Month guide · Frankfurt · Germany
Frankfurt in January
What January is really like in Frankfurt: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Tilman2007, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
January is a quieter month with trade-offs. Expect average highs of 4°C (39°F), lows of -1°C (30°F), about 10 rainy days and roughly 8.5 hours of daylight. Cold and grey but quiet; a good time for museums, with low hotel prices outside trade-fair dates.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 4°C (39°F) / -1°C (30°F)
- Rainy days
- About 10
- Daylight
- About 8.5 hours
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in January
January is the coolest month in Frankfurt: days average 4°C (39°F) against a yearly average high of 15°C (59°F), and nights fall to about -1°C (30°F). Rain falls on roughly 10 of its 31 days. Compared with December (5°C (41°F)), January is about as warm; by February highs climb to around 6°C (43°F).
- Sunrise (15 January)
- About 08:18
- Sunset (15 January)
- About 16:51
- Daylight
- About 8.5 hours
Winter (December–February). The Römerberg Christmas market in December, then cold, quiet weeks good for museums.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, January rates 2 for crowds (the peak is June at 4) and 2 for hotel prices (highest in October). That makes January one of the better-value months to book.
Events in January
January has no major recurring festival in Frankfurt, which usually means easier bookings.
What to do in January
With cold days, plan around indoor sights and keep outdoor time flexible.
Museum · Sachsenhausen
Städel Museum
Start with the old masters upstairs, then finish in the underground galleries, which are usually quieter.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Museum · Innenstadt
Goethe House and German Romantic Museum
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was born in 1749 in this townhouse on the Großer Hirschgraben, rebuilt after the war with its original furniture, paintings and the puppet theatre he played with as a child.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
- Art
Garden · Westend
Palmengarten
On a cold or wet day, spend most of your time in the tropical glasshouses.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Rainy day
Museum · Westend
Senckenberg Natural History Museum
One of Germany's largest natural history museums, famous for its hall of dinosaur skeletons, plus fossils from the nearby Messel Pit UNESCO site, mummies, whales and an exhibition on human evolution.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
- History
What to pack
For highs near 4°C, lows near -1°C and 10 wet days: a warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers; shoes with good grip for icy pavements; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is January a good time to visit Frankfurt?
A quieter month with trade-offs. If your dates are flexible, May–September and December are better overall. Compare every month.
Frankfurt in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is January a good time to visit Frankfurt?
It is a quieter month with trade-offs. Cold and grey but quiet; a good time for museums, with low hotel prices outside trade-fair dates.
+How warm is Frankfurt in January?
Average highs are around 4°C (39°F) and lows around -1°C (30°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Frankfurt in January?
Expect rain on about 10 days of the month.