What to pack for Germany in April?

April, April, der weiss nicht, was er will

In April, anything and everything is possible weather wise. Snow, rain and even really nice and WARM sunny days are all possible. So once again the recommendation would be layers, layers, layers ...

You've made me cast my mind back to April 1973 when I was in southern Germany. Beatrix has it right....I remember sunbathing and freezing! Pam

I think one thing you learn as a skier is to dress in layers. Except in the warmest months in Germany, I wear a down ski parka and carry a sweater to wear with it. I usually roast.

Oh, you're from Miami. Forty degrees is cold. OK, so get a pair of long underwear to wear under everything else.

Gosh, the weather in April sounds like when I was there in November! Lee is right about the long underwear. I live in Texas, so to me it was very cooold!! I love my silk underwear!
Silk takes up very little room. I travel with only a backpack most of the time.

I have to laugh, because my standard answer to people about typical weather here is "it's whatever it wants to be." It truly is variable, and not even one year to the next is predictable at all. I have had summers where we wore a jacket EVERY day except for maybe 2 weeks in July. There was the summer 7 years ago where it was over 100° for almost a month. Summers with WAY too much rain, others where it was a drought. And that is just one of the seasons. They are all like that. Simply mixed up all the time. last year, the trees were budding, the forsythia was blooming and it was the end of Jan. The year before, it decided to snow flurry on 31 May, but got warm a week later. Go figure.

Of course down in Bavaria, they do have expected snowfall every winter, so they have it better.

When my parents came here one May, I said oh, it is almost always lovely and warm. Well, it rained and was cold almost the entire month! So, I just get up every morning, pack an umbrella in my bag, and hope for the best. I think it is why when the sun DOES come out or it warms up just a teeny bit, everybody goes outside and/or sits outside in the cafes and restaurants.

Most of Germany is just like most of the US in April. When you go up in altitude you can experience a drop in temperature.

Be prepared for anything. Cold, rain or wind. You may not see any of these, but take a water-proof jacket.

Hi Lily -

The most efficient way to pack without over doing it is as mentioned layers. That means a fairly light but good waterproff jacket and under that on cold days would be fleece over t-shirt over long sleeve t-shirt with pants that can roll up or zip off into capris. Silk long underwear is best for both packing space and insulation. If you wear a dark colored fleece you can get by with one for a while since it won't directly touch your skin. Pashminas are great for dresser times and you can wear a multitude of layers beneath without too much bulk.

Have fun! Michelle

Oh, the silk thermals is a great idea. I was already thinking about that. Thanks. I also think I will keep the sweaters to a minimum, since they take up so much space and weigh so much yet don't really keep me that warm. Thanks for all the suggestions.