Season guide · Cologne · Germany
Cologne in spring
March–May: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Thomas Robbin, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Mild, changeable weather and blossom along the river, with carnival in some years. Expect highs up to 19°C (66°F) and lows around 2°C (36°F), with about 29 rainy days across March–May. May is among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- March–May
- Temperatures
- 2°C (36°F) to 19°C (66°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 29
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in spring
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March | 11°C (52°F) | 2°C (36°F) | 10 | 11.7 h | 3/5 |
| April | 15°C (59°F) | 5°C (41°F) | 9 | 13.8 h | 3/5 |
| May | 19°C (66°F) | 9°C (48°F) | 10 | 15.5 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 15°C (59°F) against a yearly 15°C (59°F), and 29 of the year's roughly 120 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 3/5 and hotel prices 3/5 on average.
What's on in spring
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- March: Street carnival in years when Easter falls late (early March)
Good choices for spring
Religious site · Cathedral
Cologne Cathedral
Begun in 1248 and finished only in 1880, the Gothic cathedral has twin spires of about 157 metres and one of the largest church façades in the world.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
Gallery · Cathedral
Museum Ludwig
Start with the Pop Art galleries, then look for the Picasso rooms.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Gallery · Old Town
Wallraf-Richartz Museum
The city's oldest museum covers European painting from the Middle Ages to the early 20th century, with the gold-ground altarpieces of the medieval Cologne School, Rubens and Rembrandt, and a strong collection of Impressionists and Post-Impressionists.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- History
Museum · Rheinauhafen
Chocolate Museum
Go on a weekday morning; weekends and rainy afternoons bring long queues.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Food
Museum · Cathedral
Kolumba
The archdiocese's art museum is a building by Peter Zumthor that rises over the ruins of the Gothic church of St.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Day trips in spring
- Bonn (About 20–30 minutes by train) — The former West German capital has Beethoven's birthplace, the Museum Mile with the House of History of the Federal Republic, a Romanesque minster and a pleasant Rhine promenade.
- Brühl palaces (About 15–20 minutes by train) — Augustusburg Palace and the Falkenlust hunting lodge are UNESCO-listed Rococo palaces with a grand staircase by Balthasar Neumann and formal Baroque gardens, opposite Brühl station.
What to pack
- Layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is spring a good time to visit Cologne?
Yes: May is among the best months. Mild, changeable weather and blossom along the river, with carnival in some years.
+What is the weather like in Cologne in spring?
Highs of up to 19°C (66°F) and lows around 2°C (36°F), with about 29 rainy days over the season.