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The 7 best things about the colder months in Germany

The clocks have gone back and the days are rapidly getting darker: winter has almost arrived in Germany. But fear not, as winter can be a truly magical time in the Bundesrepublik. These are seven reasons why to embrace November and beyond.

A historic carousel at the Frankfurt Christmas Market in Germany.
A historic carousel at the Frankfurt Christmas Market in Germany. Photo: cmophoto.net/Unsplash

Christmas Markets (Weihnachtsmärkte)

If you’re a fan of the festive season, then Germany is arguably the best place in the world to be at this time of year.

That’s because one of the great things about Germany during the winter is its iconic Christmas markets.

Almost every town, from bustling Berlin to quaint Rothenburg ob der Tauber, seems to transform into a festive wonderland, as Christmas markets spring up everywhere across the land from late November.

READ ALSO: 8 of the quirkiest Christmas markets in Germany

With their twinkling lights, scrumptious seasonal treats, handcrafted gifts, decorations, and aromas of roasted chestnuts and gingerbread, visiting a German Christmas market really is a magical thing to do at this time of the year.

Glühwein

A crucial element of any good Weihnachtsmarkt is a hot mug of Glühwein (mulled wine).

But the consumption of this quintessential German winter drink is by no means limited to Christmas markets. From October onwards, most bars and cafes start offering this delicious, warming alcoholic drink, to help warm the cockles on a cold winter day.

READ ALSO: 5 things you need to know about German Glühwein

For those who don’t know: Glühwein is made by warming red wine with spices such as cloves, cinnamon, and aniseed, often sweetened and sometimes spiked with rum or brandy to make a warm, comforting hug in a mug.

Winter hikes

From dense forests and soaring mountains to rolling hills and expansive lakes, Germany boasts an impressive variety of landscapes.

In winter, these natural wonders take on a whole new beauty, especially when graced with a layer of crisp, white snow.

A woman hikes through a snowy forest in Feldberg, Baden-Württemberg. Photo: Raja Sen/Unsplash

Regions like the Black Forest, the Harz Mountains, or the Bavarian Alps become serene winter wonderlands, ideal for invigorating hikes. The crisp winter air, pristine white landscapes, and the crunch of snow beneath your boots make hiking in winter a wonderful thing to do. 

Saunas and Wellness

Germany has a rich spa culture, and there’s no better time to indulge than winter.

As the cold sets in, locals and visitors alike flock to saunas, thermal baths, and wellness centres. Whether it’s the steamy rooms of traditional saunas, the mineral-rich waters of the country’s many thermal baths, or a snow-cooled plunge pool, Germany offers an array of options to warm up and rejuvenate in the colder months. 

Some particularly nice hotspots to visit are the Vabali spas in Berlin, Düsseldorf and Hamburg, which offer Balinese-style oases amidst the urban sprawl, with multi-leveled relaxation with steamy saunas and outdoor pools.

Meanwhile, in the historic town of Baden-Baden, the Friedrichsbad offers a Roman-Irish bath experience, guiding visitors through a therapeutic 17-step ritual. 

Unique winter traditions 

Winter in Germany is steeped in traditions that go beyond its famous Christmas markets.

One such tradition is the celebration of Saint Nicholas Day on December 6th, where children wake up to find their shoes filled with treats if they’ve been good, or twigs if they’ve been naughty.

The chilling tales of Krampus, a horned creature who punishes misbehaving children, also come alive in certain regions during early December, with Krampus parades featuring participants in elaborate costumes.

Another custom is the observance of “Dreikönigstag” or Epiphany on January 6th, marking the end of the festive season, where children dressed as the Three Wise Men go from house to house, singing and collecting donations for charity. 

Winter Sports

From skiing and snowboarding on alpine slopes to cross-country skiing through serene forests, there’s an activity for every level of winter adventurer in Germany.

READ ALSO: 7 amazing places to ski in Germany this winter

Skiiers and snowboarders can find snowy slopes in the Bavarian Alps as well as serene trails in the Black Forest and the Thuringian Forest, which are perfect for cross-country skiing.

Meanwhile, venues such as Königssee and Winterberg offer thrilling experiences for bobsleigh and luge enthusiasts.

Two skiers enjoy the view in the sunshine at the Winterberg ski lift carousel, North Rhine-Westphalia. Photo: picture alliance/dpa/Dieter Menne Dortmund | –

Urban also settings become home to winter sports enthusiasts too, as Berlin’s famous ice rink at Alexanderplatz, Munich’s Karlsplatz Stachus Eiszauber, and the DEG-Winterwelt on Düsseldorf’s Königsallee encourage residents and tourists lace up their skates to glide across the ice under twinkling lights. 

Comfort Food

Germany’s traditional cuisine is nothing if not hearty and rich, perfect for warding off the cold.

READ ALSO: 10 classic sweet treats to try at least once in Germany

During winter, indulge in classic dishes like bratwurst, Sauerbraten (a pot roast, usually of beef), and hearty stews. For the sweet-toothed, there’s nothing like biting into a slice of Stollen, a traditional fruitcake packed with nuts, spices, and candied fruit or a Lebkuchen – a tasty gingerbread treat often covered in chocolate.

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CULTURE

Seven unmissable events happening around Germany in May 2024

The weather is heating up and it feels like summer is just around the corner. Here are some events you can check out around Germany in May.

Seven unmissable events happening around Germany in May 2024

There are interesting happenings to be found in Germany all year around, but for most of us living in the Bundesrepublik, there is something magical about the late spring season. 

