It is April and the warm spring weather has arrived. Birds are singing in the streets and butterflies are fluttering. You can't get enough of the smell of early greenery and warm sunshine. On days like these, you want to pack your suitcase for a few minutes and set off on a new journey, perhaps to one of Europe's most colourful capitals — Berlin. Read about the pros and cons of going on holiday in April in this article.
Holidays in Berlin in April: pros and cons
Reviews of holidays in Berlin in April are full of sweet memories of warm sunshine and vibrant experiences. This city combines the features of an ultra-modern metropolis, a comfortable city to live in and an interesting place to visit for tourists.
The sights, entertainment, beautiful parks, cafes and shopping centres are scattered like dewdrops in it of sights. In short, Berlin in April is as beautiful as the first blossoming trees. It's well worth a visit, and here's why:
- Many tourists look forward to the May holidays, so April is a safe time to explore the city and its attractions instead of pushing in the crowd of visitors.
- Spring is raging on the street, so you will want to walk until late.
- The bright sunny days, blooming tulips and interesting sights provide the perfect backdrop for your photos.
- The capital's rousing springtime festivities will brighten your trip.
To make your holiday as enjoyable as possible, bear in your mind the following:
- To save money, you can buy a Berlin WelcomeCard for 2 or 3 days, which gives you free travel on all public transport, a boat trip and discounts on museums, theatres and exhibitions.
- It rains in April, so bring an umbrella.
- Don't go on a diet for a while, as the national cuisine is tasty but high in calories.
- Make sure you have comfortable shoes as you'll be walking a lot and Berlin's sights are scattered around the city.
The weather in Berlin in April
Full of warm spring weather flares-May gives a wonderful opportunity to take walks around the city. In early April, the weather is warm, with daytime temperatures reaching +10°C, and local parks and gardens are quickly covered in lush greenery. Berlin's Spring Festival is held in the first half of the month for good reason. By mid-April, temperatures are rising steadily and the real warmth of spring is already everywhere.
Temperatures rise by around 5 degrees and you can start to pack warm clothes for the autumn. By the end of April, the weather in Berlin continues to get warmer, with average daytime temperatures rising by a further 2-3 degrees. As we get closer to May, the weather gets warmer every day.
Air and water temperature
The classic European climate is easiest to experience in the German capital. It is milder than ours, but still colder than the resorts on the warm seas. It doesn't get bitterly cold, but some months can be chilly. April is a good time to travel with kids. The closer you get to May, the warmer it gets.
You won't need to pack a lot of warm clothes — temperatures in Berlin in April are quite stable — but you should still bring a jacket, especially if you're travelling with children. For them, you'll need to take into account the different changes in weather and air temperature so that they don't get cold or overheat.
Air temperature in Berlin in April
The weather in Berlin is sunny at this time of year. The average day temperature is +13-+14°C. While at the beginning of the month the temperature is around +11°C, at the end of April it's around +16°C. The average night temperature is around +7°C. At the end of the month, night temperatures are around +11°C, rising to around +16°C by the end of April. Towards the end of the month, night temperatures rise from around +3°C to +7°C.
The Germans are a punctilious people and even their capital city lives by these rules: The warmest months are in summer, the coldest in winter and the most pleasant to walk around in spring.
Amount of precipitation
April is a transitional month with unpredictable rainfall. The average rainfall in April is 32.4 mm. There are about two days of rain per month. If it's not a downpour, but a light drizzle, the two days can extend over a longer period.
However, it's quite rare for Berlin to have bad weather in April. Usually spring starts to reign supreme, offering more and more sunny days and warmth as summer approaches.
An umbrella is still recommended in April, but if you're travelling with children and the weather forecast predicts rain for your trip, don't worry, there are plenty of interesting alternatives for when the weather turns bad. You're more likely to need rain protection in May, the third wettest month of the year.
Sunny, cloudy and overcast days
Full sunny and windless days happen a little more than a week. In terms of weather, the month can be divided as follows: 26% are clear and 37% each are cloudy and overcast. Berlin is one of the hotspots for new trends in fashion, so you may come across young people with umbrellas on the streets even during sunny weather. Don't let that scare you — wearing an umbrella is simply an homage to the new fashion trend and it's used more as an accessory than as protection against the rain.
To avoid being misled by the local dudes about the weather, check the weather forecast in advance, or buy a designer umbrella and join the contemporary jet-set.
Tour Holidays
Although the war swept most of Berlin's historical treasures from its streets, the city still has something to show and surprise you. The jewel and symbol of Berlin is the Brandenburg Gate. Napoleon once liked the gate so much that he took one of its elements (a quadriga) back to France, but after his fall the statue returned home. In early April, the gates look particularly majestic in the spring sunshine, so be sure to snap a few photos next to the city's landmark.
