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When is the best time to visit Germany?

Travel advisory

The information on this page is based on historical averages and may not reflect current conditions. Please check with local authorities for the latest travel advice.

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The best time to visit Germany is between May and September. Despite the occasional shower, warm weather and long days make these months the ideal time to explore all that Germany has to offer.

The weather is usually mild and pleasant in the late spring, before average temperatures move towards the twenties and beyond in June, July and August. You’ll get the hottest climate in cities like Frankfurt and Offenbach, while Berlin enjoys warm – if often rainy – days in the summer months. Weather aside, there’s plenty worth celebrating in Germany between May and September. Whether it’s the Hafengeburtstag festival in Hamburg, Karneval in Berlin or Munich’s world-famous Oktoberfest, you’ll find more than enough going on to keep you entertained during your visit here.

Monthly weather and travel tips for Germany

January is the coldest and darkest month in Germany, with short days and temperatures scraping just above the 0°C mark. It’s not all doom and gloom though – the cold climate makes for favourable ski conditions up in the mountains, and is a great excuse for staying indoors and making the most of Germany’s museums, galleries, shops and restaurants.

While not as popular among skiers as some of its next-door neighbours, Germany still has a host of top resorts that should put it on your piste map, including Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the Harz Mountains and Allgäu. The capital won’t be quite as cold as up in the busy slopes, but you’ll still need to wrap up warm – do it in style at the January instalment of Berlin Fashion Week.

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The weather across most of Germany in February is ever so slightly warmer than January – but you’ll still need to pack warm clothes to ward off the single-digit temperatures. While it’s particularly chilly near Hamburg and the Baltic Sea coast, the good news is that February is also one of the country’s driest months.

The cold, dry weather and the February school holidays mean the ski slopes and resorts are at their busiest at this time of year. While the ski season is in full swing up in the mountains, there are plenty of parties down in the metropolitan cities too. The ‘Karneval’ period begins in November, but reaches its raucous peak in the final week before Lent. During this time, you’ll see main roads in cities like Cologne, Mainz and Bonn turn into walkways for parades, carnival processions and crowds of fancy-dress-wearing partygoers.

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Germany in March can feel a bit chilly to start with, but there’s a fresh, spring feel towards the end of the month. Despite climbing temperatures and some more frequent appearances from the sun, it’s a good idea to pack plenty of warm clothing – maybe some sunglasses too for the occasional bright spring afternoon.

The events calendar and the crowds are pretty quiet in Germany in March, save for a surge of tourists visiting Berlin for the Internationale Tourismus Börse (ITB) – the world’s biggest travel exhibition. Another event worth noting is Hamburg’s Hamburger Dom. Not only is it one of the oldest funfairs in Europe – dating as far back as 1329 – it’s one of the biggest too, so expect roller coasters, rides, food and fun for the whole family.

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Spring is in full swing in Germany in April. While the sun is in the sky and Germany’s average temperature comes in at around 10°C for the month, weather conditions can still be a little unpredictable. With sunshine one second and rain the next, packing an umbrella and a raincoat is a sensible idea.

Come rain or shine, it’s a busy month for events and activities, with Easter festivities taking place up and down the country. April in Berlin is a time to celebrate the arts, with film events, classical music galas and art gallery open weekends. With Oktoberfest feeling a little too far away for some, cities like Stuttgart and Munich decide to crack open the kegs early during the traditional Spring Festival celebrations. You can keep the lederhosen and dirndls on to mark Maifest’s end of winter festivities, or swap them for witch and warlock costumes for the Halloween-like Walpurgisnacht parades in Harz Mountain villages.

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Average temperatures hover around the 15°C mark in Germany in May. You’ll get slightly chillier weather up by the North Sea and Baltic Sea coasts, while more central and southerly regions like Berlin and Bavaria help to boost the average temperatures back up. There is the occasional shower too, so best to bring a brolly just in case.

The warmer weather comes just in time for locals who enjoy plenty of public holidays and parties in May, beginning with Labour Day on the first of the month. Berlin gets particularly busy on this day, with street parties and demonstrations taking over much of the city. Later in the month, Berlin channels its inner Rio de Janeiro during the Carnival of Cultures – a four-day celebration of the city’s diversity – while Hamburg puts on concerts, fairs and fireworks during their Hafengeburtstag party. For something a little more low-key, head over to Göttingen to watch the International Handel Festival’s opera performances and classical concerts.

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June in Germany tends to be warm and sunny, with daylight hours often stretching past 21:00. Locals make the most of the weather by swimming in lakes and north coast seas, so pack swimwear and sun cream if you fancy joining them for a dip. You’ll want to save space in the suitcase for an umbrella too, as June is Germany’s rainiest month.

