Wengen weather in early May?

Hello,

We will be in the B.O. May 6th-9th and are wondering about the weather conditions in Wengen that time of the year. Is everything snow covered then? I see that the average high temperature is about 32 degrees F . We want to hike but will be traveling light (as we'll also be in France and Amsterdam) and without a lot of cold weather gear and if it's that cold and snow is everywhere perhaps we would be better off in Interlaken (where the average high temp is in the 50s). Any guidance would be much appreciated - what can we expect weather-wise in Wengen in early May?

Thanks,

John

Hi John, and welcome,

It will certainly not be snow covered entirely. The higher terrain above Wengen will partly be snow covered, so for hiking you should seek for trails around Wengen and lower. It varies from year to year, and global warming is playing a role as well. So there's a very good chance everything from Wengen and below is free of snow, but no guarantees.

Interlaken will certainly be warmer, but it's not in the mountains so a very different experience. The best choice depends on what you want to do during your stay.

Please see:

• myswissalps.com/ interlaken
• myswissalps.com/ jungfrauregion
• smyswissalps.com/ besttimetovisit

Thanks Arno.

Here is my dilemma, so to speak.

1) Stay up in the mountains (i.e. Wengen) where I can tell from these forums that it is obviously a much more magical experience than Interlaken. But it will also likely be 32 degrees or less up there and we won't be traveling with much cold weather gear (we'll also be in France and Amsterdam and so we have to travel light). So while Wengen I'm sure is breathtaking I think we might spend all our time leaving it and going down the mountain in search of trails/outdoors where temps are warmer.

Or 2) Stay in Interlaken where it's definitely warmer but also much less beautiful and we don't get to experience the mountain charm of Wengen, etc. except when we take the train up.

I'm really torn between those two options so if you have any wisdom I'd love to hear it!

John

Hi John,

I wouldn't worry too much about temperatures when it comes to choosing a town. Even if you stay in Interlaken you'll go into the mountains for your day trips, so you need to deal with possibly lower temperatures anyway. You don't need winter clothing for regular day trips. Multiple thinner layers work just fine, and allow you to adapt to different temperatures throughout the day (see here).

There are other factors to consider: if you value a lively town and a good choice of restaurants/shops, Interlaken is the better option. If you want to explore more of the Bernese Oberland, not just the Jungfrau Region, Interlaken is more comfortable because of better train connections. Wengen is the place with much better views, and where you can start hiking right from the hotel.

There is a third option: Lauterbrunnen is down in the valley so a bit warmer. It's surrounded by nature, and offers easy access to both Wengen and Mürren. It is tiny though.

Once you have made a choice, feel free to ask for help in the accommodation forum if you need hotel suggestions. Hotels in Interlaken can be found on the page I gave you before.