With April’s last cold snap now firmly in the rearview, Germany seems to come alive again as the weather heats up and the trees fill out with fresh green foliage. With folk festivals on, beer gardens and restaurant patios opening up, and local parks filling up with picnickers and day-drinkers, it feels as if the whole country is emerging from hibernation. 

Here are a few events from around the country to keep you entertained this May.

Starting off with dancing into May and Germany’s Labour Day

To properly start off the month of May, many Germans start dancing in April.

Tanz in den Mai, or to ‘dance into May’, is a German tradition that is celebrated at folk festivals and dance parties around the country. Many of these events start on the evening on April 30th and last until the early hours of May 1st so that attendees can quite literally dance into the beginning of the month.

April 30th also happens to be Walpurgisnacht, which historically was a night for scaring away the witches, but in modern times is more often a night for dancing around open fires and related festivities.

May 1st, which falls on a Wednesday this year, is Labour Day in Germany – a national holiday. The German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) will be hosting a rally in Hanover, and Berlin’s annual Revolutionary May Day demo will be taking place in Neukölln and Kreuzberg.

READ ALSO: ‘Tag der Arbeit’: What to do on May 1st in Germany

For those who would rather party than rally on the holiday, there will be abundant opportunities for daytime dancing and drinking to be found.

May 1st to 5th – Baumblütenfest Werder

The 145th Tree Blossom Festival in Werder, on the Havel River about an hour outside of Berlin, is a celebration of the blossoming fruit trees and includes a carnival for five days at the start of May.

The focus for most visitors is on trying a number of locally produced fruit wines, and taking in the views of blossoms by the riverside.

Tours of blossoming trees in Werder’s courtyards and gardens begin at the end of April, and then the city’s carnival opens on May 1st. From May 3rd the carnival is expanded into a folk fest including larger live music stages and a large market.

The festival’s grand finale takes place on May 4th with a parade through the city centre, from 11am, led by the Tree Blossom Queen, and a fireworks display planned for the evening.

fireworks over the Rhine

The “Rhine in Flames” fireworks spectacle takes place along the most beautiful stretches of the Rhine every year from May to September. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Andreas Arnold

May 4th – Rhine in Flames in Bonn

The Rhine River Valley is commonly listed among Germany’s most scenic locations. 

Rhine in Flames, or Rhein in Flammen, offers visitors a chance to see the World Heritage Site of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley under the red glare of a magnificent fireworks display.

The entire Rhine in Flames event actually takes place over five nights, each at a different city on the Rhine River, with the dates spanning from early spring to autumn. But this year’s event will kick off on May 4th with a fireworks display that will be visible from the shores of the river between Bonn and the neighbouring town of Linz.

More information can be found at the event’s website.

May 9th – 12th – Hafengeburtstagsfest in Hamburg 

Hamburg’s Port Anniversary fest amounts to a colourful celebration by the water, complete with a beautiful firework display.

The best views of the Port of Hamburg and the Hafengeburtstagsfest are found along the Jan-Fedder-Promenade. Here stalls are set-up along the harbour mile, selling foods and local delicacies.

From the Landungsbrücken, you can watch the event’s top attractions including Friday evening’s ‘Elbe in Concert’ with a fireworks show and Saturday’s ‘magical light illumination’ presented by AIDA cruises.

There are also water parades, including the world’s only tugboat ballet, where guests can witness a pirouette performed at 3000 horsepower.

May 12th – 19th: International Dixieland Festival

Jazz fans might be surprised to learn that Dresden’s International Dixieland Festival is Europe’s oldest festival for old-timey jazz music.

This year’s lineup is full of both German and international (mostly European) bands and soloists, including: the Brass Band Rakovnik from the Czech Republic, the Louis Armstrong Celebration Band from the Netherlands, and Mama Shakers from France, among many others.

The Dixieland Fest website does note that the event overlaps with several other large events in Dresden, so affordable accommodation may become scarce. 

Festival attendees are advised to make bookings early, and to look at accommodation options around the city along major S-bahn lines. (Which is actually a good tip for travelling in Germany in the summer in general.)

Visitors hold up their beer mugs at one of Germany’s many beer festivals. Photo: Christof STACHE/AFP

May 16th – 27th: Erlangen’s ‘Der Berg’ Fest

If you’re already dreaming of Oktoberfest, May has a number of spring beer fests in villages across Germany, and especially in Bavaria.

One such fest is Erlangen’s Der Berg (The Mountain), so named because it takes place on the town’s tallest hill.

Erlangen is a small town in central Germany near Nuremberg. It happens to be the German village that is furthest from the sea, but that doesn’t stop Der Berg from having some fried fish sandwiches on offer.

READ ALSO: Five reasons foreigners should move to Nuremberg

Der Berg is certainly significantly smaller than Munich’s world renowned Oktoberfest, but it offers similar attractions – including carnival rides, jubilant sings and dancing, and of course local beers served up in a big litre Maßkrug.

May 29th-June 6th: Würzburger Weindorf

For all the aspiring sommeliers and oenophiles, Würzburg’s annual ‘Wine Village’ offers a pleasant way to end the fifth month in 2024 – or to drink your way into June.

It may be little known beyond Germany, but Würzburg is proud of its centuries-old winemaking tradition, which dates back to the Middle Ages. If that’s news to you, then the Würzburger Weindorf is among the best events for an introduction to Franconian viticulture.

Here you can try wine varietals that you may not have heard of before, such as the Müller-Thurgau or the sparkling Scheurebe, and you can pair your tastings with hearty Franconian faire, like Würzburg bratwurst or local dumplings.

This year the festival kicks off on Wednesday May 29th at 5pm, and then is open daily from 11am to 11:30pm.

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