October in Germany can still be mild and sunny, it is then referred to as a goldener Oktober.
The leaves are turning yellow, red, orange and brown. It is the perfect time to take beautiful nature photos.
Traditionally there should be many harvest and wine festivals, but due the Corona pandemic, most have been cancelled this year.
If you are interested in wine, take a drive on the German wine route, which is the oldest scenic drive in Germany. You can find more information here.
A boat ride along one of the large rivers, such as the Rhine or the Neckar, will reward you with spectacular autumn vineyard views.
It is also a good time to go hiking, just make sure you have the correct clothing and shoes.
If is is getting to cold outside to do sport, try some of the indoor sports, such as indoor soccer, quash, badminton (das Federballspiel), volleyball, handball or ice skating.
Heidelberg Castle in Autumn
Season | Autumn |
Time | Central European Time (CET), summer time, same as in South Africa. From 31 October 03:00 am, it will be winter time and the clocks are turned back one hour. |
Weather | The temperatures average between 5.9 °C and 13.2 °C. It could be warmer or colder, depending on the location. When the temperatures are mild and sunny, it is called a “goldener Oktober“. The average daily sunshine is 3.7 hours. |
Public Holidays
Holiday | Date | Bundesländer |
---|---|---|
Tag der Deutschen Einheit | 3 October | All |
Reformation day | 31 October | Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Nierdersachsen, Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, Schl-Holstein, Thüringen |
Observations
Holiday | Date | Bundesländer |
---|---|---|
Erntedankfest | First Sunday in October | All |
Wintertime | 31 October 2020 | All |
School Holidays and Terms
Holidays Season | Date | Information |
Autumn Holidays | Depends on the Bundesland | https://www.schulferien.org/Schulferien_nach_Ferien/Herbstferien/herbstferien.html |
Festivals for OctoberÂ
27 Aug to 5 Dec |
Pumpkin festival in Ludwigsburg |
Cancelled this year | The Oktoberfest in Munich. Planned for 2022 |
Cancelled this year | The Cannstatter Wasen in Stuttgart. Planned for 2022 |
30 September to 9 Oct |  Filmfest Hamburg |
October | List of  wine festivals. Article from DW – Germany’s most beautiful wine festivals |
Foods to try
October is still very much pumpkin season! You will see a variety of squashes and pumpkins in the shops and farmstalls.Â
Savoy cabbage (der Wirsing) is one of the cabbages I like to use in my cooking. In most restaurants you will now find Rahm-Wirsing as a side dish. Have a look at some of the recipes.Â
One of the lesser known vegetables in season is the Black Salsify or scorzonera (die Schwarzwurzel)
If you want to warm up, try some hearty food, such as deer goulash (das Hirschgulasch) with red cabbage, Rouladen, Linseneintopf or Kartoffelsuppe.
For the beer drinkers, it is time for Festbier or Marzën
Fruits and Veggies in Season
Vocabulary
Autumn | der Herbst |
Autumn leaves | die Herbstblätter |
Savoy Cabbage | die Wirsing |
Black Salsify | die Schwarzwurzel |
Pumpkin | der Kürbis |
Pumpkin seed oil | Das Kürbiskernöl |
Apples | die Äpfel |
Turnips | die Steckrüben |
Quinces | die Quitten |
Elderberries | die Holunderbeeren |
Wintertime changeover | die Winterzeitumstellung |
Sources:
- https://www.schulferien.org/deutschland/feiertage/
- https://www.wetter.de/klima/europa/deutschland-c49/oktober.html
- https://utopia.de/ratgeber/saisonkalender-das-gibts-im-oktober/
Related pages:
- Weather in Germany
- Seasons and events
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