As days are getting colder, the comfort of staying warm and cozy indoors becomes more appealing. But winter in Germany can be as exciting as it is magical. Germany offers a wealth of options for winter sports enthusiasts to embrace the season.
From snow-covered slopes and cross-country trails to exciting après-ski experiences, the destination’s renowned ski resorts and hidden gems invite visitors to experience everything from adrenaline-pumping adventures to serene mountain views.

Bavaria is home to some of the most popular ski resorts in Germany, including the famous Garmisch-Partenkirchen with the Zugspitze.
The Zugspitze is the highest peak in Germany  and presents visitors with magical views. Due to its altitude, the mountain offers optimal conditions for natural snow – which forms the basis for perfectly groomed ski runs. It allows for a range of skiing and snowboarding options suitable for all levels. With over 12 miles of slopes, reliable snow conditions, and modern lift facilities, the area is one of the top winter destinations in Germany.

Easily accessible from Munich in just one and a half hours by car, Garmisch-Partenkirchen not only offers classic winter sports such as skiing, cross-country skiing, sledding, and snowshoeing but also invites visitors to explore the iconic Olympic ski jump through guided tours to follow in the footsteps of athletes who participated in the 1936 Winter Olympics.
Whether you’re a first-timer learning to ski or a seasoned pro seeking thrilling runs, the resort has something is store for everyone. In cozy mountain huts, you can savor Bavarian delicacies, warm hospitality, and the priceless sight of an alpine winter wonderland stretching as far as the eye can see.

Feldberg, located in the heart of the Black Forest, is Germany’s highest and most renowned ski resort outside the Alps. The almost 40 miles of ski slopes include long, effortless runs for beginners, as well as more challenging courses for seasoned skiers. Additionally, there are dedicated hills where families and children can participate in tobogganing.

For those who prefer a winter stroll, the snowy forests of Germany provide an enchanting setting. The Harz Mountains, one of the country’s most popular low mountain ranges, transform into a fairy-tale landscape when covered in snow. With snowshoes, visitors can step light-footedly along the many unspoiled trails of the winter landscape and enjoy the crisp mountain air. The region is also ideal for cross-country skiing, offering well-maintained trails that wind through the serene, snow-covered terrain.

Even in the city, winter sports are never far. While ice skating rinks can be found in most cities, some destinations also offer some more unique winter activities. Enjoy beautiful views of the Nymphenburg Palace in Munich, while sliding over the ice of the frozen canal. Here visitors can even play ice-stick shooting and ice hockey. In Wiesbaden, the ice rink in front of the historic Kurhaus contributes to the magical winter atmosphere, perfect for a leisurely day of skating.

Whether you are seeking adventure in the mountains or a charming winter experience in the city, Germany has something for everyone.

Husky Sleigh Ride

Dietramszell: Sledging with huskies
In Siberia it’s normal everyday life, in Germany it’s an amazing experience: a sleigh ride with huskies. Husky tours are offered in several parts of Germany, for example in the Rhön, the Black Forest, Lower Saxony or the Harz Mountains.

Hamburg: Urban ice channel in snowy Hamburg Eimsbüttel

Is winter not suitable for a city tour? Far from it. You can really work up a sweat on an Outdoor Rally. There are GPS scavenger hunts throughout several cities, for example in Hamburg. Afterwards, you can enjoy a lovely café.

Horse-drawn Carriage Rides

Sit back, relax and enjoy the wintry landscape while wrapped in a warm coat: That’s a great way to enjoy a ride in a horse-drawn carriage. Horse-drawn carriage rides are offered in many regions in Germany, for example in the Allgäu.

Build an Igloo or Overnight in One

Family builds an igloo
This is sure to be an experience of a completely different kind. Why not spend the night in an igloo? There are even small igloo villages in Germany. They are often idyllically located high up in the mountains and also offer a colourful entertainment programme, great panoramas and ice bar included. If you feel like building an igloo yourself, that’s also possible, for example in the Allgäu.

Torchlight Hikes through the Vineyards

Vineyards are delightful all year round. In winter, however, walking through the evening vineyards with torches is particularly impressive. These excursions are offered, for example, in the Rheingau or in Baden-Württemberg. One of the highlights is certainly the view from the higher altitudes down into the illuminated valleys.

Fun for Young and Old: Tobogganing

Happy Family Sledding On Snow Covered Field
Sledding down the slopes brings a glow to everyone’s cheeks. The natural toboggan run Hirscheckblitz in Ramsau near Berchtesgaden is a good place to start. And with a length of 6.5 kilometres, the Wallberg toboggan run near Rottach-Egern is one of the longest toboggan runs in Germany. If you’re looking for an adrenaline rush, take a racing bobsleigh taxi: an experienced pilot will then whisk you through an ice channel at speeds of 120/h. You can do this in Altenberg near Dresden or at Königssee in Bavaria.

Visit a Tropical Garden or Botanical Garden

Botanical gardens offer visitors not only pretty parks, but often also greenhouses or even butterfly houses. In Frankfurt’s Palmengarten for example, the butterfly house attracts visitors in the winter months with over 60 species of butterflies. You can also admire the beauty of these insects at the Botanical Gardens in Marburg or in the Butterfly House on Mainau Island  near Constance, as well as in the Wilhelma in Stuttgart. The Biosphäre Potsdamis also well worth a visit. You can stroll through a tropical rainforest under the huge glass dome, for example. The Berlin Botanical Gardens, on the other hand, will delight you with its many display greenhouses and its cactus house.

The Planetarium

Hamburg: Planetarium in the evening
The winter sky offers up the brightest constellations. So, visit a planetarium especially in the winter months. Enjoy the view of the stars and discover exciting star constellations. There are planetariums in Berlin, Mannheim, Bochum, Cottbus and Hamburg.

Ice Skating

Ice skating
Skating is not only an experience to be enjoyed by children. Spinning around in front of a proper stage becomes a memorable experience. Particularly beautiful, if the ice is thick enough, is, for example, the palace canal of the Nymphenburg Palace in Munich. Here you can even play ice-stick shooting and ice hockey. However, there are also skating rinks in most larger cities.

Live Like Royalty

Schwangau: Neuschwanstein Castle at sunset in winter landscape
Castles have their own special charm in winter, especially in snowy weather. Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, for example, becomes particularly beautiful. And anyone visiting the snow-covered Moritzburg Castle near Dresden or Hohenzollern Castle in Baden-Württemberg, for example, will feel as if they are in a fairytale. A pleasant bonus: in the wintertime there are usually fewer visitors to the castles and palaces. So there you can enjoy feeling just like a king or a queen.

Get Cosy at the Film Museum

Potsdam: Filmmuseum
Wintertime is movie time. How about a visit to a cinema museum. There are film museums in many cities: In Frankfurt am Main, in Düsseldorf, in Potsdam and in Munich, for example. Most of them show several films per day, and often show films in their original version – or at least in English.

Skiing

Woman sitting in the snow with snowboard and enjoying the view of the mountains
Whether on skis or a snowboard, racing down the slopes is always fun. This applies particularly well in the Harz mountains, on the Feldberg in Baden-Württemberg, in Hesse, Bavaria or in Saxony on the Fichtelberg. Here you can find detailed information on German ski resorts.