Best Time to Visit Munich

Because Munich sits at 520 metres elevation just north of the Alps, its seasons are distinct: crisp snowy winters, blossom-filled springs, warm summers punctured by sudden Alpine thunderstorms, and clear blue skies during the late-summer Föhn wind (when warm dry air blowing over the mountains makes the snow peaks look close enough to touch). The best months for outdoor life without Oktoberfest hotel prices are May to early September.

Spring (March to May) starts indoors during March with Starkbierfest (Strong Beer Festival) at the Paulaner am Nockherberg, where locals drink rich, malty dark doppelbock beers ending in "-ator" (such as Salvator) with almost no tourist crowds. By late April and May, the Frühlingsfest (Spring Festival) opens on the Theresienwiese, the magnolia and chestnut trees bloom across the English Garden and Nymphenburg, and the outdoor beer gardens open for the season.

Summer (June to August) is when Munich feels semi-Mediterranean. Locals cycle along the pebble banks of the Isar River, swim at the Maria Einsiedel outdoor pools, watch open-air cinema in Olympiapark and fill the beer gardens until 23:00. In June and July, the Tollwood Summer Festival brings concerts and street food tents to Olympiapark, and the Kocherlball dawn folk dance takes place at the Chinese Tower on one Sunday morning in July.

Oktoberfest and Autumn (Mid-September to October): despite the name, Oktoberfest (the Wiesn) runs for 16 to 18 days starting in mid-September and ending on the first Sunday in October (or 3 October if that falls later) to catch warmer early-autumn weather. Entering the giant beer tents on the Theresienwiese is free, though unreserved tables fill by late morning at weekends and hotel rates across the city double or triple. Late October brings quiet, golden autumn leaves across the Alpine lakes.

Winter (November to February): from late November until Christmas Eve, Munich hosts over twenty distinct Christkindlmärkte, from the traditional market on Marienplatz and the medieval market at Wittelsbacherplatz to the fairy-lit forest market around the Chinese Tower. Pack warm winter boots and layers using our packing guide.