Germany is an excellent destination year-round; however, the majority of people visit between May and September when the skies are clear and sunny. Remember that rain is a possibility in any month though. The flipside of summer travel is, of course, bigger crowds at museums and other attractions. Accommodation will not be hard to come by unless you are drawn to beach and mountain resorts popular with German holidaymakers.
The shoulder seasons from March to May and from October to early November naturally bring fewer tourists, lower accommodation prices and often astonishingly enjoyable weather. In April and May, when flowers and trees are in bloom, it can be mild and sunny. With the exception of winter sports, activities between November and early March are prone to focus more on culture and city life. Within these months, skies tend to be gloomy and the temperature often drops below freezing. On the plus side, there are fewer tourists and shorter lines. Just bring the right clothes and keep in mind that there are only six to eight hours of daytime.
- Best Time to Travel to Bonn
- Best Time to Travel to Bremen
- Best Time to Travel to Cologne
- Best Time to Travel to Dortmund
- Best Time to Travel to Dusseldorf
- Best Time to Travel to Frankfurt
- Best Time to Travel to Hamburg
- Best Time to Travel to Hannover
- Best Time to Travel to Kaiserslautern
- Best Time to Travel to Koln
- Best Time to Travel to Leipzig
- Best Time to Travel to Munich
- Best Time to Travel to Nuremburg
- Best Time to Travel to Stuttgart
HOLIDAYS
January - New Year's Day
January - Epiphany
March - Good Friday
March - Easter Day
March - Easter Monday
May - May Day or Labour Day
May - Whit Sunday
May - Whit Monday
May - Corpus Christi
August - Peace Festival
August - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
October - Day of German Unity
October - Reformation Day
November - All Saints Day
November - Day of Prayer & Repentance
December - Christmas Eve - Government closed, half day for shops
December - Christmas Day
December - Boxing Day
December - New Year's Eve - Government closed, half day for shops
In North Rhine-Westphalia, but also in other Catholic parts of Germany (Bavaria), during the carnival season many businesses close down. The so-called 5th season begins with the Thursday before Ash Wednesday with Weiberfastnacht (in Cologne and Dusseldorf) or Fasching (Bavaria, Baden-Wurttemberg). This day is normally only a half-working day (people start getting drunk after 12 noon!).
Non-Holiday Observances
January - WWII Genocide Memorial Day
Weekend Saturday, Sunday