The next must-see is the famous Berlin Wall. The remnants are now covered in graffiti in many places, but it adds a twist to the Germans' love of freedom.
The Museum Island in the centre of Berlin deserves at least a day. Adults and children alike will never be bored. And if the weather is bad, as it was in mid-April, a visit to the Museum Island is a good way to pass the time.
Berlin's Museum Island has a constellation of museums, all of which are worth a visit. The most interesting and popular exhibit is the Pergamon Altar, which is housed in the museum of the same name, which was built specifically to house this attraction.
You can also find a gate and a processional way from Babylon itself! Imagine the scale of these exhibits. The Pergamon Altar rivals the Spanish Steps in Rome in size, but is housed under the roof of the museum rather than outdoors.
Also of particular interest to visitors is the bust of Nefertiti, which is housed in the Neues Museum. There's also the scandalous story of the Queen's bust in a Berlin museum.
Berlin also boasts several castles and palaces — Charlottenburg, Ephraim, Köpenick and the suburb of Postdam. These are best visited at the end of April, when the palace parks are in full bloom.
The city has also catered for the leisure time of the little ones. Be sure to include the following attractions and museums in your programme:
- Berlin Zoo, which ranks first in the world for the number and variety of animal species.
- The Museum of Natural History, which will surprise you with its collection of exhibits, including an enormous dinosaur skeleton, often featured in feature films
- The Labyrinth Museum, where science is discreetly combined with a form of playful learning.
- The Museum of Technology will appeal to the younger set as everything rides, moves, buzzes and, most importantly, can be touched, dismantled and twisted.
- The Tropical Island water park in the suburbs.
- Legoland Centre.
Holidays, events and festivals
April in Berlin is all about youth and spring. The first half of the month is devoted to the Spring Festival, or Fruhlingsfest as it is known, which began in March.
In the city centre, Kurt-Schumacher-Damm hosts a variety of shows, merry-go-rounds and rides, as well as a wide range of food stalls.
The rowdiest and most interesting shows take place at weekends. Once a week is Family Day, when all swings and merry-go-rounds are 50% off. Lucky kids celebrating birthdays are also in for a treat — all entertainment is free on their birthday and they can get delicious treats as gifts. For sports enthusiasts, Berlin's half marathon takes place in the first half of April. It's one of the city's biggest events. Up to thirty thousand runners take part! And then there are the spectators!
The month ends with the Walpurgis Night celebrations. Walpurgis Night takes place from 30 April to 1 May. The most popular location is Mauerpark, where a huge bonfire is lit, participants dress up in scary costumes and the audience is shown a fire show. However, this event is not recommended for tourists with children, as there are many tipsy young people and sometimes fights break out.
Shopping
It's no secret that Berlin is a fashion capital. The city is home to a large number of shops and trading houses. April is not the time for sales; you're better off after Christmas or in the summer, at the end of July. But if you want to, you can still get a good bargain.
The largest and most popular shopping centre is KaDeWe.
It is a symbol of commerce and the destination of all shopaholics in Germany. If you like shopping, you should at least come and see it. From the outside, the building looks a bit like an old-fashioned department store, but inside it is decorated in the spirit of the best modern fashion houses.
Another popular destination is the Hackesche Hoefe, a network of old courtyards full of interesting shops and tourists, with a special shopping atmosphere.
The biggest centre of cheap, quality clothes is the Steglitz Forum shopping centre — it's big, modern and has some of the best prices in Berlin.
Children's clothing is particularly worth considering. They are made from high-quality, natural fabrics that are soft and pleasant to the touch.
Cost of vacation
Holidays in Berlin are not cheap. Germany's capital is expensive in its own right, like any European capital. However, April attracts a lot of tourists because of the many events and the spring weather, and is a month when airfares are some of the highest of the year. The same goes for hotels, which go up by around 5-10% in April and May.
However, Berlin has a large number of modern hostels, which are 2-3 times cheaper than a hotel. This option is more suitable for those travelling without children. If you like street food, you can have a hearty snack at one of the fast-food outlets for around 5-10 euros, a meal at a regular restaurant will cost you 25-40 euros and a good dinner will cost around 70 euros.
Tips for parents
It's a great time of year to take the kids on a trip. The cold of winter is behind us and it's getting warmer every day. But don't expect a blistering heatwave any time soon.
Even though April is mid-spring, it can still be chilly at the beginning of the month, especially in the evenings. So it's a good idea to bring warm clothes for yourself and your child.
Don't be disappointed if the weather forecast predicts colder weather for your trip. Berlin has so many interesting places and museums to visit with children that you'll have a great holiday whatever the weather.
Berlin in April has something for everyone — from toddlers discovering the world, to schoolchildren on spring break, to adults who've seen it all. Kidpassage would like to remind you to take a good mood with you so that your trip will bring back only the best memories.
