When is the best time to visit Germany
Any time can be the best time to travel to Germany as the country offers endless attractions all year round. If we had to choose a season, we’d choose the month of May when temperatures start to get warmer, the cherry trees start to blossom and the festival season kicks off in Berlin. However, there are also other factors that can play a part in choosing when to visit Germany. While winter can be long and very cold, it’s the best time of year for winter sports enthusiasts.
Storms are frequent when the spring festivals begin, and in summer you can enjoy up to 18 hours of sunlight. When the year comes to an end, the snow returns with its charming Christmas markets.
The best time to travel to Germany
Deciding when to travel to Germany is very personal, so we want to share some information about the country that might help you choose a date for your trip.
January
The January blues hit hard in Germany and this is a very quiet, and cold, month. It’s off season, so it might be worth taking a look at the prices. There are lots of events to be enjoyed, focusing on The Three Wise Men and Berlin Fashion Week.
February
During the month of February the country remains in hibernation, off the ski slopes and hosts some cultural festivals of international importance. Berlinale, the well-known film festival is one of them. Cologne Carnival is also a great event that attracts thousands of visitors.
March
Although spring is just around the corner, it’s still cold in March, but the locals start to enjoy the outdoors, helped by some good beers. Munich hosts the Starkbierziet or strong beer festival, which could be considered as a kind of Oktoberfest for a privileged few. You can taste craft beer at half price and without the crowds of tourists. So, if you’re interested in German beer and don’t know when to travel to Germany, March may be a good option. It also celebrates St. Patrick’s Day, the Cologne Literature Festival and the Leipzig Book Fair.
April
April is a month packed with events, art fairs and Easter celebrations. The biggest and most important of the spring festivals in Germany are Dippemess in Frankfurt and Cannstatter Wasen in Stuttgart. But the most peculiar is, without a doubt, the Walpurgis or Hexennacht night. Legend has it that on the night of April 30th, the witches fly to Mount Brocken where a feast takes place to mark the beginning of spring. Many people come to this area dressed as witches and dance around a fire.
May
The cherry blossoms make the country a beautiful natural spectacle. Tourists and locals visit the trails and parks dominated by flowers, but there are no crowds yet as it is not yet peak season. This month’s events are also eye-catching and top-notch, such as Burning Rhine. The city’s many attractions include a variety of restaurants, Father’s Day celebrations, long nights of museums and music in Frankfurt and Munich, as well as local gastronomic delights such as white asparagus and fruit wines.
June, July and August
Summer is pleasant in Germany. There are biergartensopen everywhere and you can enjoy outdoor pools and lakeside beaches. A number of diverse festivals are held, such as the Berlin Festival of Cultures, the Munich Opera Festival, the Gay Pride march (or Christopher Street Day) or various Wine Festivals. It’s peak season which means high prices and a large influx of tourists.
September and October
Autumn arrives, leaving some landscapes worth a visit and the Germans love to enjoy wine and beer at this time of year. Oktoberfest is the most striking international event, as millions of visitors come to drink beer and eat sausages. In September, the city of Bad Dürkheim celebrates Wurstmarkt, the largest wine festival in the world. It’s also worth visiting the Festival of Lights in Berlin and the Frankfurt Book Fair.
November and December
Temperatures and the number of visitors drop considerably and everything calms down considerably. The St. Martin’s Day celebrations when children decorate their own lanterns and parade through the night takes place in October. As soon as December arrives, Christmas can be breathed in the streets of German cities, which are filled with charming traditional markets and are certainly worth a visit. Especially those in Dresden and Nuremberg which are the most historic. Christmas is the best time to travel to Germany if you’re not bothered by the cold.