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DISCOVER GERMANY

9 things to know if you’re visiting Germany in December

From Christmas markets to local holidays, here's what you need to know when visiting Germany this December.

Published: 30 November 2022 09:37 CET
Updated: 7 December 2022 10:04 CET
9 things to know if you're visiting Germany in December
People crowd around the Christmas market in Mainz in 2022. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Hannes Albert

If you’re travelling to (or around) Germany this December, here are a few key things to keep in mind, from Covid restrictions – or lack thereof – to the best Christmas cookies to scoff down guilt-free. 

No more Covid restrictions for travel to Germany

Unlike the past two holiday seasons, no negative coronavirus test or vaccine card is required to enter Germany by plane, train, bus or other overland transport. 

While Germany specifies that anyone coming from a virus-variant region faces restrictions such as quarantine and a test requirement, it currently does not list any countries that fall into this category.

Still a few nationwide rules

Until April 7th, 2023, Germany still has a few COVID rules in place. FFP2 masks are required in all long-distance public transport, with children ages 6-13 allowed to wear medical OP masks.

Those entering a hospital or care facility will need both an FFP2 mask and a COVID test. Anyone entering a doctor’s office or other medical practice is also required to don an FFP2 mask.

READ ALSO: Will Germany get rid of masks in public transport?

Otherwise, each of Germany’s 16 states has its own rules. While most still require masks on local public transport, a handful of states have voiced plans to drop the requirement soon.

Local holidays 

While St. Nicholas Day on December 6th is not an official public holiday in Germany, it’s celebrated by almost all families and for some is a bigger gift-giving occasion than Christmas itself.

READ ALSO: Why is Nikolaustag celebrated before Christmas itself?

December 24th and 31st are not official holidays, but most local employees give at least half of the day off as a gesture of goodwill. 

Note that Germans open gifts on Christmas Eve (or Heiligabend, Holy Evening), usually after a special dinner with close family members. Then on the 25th, they gather for the first celebration day (Erster Feiertag) with extended family. 

December 26th, which falls on a Monday this year, is a day off.

Candles decorate a Christmas tree in a living room. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Karl-Josef Hildenbrand

Christmas markets are on again

After two winters of being fully or partially closed due to Covid restrictions, Germany’s beloved Weihnachtsmärkte are now back in full swing. You will find them everywhere you go, from big cities to the tiniest of towns. 

READ ALSO: Seven unmissable Christmas markets that open this week in Germany

While each has its own regional twist, you can sample staple treats such as Glühwein, or mulled wine, Lebkuchen (similar to gingerbread) and Stollen. 

Everything is more expensive

While it’s dipped slightly, inflation in Germany is still 10 percent, which has led to price increases for everything from daily groceries to energy bills and dining out.

READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: 10 ways to save money on your groceries in Germany

Even the Christmas markets are more expensive this year due to higher prices for the Glühwein mugs. This means some markets in Berlin are charging almost €5 for the Pfand (deposit) for that first glass of mulled wine.

The same applies to ski resorts with hotels, lift tickets and restaurants all costing more this year.

It’s not too warm to ski

While Austria and Switzerland are the best known in the German speaking-world for their ski resorts, there are still many options in Germany starting at the beginning of December, especially in the south of the country. Like nearly everything else, though, expect some hefty price increases. 

The top resorts in Germany include (but are not limited to) Arber, Alpsee-Grünten, Garmish-Partenkirchen, Winklmoosalm-Steinplatte, Oberstdorf, Winterberg and Oberjoch.

Advent countdown 

Starting December 1st, Germans count down the days till Christmas with either a homemade or store-bought Adventkalendar. Traditionally, children open a small door each day to receive a tiny piece of chocolate, but in recent years it’s been possible to find calendars offering all sorts of small goodies, from a daily new flavour of tea to different dog treats.

READ ALSO: How do Germans celebrate Christmas? 

Christmas treats 

German restaurants have special menus for all seasons and occasions, and the holiday season is no exception. Check for a special ‘Weihnachtskarte’ (Christmas menu) with Gänsebraten (roasted geese) usually featured as the main specialty. And everywhere you go you can sample a batch of Weihnachtskekse (Christmas cookies), in all shapes and sizes. Many are baked by local schools or charities, so you can alleviate some guilt in chowing down on Zimtsterne (cinnamon stars) or Vanillekipferln (vanilla crescents).

Loud New Year’s Eve celebrations 

New Year’s Eve (or Silvester) is notorious in Germany for firecracker chaos. While people in Germany were banned for two years from setting them off due to coronavirus restrictions, fireworks should be back in full swing this year – especially in the centre of big cities. So watch where you step, or if you’re lucky, look out of your window with a glass of champagne and enjoy the countdown till 2023.

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COLOGNE

What to do, see and eat on a budget-friendly break in Cologne

Cologne is one of the oldest cities in Germany, with a history stretching back just over 2,000 years. It’s a past full of old Roman bones, Gothic architecture and world-famous fine fragrances. But it's possible to explore without breaking the bank.

Published: 5 April 2024 14:40 CEST
What to do, see and eat on a budget-friendly break in Cologne

You could spend months exploring Cologne, but most of us don’t have the time or resources.

