When to go · Berlin
Berlin in January
Mixed month. Cold and grey; short days; museums are quiet.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Mixed
- Temperature
- 3°C (37°F)37°F (3°C) / −2°C (28°F)28°F (−2°C)
- average high / low
- Rain days
- 10
- Crowds
- Low
- Germany overall
- Prices
- Low
- Germany overall
Verdict
Cold and grey; short days; museums are quiet.
All twelve months in one grid — weather, crowds and prices, with gaps left as unknown.
Is another month better than January?
January is rated mixed. These months rate higher:
Weather in January
- BerlinHighs around 3 °C (37 °F), lows around -2 °C (28 °F), rain on about 10 daysHighs around 37 °F (3 °C), lows around 28 °F (-2 °C), rain on about 10 days
- Berlin and the east, Germany · Berlin, Dresden, Leipzig, Brandenburg lakescool
Continental: cold dry winters (around 0 °C (32 °F)), warm summers with 30 °C (86 °F) spells; lake swimming from June.Continental: cold dry winters (around 32 °F (0 °C)), warm summers with 86 °F (30 °C) spells; lake swimming from June.
Winter season
Cold and grey with short days; Christmas markets in December are the highlight, but many rooms have limited heating character (older buildings) — check reviews.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · Germany overall
- Low
- Prices · Germany overall
- Low
Germany overall: Cold, short days; cheap city breaks and museums; skiing in the Bavarian Alps.
Compare two months
Weather, crowds and prices for any two months in Berlin, side by side.
Verdict
Jan: Mixed
May: Great (better)
Daytime high
Jan: 3 °C (37 °F)37 °F (3 °C)
May: 19 °C (66 °F)66 °F (19 °C)
Night low
Jan: -2 °C (28 °F)28 °F (-2 °C)
May: 9 °C (48 °F)48 °F (9 °C)
Rain days
Jan: 10
May: 10
Crowds
Jan: Low
May: Medium
Prices
Jan: Low
May: Medium
Festivals listed
Jan: 0
May: 3
January: Cold and grey; short days; museums are quiet.
May: Pleasant; May 1 events close streets.
Berlin: figures are long-term averages from this guide, not a forecast.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat and gloves for mornings and evenings
- A rain jacket or umbrella and shoes that dry fast
- Layers: a fleece or light jacket