Season guide · Zurich · Switzerland
Zurich in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Roland zh , upload on 14. September 2009, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Christmas markets and cosy fondue evenings in the city, with ski resorts within two hours by train. Expect highs up to 5°C (41°F) and lows around -2°C (28°F), with about 27 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- -2°C (28°F) to 5°C (41°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 27
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 3°C (37°F) | -2°C (28°F) | 9 | 8.9 h | 2/5 |
| February | 5°C (41°F) | -2°C (28°F) | 8 | 10.2 h | 2/5 |
| December | 4°C (39°F) | -1°C (30°F) | 10 | 8.5 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 4°C (39°F) against a yearly 14°C (57°F), and 27 of the year's roughly 120 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 3/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- December: Christkindlimarkt in the main station hall (late November to 24 December)
- December: New Year's Eve fireworks over the lake (31 December)
Good choices for winter
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Museum · Kilchberg
Lindt Home of Chocolate
Go on a weekday morning, and leave room for the tasting room at the end of the exhibition.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Food
- Rainy day
Experience · Enge
Thermalbad & Spa Zürich
Built into the stone vaults of the former Hürlimann brewery, this spa has thermal pools in the old cellars and an open-air rooftop pool with views over the city to the Uetliberg.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Couples
- Views
- Rainy day
- After dark
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Religious site · City and Lindenhof
Fraumünster
Visit on a bright day, ideally in the morning, when the sun lights up the Chagall windows.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
Gallery · Heimplatz
Kunsthaus Zürich
Switzerland's largest art museum spans the original building and David Chipperfield's extension, opened in 2021, across Heimplatz.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- Iconic
- Architecture
Museum · Main station
Swiss National Museum
It is right behind the main station, so it fills an hour before or after a train.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
- Architecture
- Kids
Day trips in winter
- Rigi (About 1 hour 30 minutes by train) — The 'Queen of the Mountains' rises above Lake Lucerne and Lake Zug, reached by Europe's first mountain railway, opened in 1871.
- Stein am Rhein (About 1 hour by train) — A small medieval town on the Rhine with a main square of half-timbered houses covered in painted facades, a Benedictine monastery and the hilltop Hohenklingen castle.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Zurich?
It is a trade-off: Christmas markets and cosy fondue evenings in the city, with ski resorts within two hours by train. The best months overall are May–September.
+What is the weather like in Zurich in winter?
Highs of up to 5°C (41°F) and lows around -2°C (28°F), with about 27 rainy days over the season.