The best time to visit Germany is in the late spring and early autumn, particularly May and early October. Both of these months fall within the country’s tourism shoulder season, and offer respite from the tourist crowds and the hot & humid summer weather. Whenever we’ve visited during these times, we always enjoy the more comfortable temperatures and lower rainfall.
Summer is the most popular time to travel around Germany, but it’s also the busiest season in the country. From our experience, the tourist crowds can get stifling in popular destinations like Munich, Berlin, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, and Neuschwanstein Castle. On top of that, summer is the wettest time of the year, with June being the rainiest month on average.
Of course, there’s plenty more to it than that…
Need a little more info? Let us help you plan the perfect trip with our complete Germany weather guide, where we break down what to expect, where to go, and what to wear by season and by month!
Weather in Germany: An overview
Like all popular European destinations, Germany sees visitors throughout the whole year—rain, snow, or shine. And, from our many visits here, all of these are a possibility. (Even on the same trip!)
Germany is split between a temperate climate and a humid continental climate. This leaves the country with a mixed bag of weather, from chilly & blustering winters to hot & rainy summers. We see rain (or snow) fall predictably across the country throughout the year.
If you’re not used to cool or cold temperatures, we’d recommend avoiding traveling outside of late spring to early autumn.
From late fall to early spring, the temperatures around Germany can get chilly. Visiting between October and April, we’ve noticed that it’s not uncommon for average lows to dip into the single digits—and even below freezing.
After spending several months here, we notice a distinct high season in Germany. It peaks in both the summer months and around the holidays when the German Christmas markets kick into full gear.
We don’t think high season is an ideal option for most travelers. When we’ve visited at these times, we see accommodation prices skyrocket in our favorite German travel destinations like Munich and Berlin, and the tourist crowds become cumbersome.
(Not to mention, the weather is far from ideal during these months.)
In the low season and in the shoulder seasons, we can expect a better selection of hotels. Outside of the summer high season is also a great time to find flight deals. We’re hardly surprised when we find savings of hundreds of dollars per person in low season!
Weather by season
Spring
When is spring?
Spring in Germany is from March to May.
What to expect
After a chilly winter, spring brings much-needed warmth to Germany.
We see average low spring temperatures range from a low of 1°C (33°F) in March to 8°C (47°F) in May. High temperatures range between 8°C (47°F) in March to 19°C (67°F) in May.
In our experience, accommodation prices in spring are higher than in winter but don’t tend to reach summer levels. The exception is around the two-week Easter school break when German families travel around the country for spring festivities.
What to wear
One thing we’re sure about: Spring weather in Germany is unpredictable. We’ve seen, within hours, that the sky can change from sun to rain—and even snow or sleet in early spring.
We’d always suggest wearing layers in spring. Cart along waterproof clothing in your travel backpack. We’d recommend keeping a solid rain jacket and a travel umbrella in your travel daypack to keep yourself dry.
Summer
When is summer?
Summer in Germany is from June to August.
What to expect
Throughout Germany, summer brings heat and humidity. Summer is also one of the wettest times of year in Germany.
Average summer lows are 11°C (51°F) in June and 13°C (55°F) in August, while average highs sit between 22°C (72°F) in June and 24°C (76°F) in August.
Although that might sound too bad, we have to warn you that these are averages. On our summer trips, we’ve felt the wrath of a humid day into the 30s—and it can feel nasty!
On these hot days, you simply can’t forget to hydrate and lather up with sunscreen; dehydration and heat exhaustion can sneak up fast in Central Europe.
Summer is firmly in the German high season and, in our experience, is the most expensive time of year for flights and hotels.
If you want to travel in summer, we’d highly recommend booking your flights and accommodations in Germany well ahead of time to avoid paying more than you have to.
What to wear
Lightweight clothing will help you deal with the summer heat in Germany. We’d recommend carrying one of these lightweight waterproof jackets and a lightweight travel umbrella to prepare for the very likely possibility of rain.
If you’re planning to hike, we’d suggest bringing extra layers and addng a pair of waterproof hiking shoes to your packing list for Germany.
Autumn
When is autumn?
Autumn in Germany is from September to November.
What to expect
In autumn, we see temperatures in Germany cool off compared to summer. We’ve still enjoyed warm days in September and October, while in November, the mercury begins to dip faster.
We’d expect average lows of 9°C (49°F) in September and 1°C (34°F) in November and average highs of 19°C (67°F) in September and 8°C (47°F) in November.
Cold and rainy days are fairly common in autumn. In mid-autumn, the fall colours are out in full force. In our opinion, it’s one of the most beautiful times to visit Germany.
Wine and harvest festivals peak in the fall, especially around the Rhine Valley and the Mosel. Oktoberfest is held at the end of September in Munich (weird, we know) and Christmas markets begin to spring up all over Germany starting in November.
We’ve also found fall to be a good time to find cheap airfares and hotel deals.
What to wear
With the cooler temperatures of autumn in Germany, we’d recommend bundling up. Bring warmer sweaters and warm waterproof outerwear along with you. As always, while travelling in Germany, we’d never be caught without a good travel umbrella.
Winter
When is winter?
Winter in Germany is from December to February.
What to expect
Cold temperatures follow us around Germany in winter. Average lows dip to -3°C (27°F) in December and -4°C (25°F) in February. High temperatures sit at a cool 5°C (41°C ) in both December and February. We find January falling in between.
Other than summer, the winter months are the wettest in Germany. We should expect frequent snow.
Outside of December, winter is one of the cheapest times we’ve found to travel to Germany. Airfares and hotel rooms are at their lowest in the peak of the winter low season around January and February.
What to wear
Throughout the winter, we’d recommend warmer clothing, including warm outerwear. With the cooler temperatures, we’d be sure to pack gloves or mittens and a toque to keep our ears warm.
Weather by month
January
January is the coldest month of the year in Germany and we don’t think it’s a great month to visit for most travelers. Expect cold temperatures.
Average lows in January sit at a chilly -5°C (23°F), with average highs of only 4°C (40°F).
Our only saving grace for traveling in January? Accommodations and airfares plummet after the Christmas high season; you can often find good deals—if you can withstand the cooler temperatures!
Even with the cold temperatures, conditions are ripe for winter sports at Germany’s ski resorts. Alpine skiers should pack their bags for one of the many ski resorts in the Bavarian Alps. For Nordic skiers, the beautiful Black Forest is home to some of Germany’s finest cross-country skiing trails.
February
Like in January, we see cold temperatures in the single digits on both sides of freezing in February. Average lows throughout the country sit around -4°C (25°F), with average highs hovering at about 5°C (41°F). On average, February is the driest month in Germany.
Most of Germany is chilly in February. Besides hitting up the top ski resorts in Germany, beeline for the capital for the Berlin International Film Festival, one of the world’s biggest.
Need more action? Nearly every German city celebrates Karneval (Fasching) in February. We’d recommend visiting the Rhine River cities of Cologne, Düsseldorf, and Mainz for the biggest Karneval festivities.
March
Even with spring officially starting, we still find chilly temperatures throughout Germany in March. Average low temperatures hover around 1°C (33°F), and average highs are around 8°C (47°F).
In our experience, Central and Southern Germany are slightly warmer than Northern Germany in March. For a Vitamin D fix, we’d suggest visiting Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria, March’s sunniest places.
We think March is also a good month for bookworms to visit Germany, with both the Cologne Literature Festival and Leipzig Book Fair taking place.
April
April is at the height of spring in Germany. In April, we expect cool to mild temperatures throughout the country.
Lows sit around 4°C (39°F), and highs scale up to a mild 14°C (58°F). We see less rainfall in April than in the summer.
In April, Easter celebrations erupt throughout Germany. Visit Frankfurt in April to catch the Frankfurt Spring Fair (Spring Dippemess), one of the country’s most exciting spring fairs.
May
Falling just before the summer crowds converge, May is a great time to travel to Germany. We see temperatures begin to warm up, and the sun makes more appearances throughout the month.
Average lows hit around 8°C (47°F), with average highs around 19°C (67°F). Compared to April, May sees more rainfall throughout the country.
The month of May kicks off with May 1st Labour Day celebrations throughout the country. Locals tell us that Bavaria, Hamburg, and Berlin are among the most festive.
If you’re a wine lover, visit Werder (Havel), an easy 30-minute drive and our favorite Berlin day trips, for Baumblütenfest, the largest fruit wine festival in Germany.
The Frühlingsfest, Germany’s biggest spring beer festival, also takes place at the beginning of May in Stuttgart. With the summer crowds yet to fully descend, we think May is the perfect time to dig into all the fun things to do in Berlin.
Visiting Germany on a time crunch? Maximize your time with our complete one-day Berlin itinerary and one-day Munich itinerary!
June
With spring officially kaput, we see June bring warmer temperatures and rain. Throughout Germany, average lows hit 11°C (51°F), with average highs floating up to 22°C (72°F). June is the rainiest month in Germany.
By June, the summer festival season is in full swing. If you’re a rocker at heart (like us!), we’d suggest zooming over to the Nürburgring racetrack, one hour south of Bonn, for Rock am Ring, one of the biggest international music festivals in the world.
Fans of classical music can enjoy Germany’s festival scene, too. Head off to Leipzig for the Bach Festival or the Halle an der Saale for the Handel Festival.