Therefore, here’s what to do, see and eat during a weekend in one of Europe’s cultural capitals. 

DO

Cologne is a very walkable city, and it’s easy to get between the main sights, such as the iconic Hohenzollern Bridge and the historic Altstadt or old town. That said, it’s also well-served by an excellent public transport network. 

The most up-to-date schedules and journey planners are available through the KVB or Deutsche Bahn apps. 

READ ALSO: 10 facts you probably didn’t know about Cologne (even if you live there)

To get around, the KölnCard is your best option. Not only will it get you everywhere you want to be within the areas visited by tourists, but it can give you up to a 50 percent discount on selected attractions.

The KölnCard can be purchased at the tourist information centre, or KVB ticket machines at public transport stops. 

SEE

The first thing you’ll likely see upon arriving in Cologne is the Kölner Dom or Cologne Cathedral. (Domkloster 4, 50667). 

While there’s been some sort of church on the site since the 17th century, the current Gothic masterpiece began construction in 1248 and, due to war, plague and economic turmoils, was not completed until 1880. Indeed, a crane sat atop one of the incomplete towers for centuries. 

The cathedral is one of the holiest pilgrimage sights in Christianity, as tradition holds that the relics of the Three Wise Men are housed there in a reliquary.

Cologne cathedral

Cologne’s cathedral is one of the world’s most important Gothic masterpieces – it took over 600 years to build! Photo: Bea61 / Pixabay

READ ALSO: Eight things you probably didn’t know about Cologne Cathedral

You can spend hours drinking in the gorgeous medieval paintings and carvings, flooded with golden light streaming through the windows. 

With a €10 ticket per adult, you can enter the cathedral and the treasury, which holds even more stunning treasures. 

However, Cologne was occupied way further back than the Middle Ages. Cologne, or Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium as it was known, was an important Roman city founded in the first decades of the first century. 

While Roman remains can be found everywhere in Cologne – in the crypts of many churches, for example – many of the best-preserved artefacts and evidence of everyday Roman life are kept in the Römisch-Germanisches Museum, or Romano-German Museum (Cäcilienstraße 46, 50667). 

Everything you might expect from a bustling Roman provincial capital, from tiny, intricate jewellery pieces to monumental arches that led into the city, can be found here. Tickets for adults are €6. 

Another quite peculiar legacy of the Romans can be found in the Basilica of St. Ursula (Ursulaplatz 24, 50668). Locals uncovered a Roman cemetery in the early Middle Ages, which contained hundreds of burials and thousands of bones. 

Somehow, these were conflated with the legend of St Ursula, an English princess whom the Huns martyred along with eleven other virgins (and who eventually grew to 11,000). 

These bones now adorn the basilica’s Goldene Kammer or ‘Golden Chamber’, arranged in fantastic designs such as letters, numbers and geometric patterns. 

It’s something you’re rarely likely to have seen before. Best of all, photography is permitted, and entrance is free. 

The incredible interior of the Goldene Kammer, or ‘Golden Chamber’ in the Basilica of St Ursula. Photo: Mike Stuchbery / The Local

For something completely different, head over to the Farina Duftmuseum, or Farina Fragrance Museum. 

Cologne is world-renowned for its contribution to perfumery. Indeed, the city gave its name to the fragrances worn by men. 

This is mainly due to the work of Johann Maria Farina, who, together with his brother, established a perfumery in the eighteenth century that became spectacularly successful across Europe with their ‘Eau de Cologne’. 

The Farina Fragrance Museum not only tells the story of the family firm but also explains the production process in detail and demonstrates how the scent is manufactured. 

Tickets cost €8 per adult, and yes, there’s a gift shop with bottles of all shapes and sizes to take home. 

EAT AND DRINK

In Cologne—and especially when staying there on a budget—there’s no other place for snacks and quick meals like a Büdchen or Kiosk. 

Like the legendary Berlin Späti, these are places open all hours of the day for anything you may need and serving simple but good food. 

Pico Coffee (Neusserplatz, 50670) is one of the city’s most beloved Büdchen. Don’t let the name fool you—they also serve breakfast, sandwiches, crepes and other snacks, in addition to takeaway essentials and fantastic coffee. 

Carnival start

A woman holding a greeting sign of ‘Alaaf’ to mark the start of Cologne’s Carnival season on November 11th, 2022. picture alliance/dpa | Rolf Vennenbernd

Another cult Cologne Büdchen is Kölnkiosk (Brüsselerstraße 39 – 41, 50674), a very popular neighbourhood venue that serves a constantly changing menu of small bites to larger meals. You’ll recognise it with a riot of bright pink!

Locals also swear by Weinhaus Vogel (Eigelstein 74, 50668) a neighbourhood institution with cheap, filling regional fare that’s been keeping customers happy since 1898. 

Finally, get a taste of real local flavour at Knippschild Werk 2 (An der Kemperwiese, 451069), where you can enjoy a cold Kölsch beer alongside a selection of hearty, good-value German dishes. 

Have any recommendations for things to do, see or eat in Cologne? Let us know in the comments.

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