Is it a good idea to visit Munich during spring? Whenever you go to a destination abroad where you’ve never been before, you will ask yourself: When should I go there? Are there “good” or “bad” months? Of course every city looks far better on a nice sunny day than in heavy rain. There are only a few places in the world where it doesn’t matter when to go, as the weather conditions are always perfect. Unfortunately, Munich is not such a place. Also hotel prices vary throughout the seasons. Here I will tell you, if Munich is worth a visit during the spring months of March, April and May.
March
During March, every citizen of Munich awaits spring. But often winter won’t go and it still stays cold, especially during the night. Snow can still fall in the first weeks of March, but it won’t stay long. After Fasching (carnival) the Starkbierzeit (strong beer season) begins in Munich. This brings the first boost to tourism in Munich, as the different brewery festivals, known as Starkbierfest get more and more popular with tourists from abroad. But March can also be the first month of spring, depending on the weather conditions. When there is a dry period or days with a warm wind from the south (called „Föhn“), you may have luck to enjoy a drink in a beer garden. The temperatures then may rise up to 15°C/59°F.
My recommendation: March can be an ideal month for a trip to Munich, but only if the weather conditions are good. Keep an eye on the weather forecast, especially the daily temperature and be quite spontaneus booking a flight and a hotel in Munich.
April
April in Munich is usually the month in Munich, where the weather conditions bend between winter and spring. In the last years we saw either a really nice spring rollout or a city still freezing and craving for sun. April is therefore not really predictable. The foodies love April as it is also the beginning of the asparagus season in Bavaria. In case you didn’t know, Bavaria is famous for its white asparagus and every year the same hype sets off. You’ll hardly find restaurants in Munich not offering asparagus (soup, plain, salad, and every meal you can imagine).
My recommendation: In late April chances are higher to get a spring feeling with warmer days and longer daylight. Sightseeing is not limited anymore and you can also find the first festivals of the year like the Auer Dult (late April), the Frühlingsfest (spring festival, late April) and Easter celebrations (beginning to late April, depending on the year).
Try to avoid the Easter-weekend as this brings quite a lot of tourists to Munich, mainly from Germany and the neighbouring countries. This tourism-boost will be even stronger when the weather is fine on that weekend.
May
May is usually the first month of the year where it is possible to do all kinds of outdoor activities. Often the weather conditions are good and temperatures are perfect. In the last years we could also see the first heat wave in May bringing the temperatures up to 25°C/77°F. Unfortunately these heat waves come and go quickly, which stresses your body. It’s normal during such a period that the temparture may rise from around 10°C/50°F to 25°C/77°F. This is an increase of 15°C/27°F sometimes within 24 hours!
The good side is the clear sky, and the summer feeling. May can therefore feel (at least during a heat wave) like summer but with lower hotel prices.
During May many flowers are in full bloom, so you won’t get disappointed when taking photos.
My recommendation:
May is a perfect month for traveling to Munich. Beer gardens are open, in- and outdoor sightseing is possible and it can feel like summer when the weather conditions are good.