The events calendar is well warmed up by June too, and it’s a particularly big month for music. There’s something to suit every taste, be it infectious rhythms at Africa Festival in Würzburg, heavy-hitting riffs at Nürburgring’s Rock am Ring or time-honoured classical music at Leipzig’s Bachfest. If none of them get your toes tapping, look out for free concerts in cities across Germany as part of the international Fête de la Musique. Another highlight to look out for is Kieler Woche, a huge week-long sailing festival in Kiel, and the biggest of its kind anywhere.

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Warm weather and long days make July one of the best times to visit Germany. It’s peak travel season in the country, as locals escape to lakes and coasts to cool off from temperatures that can reach as high as 30°C. The hot climate means there’s a chance of thunderstorms too, so pack a raincoat alongside plenty of shorts, t-shirts and swimwear.

Partywear is also an essential for visits to many German cities in July – particularly with some of Europe’s biggest LGBTQ+ pride parades happening here. These celebrations – known locally as Christopher Street Day – attract hundreds of thousands of people to cities like Berlin, Munich and Cologne. You can join the party elsewhere in Germany too – the city of Coburg comes alive for the Samba Festival, while Hamburg gets its 70s disco outfits on for the Schlagermove street parade. There are also some more chilled events around, like opera concerts during Munich’s Opernfestspiele, classical music at the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, and new trends at Berlin Fashion Week.

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Average temperatures of around 20°C make August one of the hottest months in Germany. You’ll need to pack clothes to help beat the heat, but a raincoat is a good idea too in case you get caught in the occasional afternoon thunderstorm.

Many locals head up to the northern coastal regions to make the most of August’s summer weather. As well as enjoying the beaches and a cooling Baltic Sea breeze, it’s also worth stopping by Rostock to see fleets of magnificent sailing ships during Hanse Sail. Down south in Stuttgart, the city centre transforms for four days of music, entertainment and food during the Stuttgarter Sommerfest. And come the end of the month, Berlin plays host to Lange Nacht der Museen – a very special evening on which the capital's museums, castles and planetariums open all their halls, terraces and archives to the public.

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While September technically marks the start of autumn in Germany, the warm weather spills over from the summer months, giving pleasant temperatures and long days. With the sun in the sky and local kids back at school, September is a great time to explore Germany and visit some of the world-famous events happening here.

One of the most well-known events is Oktoberfest – which, despite the slightly confusing name, does in fact begin in September. Munich is the home of the original and the biggest Oktoberfest celebration in the world, but you’ll also find beer festivals – and their accompanying fairgrounds and traditional German food – in cities like Hannover, Stuttgart, Frankfurt and Berlin. If you fancy a break from the beer tents, the (hopefully) sunny September weather should provide perfect conditions for watching the Berlin Marathon.

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The weather in Germany in October can be a little unpredictable, but in general it stays fairly mild. You’ll still get some sunny days, but a cool and crisp climate means you’ll need a couple of layers when getting out and about in Germany. If you want to layer up like the locals, don your dirndl or lederhosen and see out the end of September’s Oktoberfest celebrations in style.

There’s still plenty to do in Germany once the beer-filled festivities finish. Munich packs up the beer tents and stows away the steins to make way for the city’s annual marathon in early or mid-October. Over in Frankfurt, literature lovers can indulge at the largest book fair in the world, while Berlin is the place to see famous landmarks illuminated during the Festival of Lights.

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You’ll get early signs of winter in November in Germany. The average temperature drops to single digits, and the weather tends to be cold, wet and windy. The grey skies do have their benefits though – most of the earlier months’ crowds have left the country by November, so you can make the most of shorter queues for some of Germany’s top tourist attractions.

Between visits to sites like Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag and Berlin’s Museum Island, there are a couple of events to check out too if you’re in the area. JazzFest Berlin puts on a show with live concerts, films and talks, while later in November, Munich hosts the Tollwood Winter Festival – a cultural gathering with music and arts, food and markets, and an eco-friendly focus.

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The winter chill sets in come December in Germany. Pack warm for average temperatures hovering just above the zero degree mark – or below it in some of the Alpine regions. If you’re dreaming of a white Christmas, there’s potential for some snow in Bavaria in December, with chances increasing the higher you move up into the mountains.

Despite the cold weather outside, crowds flock to famous Christmas markets all over the country. Town squares are taken over by rustic wooden huts, selling traditional Christmas food, handcrafted gifts and plenty of warming mulled wine. Christkindlesmarkt in Nuremberg, Striezelmarkt in Dresden and Gendarmenmarkt in Berlin are among some of the biggest and best Christmas markets in Europe. Once you’ve had your fill of Christmas festivities, get set to celebrate New Year’s Eve – known locally as Silvester – with fireworks and parties all across Germany.

