Bergen · Month comparison

December vs May

May ranks #1 overall vs December at #7. Hardangerfjord blossom and Bergen International Festival's 14-day classical-and-arts programme through late May.

Bergen December — Christmas Market at Festplassen with lit stalls and Christmas tree

December

#7 of 12 months

Worth considering

Bergen Christmas Market and Pepperkakebyen gingerbread city give the city its best month of soft moody December light.

  • ↑Bergen Christmas Market on Festplassen with gløgg and waffles
  • ↑Pepperkakebyen — world's largest gingerbread village
Bergen May — children in bunad parading on 17 May with Norwegian flags

May

#1 of 12 months

Best match

Hardangerfjord blossom and Bergen International Festival's 14-day classical-and-arts programme through late May.

  • ↑Bergen International Festival (Festspillene i Bergen) — 14 days late May, classical, opera, jazz
  • ↑Hardangerfjord cherry and apple blossom peak — among Europe's best
FactorDecemberMay
Weather score
3
8
Value score
5
5
Crowd score
6
5
Events score
9
9
Atmosphere
10
9
Avg high temp5°C14°C
Monthly rain220mm90mm
Daily sunshine0.5hrs7hrs

December trade-offs

  • ↓Christmas/New Year hotel rates spike to summer levels
  • ↓Daylight 5.5 hours, sunset 15:25 mid-month

May trade-offs

  • ↓Sognefjord cruise booking accelerates — June already filling
  • ↓Cold snaps possible — Hardangerfjord ferries can run in 5°C drizzle
See all 12 months for Bergen →December in detail →May in detail →
Scores compare months within Bergen. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →