Destination
When should you visit Munich?
Munich pairs a well-preserved historic centre with the Alps close enough for a day trip, the English Garden, world-class museums and a beer-hall culture that runs all year. When to go depends heavily on what you want: warm beer-garden weather, the festive chaos of Oktoberfest, or a quiet, affordable city break.
By Daan · Last reviewed October 2026
My recommendation
May
May offers Munich’s best overall balance: warm but comfortable temperatures, beer gardens back in full swing and a green English Garden, all well before Oktoberfest pushes crowds and prices to their yearly peak.
Best weather
May, June and July
Warm days, beer gardens open and long daylight hours.
Best for Oktoberfest
Mid-September to early October
The world’s best-known beer festival, with crowds and prices to match.
Best for low crowds
January, February and November
The quietest, most affordable months of the year.
Best for Christmas markets
Late November and December
Marienplatz and the city’s squares fill with festive markets.
May scores
Plan around
What to know before you book
- Plan around Oktoberfest
- Oktoberfest runs on the Theresienwiese for roughly two and a half weeks from mid-September into early October. It draws huge crowds from across the world, and hotel prices in Munich can more than double. Book your room as early as possible if you want to be there, or choose different dates entirely if you would rather skip it.
- The sweet spot
- Late spring and early summer offer Munich’s most comfortable combination of warm weather, open beer gardens and a lively but manageable city, without the scale of Oktoberfest crowds.
- For a quieter, cheaper trip
- Choose January, February or November if low prices and empty museums matter more than warm weather. These are Munich’s coldest and greyest months, but also its quietest and best value.
Mid-September–early October
May, June and early July
January, February and November
Munich travel tip
Decide what kind of Munich trip you want before you pick your dates. Oktoberfest and a quiet, budget-friendly city break are almost opposite experiences, and they fall in the same part of the calendar — early autumn either means the festival or means avoiding it entirely.
Month by month
All twelve months, at a glance
Tap any month for full scores, temperatures and planning notes.
- Temperature
- -2–4°C
- Cold and often grey, with snow and ice possible
- Crowds
- Low
- One of Munich’s quietest months
- Prices
- €
- Low — the best hotel value of the year
Dress warmly and build your day around indoor stops, with a beer garden reserved for a rare sunny afternoon.
- Museums
- Low prices
- Temperature
- -1–6°C
- Cold days, with temperatures slowly climbing
- Crowds
- Low
- Low — tourist numbers stay close to their yearly low
- Prices
- €
- Low — a good-value month for a city break
Check the Starkbierfest dates before you book, and pair a beer-hall evening with an afternoon at the Deutsches Museum.
- Beer halls
- Value
- Temperature
- 2–10°C
- Noticeably milder, though cold snaps are still common
- Crowds
- Low
- Low — still well before the spring rise
- Prices
- €
- Low — prices stay close to winter levels
Pack layers for sudden temperature swings and keep an indoor backup plan for rainy afternoons.
- Beer halls
- Low crowds
- Temperature
- 5–15°C
- Mild and often sunny, with scattered spring rain
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Moderate — busier than winter but still manageable
- Prices
- €€
- Moderate
Check the Frühlingsfest dates in advance, and keep an umbrella close for passing spring showers.
- Beer gardens
- Spring atmosphere
- Temperature
- 9–19°C
- Warm, long days with the first real summer feel
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Moderate — busy without the intensity of Oktoberfest
- Prices
- €€
- Moderate
Book popular beer gardens and restaurants ahead of long weekends, and spend as much time outdoors as the weather allows.
- Everything
- Temperature
- 13–23°C
- Warm, with Munich’s heaviest rainfall of the year
- Crowds
- Moderate–High
- Moderate–high — a popular month for a summer city break
- Prices
- €€€
- Moderate–high
Keep plans flexible around an afternoon downpour, and have an indoor option, like the Residenz or the Deutsches Museum, ready to go.
- Beer gardens
- Long evenings
- Temperature
- 15–25°C
- Munich’s warmest and sunniest month, with occasional storms
- Crowds
- Moderate–High
- Moderate–high — peak summer tourism
- Prices
- €€€
- Moderate–high
Start sightseeing early, and treat a sudden storm as a cue to duck into a beer hall rather than wait it out on the street.
- Beer gardens
- Sunshine
- Temperature
- 14–25°C
- Warm and humid, with rain still common
- Crowds
- High
- High — one of the busiest months of the year
- Prices
- €€€
- High — hotel prices climb ahead of Oktoberfest
Book accommodation well ahead if your trip runs into late August or September, when Oktoberfest pricing starts early.
- Beer gardens
- Warm weather
- Temperature
- 10–20°C
- Warm, golden days as summer heat eases
- Crowds
- High–Very High
- High to very high — Oktoberfest draws huge crowds from mid-September
- Prices
- €€€€
- Very high — hotel rates can more than double during Oktoberfest
Decide early whether you want Oktoberfest or want to avoid it; the right week depends entirely on which trip you are planning.
- Oktoberfest
- Warm weather (early month)
- Temperature
- 6–14°C
- Cooler and crisp, with golden autumn light
- Crowds
- Moderate–High
- Moderate–high — busy during Oktoberfest’s final days, then quieter
- Prices
- €€€
- Moderate–high, easing once Oktoberfest ends
If you want Oktoberfest without September’s full crowding, aim for a weekday in its final days, then let the rest of your trip run into the quieter back half of the month.
- Oktoberfest (early)
- Autumn sightseeing (late)
- Temperature
- 2–8°C
- Cool, grey and Munich’s least sunny month
- Crowds
- Low
- Low — a quiet month before the Christmas markets open
- Prices
- €
- Low — good value before December’s festive prices
Time a late-November trip around the Christmas market opening if you want the festive atmosphere without December’s full crowds.
- Museums
- Value
- Temperature
- -1–5°C
- Cold, often damp, with the occasional snow
- Crowds
- Moderate–High
- Moderate–high — busiest around the Christmas markets and the weeks before Christmas
- Prices
- €€
- Moderate — rises around the Christmas market weeks
Visit the Marienplatz market after dark for the best atmosphere, and confirm it is still running — it typically closes on December 24.
- Christmas markets
- Festive atmosphere
Climate
Munich weather by month
| Month | High | Low | Precipitation | Wet days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 4°C / 39°F | -2°C / 28°F | 52 mm | 15 |
| February | 6°C / 43°F | -1°C / 30°F | 46 mm | 14 |
| March | 10°C / 50°F | 2°C / 36°F | 61 mm | 16 |
| April | 15°C / 59°F | 5°C / 41°F | 56 mm | 14 |
| May | 19°C / 66°F | 9°C / 48°F | 107 mm | 16 |
| June | 23°C / 73°F | 13°C / 55°F | 121 mm | 17 |
| July | 25°C / 77°F | 15°C / 59°F | 119 mm | 16 |
| August | 25°C / 77°F | 15°C / 59°F | 116 mm | 15 |
| September | 20°C / 68°F | 10°C / 50°F | 78 mm | 14 |
| October | 15°C / 59°F | 7°C / 45°F | 67 mm | 14 |
| November | 8°C / 46°F | 2°C / 36°F | 58 mm | 15 |
| December | 5°C / 41°F | -1°C / 30°F | 58 mm | 17 |
Climate data: World Meteorological Organization. Temperatures are averages of daily highs and lows.
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