About Freiburg: Climate

Freiburg boasts the warmest temperatures and most sunlight hours in all of Germany. I was happy to leave the snow banks behind in Massachusetts, though Freiburg was only just a bit warmer than back home (around 40 degrees or so). Spring came rather early, with temperatures reaching around 70 degrees in early April. One thing that continues to amaze me is that the sun has not yet set at 9:30 at night. It is very strange to experience the high of the day at 5:00 pm. June has brought quite a few rainy days, but summer feels quite comparable to New England so far. I would recommend learning a few key temperatures in Celsius because I feel rather left out when other students/teachers talk about temperatures and I can’t relate. As far as packing goes, I would recommend bringing a few sweaters/long-sleeved shirts. I brought about three sweaters and around 2 long-sleeved shirts, but only wore them for about three weeks. I am trying to have my visiting family members bring back my winter clothes with them so that I will have more room in my suitcase for the trip back home. I tend to wear sandals everyday once it gets warm enough out, but having a good pair of sneakers/boots is a good idea too. I would not recommend bringing high heeled shoes, because cobblestones create an uneven surface that heels do not handle too well. I brought a thin wool coat for winter, but I haven’t worn it since March. It was definitely essential during the first weeks in Freiburg, but now it is just hanging in my closet untouched. I also brought a thin rain jacket that has come in handy many times since being in Europe. I tend to overpack, and was very proud of myself for fitting everything in one suitcase, but looking back I wish I had packed less. There are so many shirts that I wear infrequently. There is an H&M and many other clothing stores that sell slightly cheaper basic items, but overall clothing is much more expensive here than back home.