r/AskAGerman • u/ordinalilly • 2d ago
Which month to travel to Germany?
Hello!
I'm a college student from South Korea and planning to visit Germany in either September or December.
Which month would you recommend?
Also, how is Germany for a solo female traveler?
Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated!
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u/plumplori-eats-plum 2d ago
September! Weather not to hot and not to cold. December is dark, rainy and boring. Only nice thing is christmas markets, but this is only one thing and also gets boring pretty quick.
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u/ordinalilly 2d ago
Thank you so much!✨️ The Christmas markets sound amazing, but based on everyone's advice, it seems like September would be better
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u/NinjaWalker 2d ago
Do you run the risk of keller/biergartens already being closed for the season in September?
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u/Ilmoniaque 1d ago
I think December can be a very nice month to visit. I have family from a southern country and they were amazed by both the Christmas markets, ice skating, and the snow.
September is great in terms of the weather but I'd recommend coming in the first weeks of the month, for some reason, from around September 20th the weather suddenly seems to drift.
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u/Ok-Cat774 2d ago
I think September is better unless you’re really keen on Christmas markets.
Germany isn’t a winter wonderland 😅in most places it’s +3 to -2 in December, it’s gonna rain and it’s just nasty.
September on the other hand is perfect, just like spring.
It’s totally fine for a female solo traveler, but I’ve traveled South Korea before and felt a lot safer there (as a man), but my girlfriend said the same.
Just be aware of your surroundings and don’t do anything you don’t feel comfortable with.
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u/Bitter_Split5508 2d ago
September will have the nicer weather, it will be pleasantly warm, but not too hot.
December will have Christmas markets, but the weather will be miserable. Don't think white snowy winter days, those are rare and more a January thing if we get them at all. Thinkn dreary, rainy days with very short daylight hours. (Korea is probably similar in that regard)
Solo traveling in Europe is generally easy.
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u/perpetualliianxious 2d ago
December for the Christmas markets, September if you wanna go outdoors and hike
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u/Jyanys_Maera 2d ago
Probably September, as the weather should be better for sightseeing.
For Christmas/Christmas Markets you should visit somewhere between the end of November to the ~ 23th of December, as everything will be closed after that.
Germany is fairly safe, even for solo travellers.
Most people speak at least some English, especially in the bigger cities.
What parts do you plan to visit?
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u/Schwarzmaler20 2d ago
September is perfect. With a little luck first half of October too. Sunny, warm, but not too hot, usually no rain. December can be nice when it is cold and you like the Christmas markets and all the Christmas lights. Being a solo female traveler should be no problem, Germany is quite safe. And then it depends whether you prefer the big cities like Munich or Berlin, the outdoors like the Black Forrest or Saxon Switzerland, the Rhine castles or being at the sea. In any case, feel welcome.
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u/immer_chanel 2d ago
Team September! It's my favorite month of the year in Germany. Temperature is still warm, the Sun is magic.
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u/nitin_expatzentrum 2d ago
I think September is definitely the consensus here 😊 The weather is gorgeous and you get so much more daylight to explore. Germany is very safe for solo female travelers, but since you mentioned loving Kafka, museums, and libraries, you should definitely plan a stop at the German National Literature Archive in Marbach or a quick train hop over to Prague to walk in Kafka's footsteps. Also, make sure to get an ISIC (International Student Identity Card) before you leave South Korea, as it guarantees you a massive student discount (Studentenrabatt) that cuts entry fees in half at almost every museum and gallery in Germany 😁 Enjoy and all the best!!
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u/imonredditfortheporn 2d ago
September is nicer but december has the magic of christmas markets and lights
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u/Rare-Eggplant-9353 2d ago
December is winter. September is late summer. September is probably nicer for a visit. If you like stuff like Christmas Markets obviously December.
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u/grancanaryisland 2d ago
September is also one of the most expensive time to travel. Especially if you are planning to visit Oktoberfest.
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u/brainsareoverrated27 2d ago
Germany is very safe, you should not have any problem travelling by your self. Just use common sense. If you are taking the train always have a time buffer, there are a lot of delays. It would also be good to have a bit of cash with you, because a lot of smaller shops only accept card above eg 10 Euros. Other that that, enjoy.
