Fall – the month of slowly fading summer vibes and in Munich the festival season. Is it a good idea to go to Munich during fall, especially for Oktoberfest?
Find out, if the months of September, October and November are the best travel months for you.
September
September in Munich is divided. At the beginning of September the number of tourists drops quite strongly, since most European holidays end. Munich then has a short off-season. From mid-September the numbers will rise again, as the Oktoberfest is imminent. Oktoberfest usually begins every year between September 20th and 25th. It usually ends around October 3rd.
At the latest with the beginning of the Oktoberfest the city is fully booked. Those who need a hotel room now, pay either a lot of money (hotels sometimes triple the prices) or accept the fact to accomodate, far outside of the city.
If you are one of those visitors who don’t necessarily need to come for Oktoberfest or prefer to experience a quiet, not overcrowded city, then I recommend either to avoid September completely or at least visit Munich between the last days of August and September 15th (before Oktoberfest starts).
Interestingly, the weather conditions during Oktoberfest are often quite good. It is often sunny, but you will feel that summer has come to an end and autumn is near. You will definitely need a jacket in the evening and the leaves on the trees begin to change their colour to yellow, red and brown.
My recommendation: Oktoberfest of course :-). But you can also enjoy hiking in a landscape with changing coulours. This produces stunning views and picture worthy scenes to enjoy. The beer gardens are still open and it is a great feeling to sit in the warm evening sun having a drink and a bite. It is also a great time to see Munich off the beaten path while having a walking tour through the city.
October
After the first week of October, tourism in Munich calms down quite quickly. October is therefore the month in which you won’t see tourist masses anymore. Everything becomes less hectic and a bit of cosiness returns. Unfortunately, October also shows that summer is finally over and that nature is slowly preparing for winter. The leaves fall and the sunny days are no longer particularly warm. It also gets dark quite early, so that in the evening hours of the day you can only do limited sightseeing. Also the beer gardens close for the winter season.
The weather conditions change significantly. There are a lot more days with rain. In late October there is also a chance to see the first snow. Anyway, October can be a bargain month as the hotel prices cool down after the Oktoberfest peak.
My recommendation: Shortly after Oktoberfest, the city comes to rest. The weather conditions can still be quite good and it is possible to see the so called „golden autumn“ (indian summer) in Munich. So October 5th to 15th can be a great time for visiting Munich, but check the weather conditions before booking your trip.
November
In my opinion, November is a bad month for a visit to Munich. The weather is usually cloudy and rainy. In addition there are relatively low temperatures, so sightseeing outside is only possible with winter clothes. Basically, it is difficult to pursue any outdoor activities. Of course, it is still possible to go hiking in the Alps on a nice day, but you should be aware that in the mountains an onset of winter may have already taken place.
There are only a few tourists in the city and also most of the citizens are working as it is not worth to use up days of vacation for such unpleasant conditions. The best things in November are the stunning sunsets (quite early). The foggy and partially cloudy air produces nice red, yellow and golden colours and you can feel the winter season in the fresh rainy air.
My recommendation: Try to avoid visiting Munich in November, at least at the beginning of November. The Christmas Markets are not open yet, the weather conditions are usually bad and it is quite cold. Sightseeing is actually limited to indoor things like museums or galleries. November isn’t a good month to visit Munich.
The first Christmas Market to open is the “Weihnachtsdorf” (Christmas Town”, a Christmas Market at Munich Royal Residence’s “Kaiserhof” (courtyard) inside of the Royal Residence). It opens around November 20th. See the Event Calendar on the mainsite to check the opening dates.