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Weather and temperature in Germany

The best weather in Germany comes between May and September. The temperature and conditions change during this time, but in general you can look forward to a warm climate and long days – particularly in July and August, the two hottest months in Germany. Temperatures in cities like Berlin and Frankfurt can get up into the low thirties during this time. May and June offer milder climates made for exploring the great outdoors, while September remains surprisingly warm as summer turns into autumn. The weather forecast between May and September should make for pleasant reading, but an umbrella is a good idea too in case of spring showers and summer thunderstorms.

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
Berlin High 3°C 4°C 9°C 15°C 19°C 22°C 26°C 25°C 19°C 14°C 9°C 6°C
Low -1°C -3°C 0°C 4°C 8°C 11°C 14°C 13°C 10°C 6°C 3°C 1°C
Rainfall 17 days 14 days 15 days 14 days 15 days 15 days 16 days 15 days 14 days 15 days 16 days 17 days
Munich High 4°C 2°C 10°C 14°C 17°C 21°C 24°C 24°C 18°C 13°C 8°C 6°C
Low -1°C -5°C -0°C 4°C 8°C 11°C 14°C 13°C 9°C 6°C 2°C -1°C
Rainfall 17 days 14 days 15 days 14 days 15 days 15 days 16 days 15 days 14 days 15 days 16 days 17 days
Hamburg High 4°C 4°C 9°C 13°C 17°C 19°C 23°C 22°C 18°C 14°C 9°C 6°C
Low -0°C -1°C 1°C 3°C 8°C 10°C 13°C 12°C 10°C 7°C 4°C 2°C
Rainfall 17 days 14 days 15 days 14 days 15 days 15 days 16 days 15 days 14 days 15 days 16 days 17 days
Frankfurt/Main High 5°C 4°C 11°C 15°C 18°C 22°C 26°C 24°C 19°C 14°C 9°C 7°C
Low 1°C -1°C 2°C 6°C 9°C 12°C 15°C 14°C 11°C 8°C 4°C 2°C
Rainfall 17 days 14 days 15 days 14 days 15 days 15 days 16 days 15 days 14 days 15 days 16 days 17 days
Cologne High 6°C 5°C 10°C 14°C 17°C 20°C 23°C 23°C 18°C 15°C 10°C 8°C
Low 1°C -1°C 2°C 5°C 8°C 11°C 14°C 13°C 10°C 8°C 5°C 3°C
Rainfall 17 days 14 days 15 days 14 days 15 days 15 days 16 days 15 days 14 days 15 days 16 days 17 days
Düsseldorf High 6°C 5°C 11°C 15°C 18°C 21°C 24°C 23°C 19°C 15°C 10°C 8°C
Low 2°C -0°C 2°C 5°C 9°C 11°C 15°C 14°C 11°C 8°C 5°C 4°C
Rainfall 17 days 14 days 15 days 14 days 15 days 15 days 16 days 15 days 14 days 15 days 16 days 17 days

Weather data provided by Forecast.io

Cost of stay in Germany

Want to travel smart? Here, you can check out the average cost of accommodation per night in Germany.

    0 43 86 129 172
  • £95 Jan
  • £93 Feb
  • £100 Mar
  • £104 Apr
  • £113 May
  • £126 Jun
  • £112 Jul
  • £112 Aug
  • £123 Sept
  • £116 Oct
  • £103 Nov
  • £107 Dec
    0 43 86 129 172
  • £76 Jan
  • £79 Feb
  • £81 Mar
  • £84 Apr
  • £91 May
  • £95 Jun
  • £99 Jul
  • £98 Aug
  • £90 Sept
  • £90 Oct
  • £84 Nov
  • £98 Dec
    0 43 86 129 172
  • £34 Jan
  • £36 Feb
  • £40 Mar
  • £44 Apr
  • £52 May
  • £62 Jun
  • £54 Jul
  • £50 Aug
  • £57 Sept
  • £51 Oct
  • £41 Nov
  • £47 Dec
    0 43 86 129 172
  • £106 Jan
  • £105 Feb
  • £108 Mar
  • £108 Apr
  • £117 May
  • £117 Jun
  • £132 Jul
  • £129 Aug
  • £111 Sept
  • £117 Oct
  • £109 Nov
  • £144 Dec
    0 43 86 129 172
  • £72 Jan
  • £74 Feb
  • £77 Mar
  • £79 Apr
  • £85 May
  • £87 Jun
  • £90 Jul
  • £90 Aug
  • £87 Sept
  • £84 Oct
  • £75 Nov
  • £83 Dec

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