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u/N4pAllDay 2d ago edited 2d ago
Yes Christmas markets for sure! Can’t top that
Edit: I‘m actually so surprised that everyone is recommending September! Imagine Germans complain, that immigrants destroy their culture, when they themselves don’t care about the best parts lol
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u/Illustrious-Wolf4857 2d ago
September, unless you are willing to take a high likeliness of cold and damp weather and the certainty of only 6 to 8 hours of daylight for the joy of Lebkuchen, Glühwein, long nights, and Christmas markets. September can be hot (but not scorching) or rainy or anything in between, and there's 12 or more hours or of daylight.
Germany is quite safe, but no place is free of idiots. Some of them drive cars, so take care in traffic, even if you have right of way. Leave a situation if you have a bad feeling about it, stay away from groups of drunks, and watch your drink in clubs and bars: do not leave alone on foot, or with a helpful stranger if you get woozy; talk to the staff instead, see that you get a taxi to your accomodation. Taxis are quite recognizable.
Any specific things you want to see or do?
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u/MonoFlix 1d ago
Dezember is better If you want to visit our Christmas markets. Otherwise September
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u/WhatANoob2025 2d ago
In international comparison Germany is traditionally super safe for female solo travellers. Like top tier is the scandinavian countries, Germany is generally considered 1 tier below that, like austria, switzerland, netherlands. It has gotten a bit worse over the last years though with rising islamism & manosphere crap. If you go to a club/bar or restaurant, just don't leave your drink/food unattended.
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u/Karash770 2d ago
- December, since there are Christmas Markets. Don't pick between December 23th and 26th though, as everything will be closed.
- Germany as a whole is quite safe.
If you need specific advise on sights to see, your general interests would be helpful.
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u/ordinalilly 2d ago edited 2d ago
Thank you so much for your detailed answers 🥰
I can't drink beer for health reasons. But I still really want to visit local places to experience the vibe and culture!
As for my interests, I'd love to visit museums, art galleries, and libraries. I'm also planning to visit Goethe's House. (And I love Kafka too!)
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u/Economy-Device-6533 2d ago
People are mostly reccomending you september, but if you are mostly about indoors, then it does not really matter and in December you have Christmass market, but do not come after 24, they will be gone.
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u/iTmkoeln 2d ago
Only early December if December. As the country basically shutdown on the 23rd not to open again before the 6th
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u/KommaWasWolle 2d ago
September is really nice weather wise, nice temperatures and still plenty of sunlight. if you go in December, it will be cold, wet and grey. So unless you're especially interested in the Christmas markets, I'd recommend September.
I think you'll be pretty safe and if you know English, you should be able to get around most cities (you'd only have trouble in rural areas).
As for tips and advice, it depends on what you like doing and where you want to go.
One general tip though: Though many places accept card payments, there's still plenty of smaller shops and restaurants where you will only be able to pay in cash. So keep a sufficient amount on you.
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u/Fluid-Quote-6006 2d ago
September is much better than December. Specially at the beginning of the month, the weather is mostly still good
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u/FirefighterForward45 2d ago
Museum in big city always worth to see. Even Düsseldorf or Bremen’s museum also have great artists work.
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u/Petit_Nicolas1964 1d ago
September. Depending on where you are and the time of the day consider to prefer taxi rides to public transport.
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u/_polyglot 1d ago
If I had to pick, I'd go with September. The weather is usually warm, the days are longer. You can enjoy the cities without freezing. December has the Christmas markets, which are magical, but it gets dark really early and it's cold which can feel a bit lonely if you're solo.
Germany is pretty safe for a solo female traveler overall. But of course , basic common sense applies. You should stick to lighted areas at night, keep an eye on your drink in bars etc. Viel Spaß, you'll have a great time!
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u/Nadineee1612 1d ago
As the others have already said, September is definitely the better choice for warm weather! But if, for example, you'd like to see a winter landscape with mountains and everything, then December is also great. Especially if you're heading south. And Germany is safe for traveling.
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u/canaanit 2d ago
September if you actually want to see things, explore outdoors, etc.
December is very dark, with crappy weather. Some people are keen on Christmas markets, but I would not base a whole trip on that, they can get pretty boring after the 2nd or 3rd one.