Clothes for Murren in May

Depending on how high you go, you can need a winter coat even in summer. For May, if you want to go even moderately high then definitely pack some layers. You are right that it can feel a lot warmer when it’s sunny, so layers you can take off and put in your backpack will make you more comfortable.

One tip is to download the app Bergfex Wetter. It gives weather forecasts at different altitudes.

We often combine Italy and Switzerland in a trip, Sept and Oct. I pack as follows and it works for warmer days and colder days.

• 2 pair hiking pants
• 1 pair lightweight "dressy" jeans (not something I'd wear in the garden but something I'd wear out to casual dinner)
• 2 short sleeved wool tee shirts
• 2 long-sleeved wool tee shirts
• 1 short-sleeved hiking shirt
• 1 long-sleeved shirt, usually chambray
• 2 lightweight "fleece" layers. Not really heavy, bulky fleece but a lighter full-zip layer that goes over a tee and can serve as a jacket if it is not too cold. Think hoody, not sweatshirt. Columbia and LLBean are sources.
• 1 blouse and cardigan for "dress up". The cardigan also works with the wool tees and accessorizes with a scarf or necklace.
• hiking boots
• leather shoes that work for dressing up but are still sturdy enough to walk miles. Usually from ECCO.
• A packable down jacket from LLBean is my choice for outerwear. Over a tee and fleece it provides enough warmth for anything I might do short of sub-freezing weather.
• Gloves, hat (if you like)
• Smart Wool socks

I can manage with a 22" rolling bag and a day pack with these items for up to 10 weeks. You may need to cut back to 2 pants, 3 tees, 1 shirt, 1 fleece if you have only a backpack. I could not go with only one pair of shoes.

I will bring different layers and most of my clothes are black and grey so everything matches. I’ll keep checking the weather before I go. If it looks like it will be cooler, I will bring more long sleeve shirts. If it looks like it will be warmer, I will bring more shirt sleeves. For Switzerland, expect cooler mornings in June. So have a warm layer when you start out that you can take off later. If the day looks like it will be cold, I’ll wear my warm coat with the heavy fleece. If it looks like it will be warm, I’ll take just the light fleece.

This is all I wore in Switzerland when I was there in Sept. and plan to take the same when I return in June.

This jacket takes up no space and is super light, but warm. I tend to buy men’s clothes as I find they are often made better than women’s.

https://www.thenorthface.com/shop/mens-jackets-vests-insulated/mens-thermoball-eco-jacket-nf0a5gll?variationId=BH7

Warm fleece:

https://www.thenorthface.com/shop/mens-jackets-vests-fleece/mens-gordon-lyons-full-zip-nf0a5gl1?variationId=11F

I have a lighter fleece too from north face but I don’t see it.

My favorite shirt from REI (packs well; doesn’t wrinkle if you roll it)

https://www.rei.com/product/121926/rei-co-op-midweight-base-layer-crew-top-womens

and my raincoat:

https://www.rei.com/product/127336/rei-co-op-rainier-rain-jacket-mens

and a couple misc. short sleeve shirts. Oh yeah and pants. 2 jeans and 2 nylon pants like this:

https://www.eddiebauer.com/p/23151062/women%27s-guide-pro-pants?sp=1&color=Black

and these soaks. I like the ankle length. These are the only item I will wash in the sink.

https://darntough.com/collections/womens-athletic-socks/products/womens-merino-wool-element-quarter-lightweight-athletic-socks

Wow! Thank you for the fantastic suggestions. I really appreciate the breakdown per item. This makes me feel a lot better that we don’t need full-on snow apparel. Am I understanding that we don’t need anything too dressy? Have you ever encountered anywhere that had a certain dress code?

My dressiest outfit was jeans and a fleece. 😊 I’m sure you could find a nice restaurant where you might want to dress up a little, but we weren’t interested in those kinds of places. Switzerland seemed casual to me. My kind of place. 😊

I've been in Murren many times in mid- to late-May. You don't need winter gear. It could get chilly but you can just layer as needed. It could also be quite warm. Don't bring a bunch of winter stuff "just in case." Assume the weather will be awesome (which it probably will be) and plan accordingly. If you get extended chilly weather you can always buy something over there.

We were in Italy and Switzerland last August and tried our best to pack light for a 3 week trip. We had kids with us so we needed to be able to carry bags on and off the train with ease. I was really glad I had a Columbia raincoat (longer length, with lining for more warmth), a light quarter zip fleece, and wool socks. I also brought base layers from Costco (1 short sleeve, 1 long). For pants I mainly wore a black pair from Athleta and hiked in a pair of black workout leggings. It was fairly warm when we were there, but we had some cool evenings and a rainy days and I was glad to have layers. We all dressed very casually and that seemed to be the norm. If I was going in May, I’d probably bring a thin pair of gloves and maybe a hat. Have fun! Murren is one of my absolute favorite places.