July
Warm but rainy, July falls at the height of the high tourism season in Germany. Temperatures are mild to hot, with average lows of 12°C (54°F) and average highs of 24°C (76°F).
As July is among the rainiest times of the year in Germany, we’d always recommend packing a lightweight raincoat and a travel umbrella. Accommodations book up fast, and flight prices will be higher than at other times of the year. We’d suggest getting all this sorted out early!
Despite the rain and larger crowds, we find most of Germany is pleasant for travel during July. Many cultural festivals and celebrations festoon the country, including the Classic Open Air in Gendarmenmarkt in Berlin, the Munich Opera Festival, and the Berlin Gay Pride Parade (Christopher Street Day).
August
Like July, August is one of the warmest, wettest, and busiest months in Germany. We’d expect average low and high temperatures to hover around 13°C (55°F) and 24°C (76°F). Book your rooms and flights far ahead of time to avoid paying more than you have to.
Nearly anywhere in Germany is worthwhile to travel to in August. If you want to avoid the chaos of Oktoberfest, drink up at the less raucous Berlin International Beer Festival.
Need some German culture? Visit Bayreuth for the Richard Wagner Festival—that is, if you can find a ticket!
September
In our experience, September is cooler but drier than August. We’d expect average low temperatures of 9°C (49°F) and average highs of 19°C (67°F).
German wine festivals kick off in late August and early September. Oenophiles should set sights on the Wine Festival Stuttgart or the Rheingau Wine Festival in Frankfurt.
And, of course, who could forget Oktoberfest, one of the most exciting things to do in Munich, falling at the end of September? If you’re planning to travel to Munich during this time, remember that the city will be booked solid months before. We’d recommend searching out popular places to stay in Munich and booking your accommodations six months (or more!) ahead.
October
The warmth of October can be surprising! Although we wouldn’t walk around in T-shirts and shorts, the weather in Germany is often very comfortable in October.
Average lows dip to 4°C (40°F) with average highs of 14°C (58°F). October is drier than both September and November. With the mild temperatures, we think it’s a good time to take on outdoor activities in Germany!
If you missed catching the tail-end of Oktoberfest in Munich, we’d suggest heading off to Stuttgart in Baden-Württemberg for Cannstatter Wasen, the second biggest of all beer festivals in Germany.
Slip over to Berlin to celebrate the reunification of Germany (October 3rd) at Brandenburg Gate or the Festival of Lights, when Berlin’s most famous attractions are lit up in a cavalcade of colours and patterns.
With the cooler temperatures, the scenes of autumn in the Black Forest, under its misty morning fogs, are also at their most mysterious and beautiful.
November
There’s still a possibility of warm days in November. But we’ll see the temperatures drop significantly as winter rages into late November.
Average low temperatures for the month hover around 1°C (34°F), and average highs drop to a chilly 8°C (47°F). We expect more rainfall in November than in October—and don’t be surprised if you even find snow swirling about!
Although a little colder, we think most of Germany is still pleasant in November. At the beginning of November, music fans should grab a spot among the most popular places to stay in Berlin for the Berlin Jazz Fest.
Nearly the whole month of November, the DOM Festival Hamburg, an open-air festival dating back to the 14th century, runs in Hamburg in North Germany.
December
By December, temperatures in Germany officially begin to look like winter. We see average lows in the country dip to -3°C (27°F), with average highs barely peeking into the pluses at 5°C (41°F).
The best time of the year to visit Germany’s Christmas markets is December, when the cool weather and snowfall set a magical scene for Christmas shoppers. The biggest and best Christmas markets in Germany are in Berlin, Munich, Nuremberg, and Frankfurt.
Looking for a memorable New Year’s Eve celebration? Visit Berlin for the most raucous party in Germany, featuring live bands and more unauthorized fireworks explosions than we were comfortable with.
Final recommendations
The best month to visit Germany is either May or October.
Why visit in May?
By the time May rolls around, Germans begin taking to the streets and beer gardens to celebrate the coming of the warmer weather. Although April is a little drier, May is much warmer and more comfortable for undertaking outdoor activities in Germany.
During May, we’ll find Germany less crowded than in the peak of the summer tourism high season. In our experience, finding accommodations in Germany and flight deals is much easier in May than from June until August.
Why visit in October?
The beginning of October clocks in among our most recommended times to visit Germany. In our experience, the weather in Germany in October can still be pleasantly warm at times.
Other than catching the tail-end of Oktoberfest in Munich, we’ll see hotels begin reverting back to low-season prices in October.
We’ve also noticed that airfares tend to drop once autumn is in full swing. Without the crowds (and, quite frankly, annoying road construction) of summer, we find October a quieter and easier time to travel around Germany, especially if you plan to rent a car.
