When to go · Germany
Germany, month by month
The best months for Germany: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep.
Month by month
- JanuaryMixedCold, short days; cheap city breaks and museums; skiing in the Bavarian Alps.North and the coasts: cool · Berlin and the east: cool · Rhine and the west: coolCrowds: Low · 1 festival or holiday
- FebruaryMixedCarnival week in Cologne, Düsseldorf and Mainz; Berlinale film festival fills Berlin hotels mid-month.North and the coasts: cool · Berlin and the east: cool · Rhine and the west: coolCrowds: Medium · 2 festivals or holidays
- MarchMixedGrey and changeable; spring trade fairs lift prices in Frankfurt, Hannover and Leipzig.North and the coasts: cool · Berlin and the east: cool · Rhine and the west: fineCrowds: Low · 1 festival or holiday
- AprilGoodBlossom along the Rhine and in Franconia; Easter closures; white-asparagus season starts.North and the coasts: fine · Berlin and the east: fine · Rhine and the west: fineCrowds: Medium
- MayGreatBeer gardens open; holiday Thursdays (Ascension, Corpus Christi) make long weekends that fill trains.North and the coasts: best weather · Berlin and the east: best weather · Rhine and the west: best weatherCrowds: Medium · 4 festivals or holidays
- JuneGreatLong light evenings; lakes warm enough to swim; Kiel Week sailing festival late in the month.North and the coasts: best weather · Berlin and the east: best weather · Rhine and the west: best weatherCrowds: High
- JulyGreatWarmest month; Bavarian lakes, the coasts and Neuschwanstein are crowded — book timed tickets.North and the coasts: best weather · Berlin and the east: best weather · Rhine and the west: best weatherCrowds: High
- AugustGreatSchool holidays in most states; Baltic and North Sea islands booked out; occasional heatwaves.North and the coasts: best weather · Berlin and the east: best weather · Rhine and the west: best weatherCrowds: High
- SeptemberGreatBest all-round month; Oktoberfest starts in the second half and Munich prices triple.North and the coasts: best weather · Berlin and the east: best weather · Rhine and the west: best weatherCrowds: Medium · 2 festivals or holidays
- OctoberGoodWine harvest on the Rhine and Moselle; autumn colours; 3 October holiday.North and the coasts: fine · Berlin and the east: fine · Rhine and the west: best weatherCrowds: Medium · 2 festivals or holidays
- NovemberMixedDark and wet until the Christmas markets open in the last week.North and the coasts: cool · Berlin and the east: cool · Rhine and the west: coolCrowds: Low · 1 festival or holiday
- DecemberGoodChristmas markets in every town; Nuremberg, Dresden and Cologne weekends are packed. Shops close from 24 December afternoon.North and the coasts: cool · Berlin and the east: cool · Rhine and the west: coolCrowds: High · 3 festivals or holidays
Weather by region
How each climate zone rates each month.
| Region | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North and the coastsHamburg, Bremen, Baltic and North Sea islands | Cool | Cool | Cool | OK | Best | Best | Best | Best | Best | OK | Cool | Cool |
| Berlin and the eastBerlin, Dresden, Leipzig, Brandenburg lakes | Cool | Cool | Cool | OK | Best | Best | Best | Best | Best | OK | Cool | Cool |
| Rhine and the westCologne, Frankfurt, Rhine and Moselle valleys, Heidelberg | Cool | Cool | OK | OK | Best | Best | Best | Best | Best | Best | Cool | Cool |
| Bavaria and the AlpsMunich, Bavarian Alps, Black Forest, Lake Constance | Cool | Cool | Cool | OK | OK | Best | Best | Best | Best | OK | Cool | Cool |