Germany Weather And Best Time To Visit Germany

Germany is a country majorly landlocked in western Europe but is also blessed with the cool breath of the North Sea in, well, the north. Hence the country is a mix of two major climatic conditions - the continental (in the south) and the maritime (in the north). The forests were also thick and lush in Germany at one time but were later cut down for agriculture, while the coniferous alpine Bavarian Forest and Black Forest still hold some amazing flora and fauna. Thus Germany is a country of good climate over all. Even with all the rapid urbanisation, there is breathing space and clean air. You will find that German weather is as disciplined as its inhabitants and the best time to visit Germany is in the shoulder seasons of Spring and Autumn.

Spring is late on arrival in Germany compared to the rest of Europe. March is till cold and stiff, but the end of the month brings some life back to the land. The real spring season begins come April and trees start to blossom. May is at its best spring behaviour and the weather is never better. Hence if you wish to visit Germany and avoid crowds, April-May make for a great time. Spring season also marks the celebration of Easter and many business and trade fairs take the country by storm - The Automobile Festival, International Festival in Wiesbaden etc. The average highs reach 19°C in spring.

Summer makes for the peak tourist season in Germany, as it does in the rest of Europe. The northern parts of Germany see a slightly less air temperature than the south, with highs reaching 20°C. The rest of Germany sees average 23°C by July. You may enjoy treks, hikes, outdoors and the sea at this time as well as the many music festivals that come to Germany - Mozart Music Festival, Nuremberg Music Festival etc. July may see the heat hitting the 30 mark and hence is the best month for tourism. It is, alas, crowded and very loud at this time.

Autumn is a shoulder season and a good time to visit to avoid crowds. October is the time of drying leaves and everything green is overnight turned to gold. The average day temperature hovers between 17-18°C and drops to 10 come nightfall. Autumn is also the major season of rain in the country so even though the leaves are drying, it is still raining. One of the best reasons to visit Germany during October is the iconic Oktoberfest held in Munich that starts in September-end and goes on until November beginning. Beer flows like water at this time and every cafe, bar, pub is festooned in its spirit.

The major northern chunk of Germany, due to close proximity to the sea, has windy green winter. While southern parts see freezing temperatures that sometimes dip to -20°C. The season should be best avoided as most of your tourism prospects will be too difficult to enjoy. Only the Christmas time is a saving grace and carnivals keep the spirit of the country high in December. The Germans also celebrate carnivals in February starting the first Thursday. Cologne is the hub of these celebrations.