how many of those days turn white. Pack for both: waterproof shoes and a warm layer cover either case.

The arcades are what make a winter visit easy. Bern's six-kilometre stretch of covered walkways keeps you sheltered on a wet day, and Bern Welcome notes that from the station to the Nydeggbrücke you can stroll almost entirely in the dry.⁵ ²¹ The arcades were built after the fire of 1405 along with the stone houses, and on a snowy afternoon they turn the main streets into one long sheltered promenade.²² ²³

Seeing the Old Town with a guide in the cold

A guided walk is a good way to warm up to the city on your first day. This site's tour is Bern Welcome's 90-minute walk through the UNESCO-listed Old Town, which starts at the Tourist Information at the main station, Bahnhofplatz 10a. Guides speak Italian, English, German or French, and the walk is run bilingually, so expect your guide to switch between languages. In winter that first hour and a half gives you the layout of the Old Town, which makes every later evening at the markets easier to navigate.

The listing names the fountains, towers, streets and arcades, the Zytglogge and its show on the hour, the late Gothic Minster with its Last Judgment portal and the Parliament building, and it points out that the arcades give shelter on rainy days. It starts from $33 and is rated 4.41 from 713 reviews, and it can be cancelled without charge until 24 hours ahead. It does not promise entry into any building, so treat interiors as your own plan for afterwards.

If you want to see the Minster from inside after the walk, check the winter hours first. The church opens 12:00 to 16:00 on weekdays, 10:00 to 17:00 on Saturdays and 11:30 to 16:00 on Sundays, and the last ascent of the tower is 15:30 on weekdays.²⁴ A morning walk, if your date offers one, followed by lunch under the arcades leaves time for the church before it closes and for the markets as the light fades.

Sleeping bears, fondue and the carnival bear

Some of Bern's favorite sights change character in winter. The bears at the BärenPark hibernate, usually from November to mid-March, and spend that time in their winter dens where they are rarely seen.²⁵ The riverside park is still worth the walk for the view back up to the Old Town, but do not count on meeting Björk, Finn or Ursina before spring. The empty enclosure has its own wintry charm in frost.

Higher up, the Rosengarten trades roses for a quieter season. Its restaurant serves fondue on a veranda from mid-October until the end of February, and the park above the Old Town keeps its view across the roofs.²⁶ ²⁷ On a clear evening the wall in front of the garden is a fine place to watch the sun go down over the city.²⁸ The climb from the bear park is short but steep, so take it slowly on icy paths and reward yourself with something hot at the top.

As winter ends, Bern lets loose. The Bärner Fasnacht, the city's carnival, runs from 11 to 13 February 2027.¹⁴ Its symbol is a bear that is locked in the Käfigturm on 11 November at 11:11 and freed on the Thursday after Ash Wednesday, when the carnival begins.²⁹ If your trip falls in those days, expect drums, masks, costumed bands and very full lanes until late at night. Book a room early, carry earplugs if you sleep lightly, and join the crowd rather than fight it.

Your Old Town hour

The clock tower and the Minster are waiting

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You ask,we answer.

When do the 2026 Christmas markets open?

From 19 November. The Sternenmarkt opens first, on 19 November 2026; Waisenhausplatz follows on 27 November and the Minster market on 28 November.¹ ⁸ ¹⁰

Can I pay cash at the Sternenmarkt?

No. The whole Sternenmarkt is cashless; pay by card or with Twint.⁷

Which day is the onion market in 2026?

Monday 23 November. It is always the fourth Monday in November, with the official start at 6:00 a.m.² ³

Is the ice rink on Bundesplatz free?

Yes, entry costs nothing. Bring skates or rent them there; in 2025/26 it ran from 13 December to mid-February.¹⁸ ¹⁹

How cold does January get in Bern?

Around freezing. January averages a high of 3.6 °C and a low of -2.6 °C at Bern / Zollikofen.⁴

Will I see the bears in winter?

Rarely. They hibernate, usually from November to mid-March, and stay in their dens.²⁵

Does the Old Town walk run in the cold months?

Check the calendar when booking. Starting times are shown by availability; the arcades along the route give shelter on wet days.