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7 amazing places to ski in Germany this winter

When it comes to skiing in the German speaking world, most people will firstly think of Austria and Switzerland as top destinations. But Germany has some wonderful skiing spots to offer too.

7 amazing places to ski in Germany this winter
Winter sports enthusiasts ride the chairlift in the sunshine on the Zugspitze in 2013. Photo: picture alliance / dpa | Karl-Josef Hildenbrand

Oberstaufen, Bavaria

Surrounded by the stunning scenery of the Allgäu mountains, a total of 60 kilometres of slopes and four different ski areas await winter sports fans in Oberstaufen in the Allgäu.

Up high, down low: The ski areas of Steibis and Hündle offer suitable slopes for every skier in Oberstaufen. Photo: picture alliance/dpa/Bergbahnen Imberg&Huendle | Bergbahnen Imberg&Huendle

A total of 28 different lifts and mountain railroads take visitors into a white-sloped paradise on the ski areas of Steibis-Imberg, Hündle-Thalkirchdorf, Sinswang and the Hochgratbahn.

There are runs for all levels of skiing and snowboarding expertise; experienced snowboarders can try out the obstacles in the fun park of the Steibis ski arena, while families and novice skiers can enjoy the Hündle lift, which even offers floodlit night rides.

Steinplatte-Winklmoosalm, Bavaria

If you’ve always wanted to ski in two countries in one day, you can do it on the Steinplatte-Winklmoosalm in Bavaria. On the 42 kilometres of slopes between Salzburg, Tyrol and Bavaria, you can often find the best snow conditions right up until Easter, at an altitude of between 740 and 1,860 metres.

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

For skiing, the Bavarian Winklmoosalm is a paradise for beginners, while the Tyrolean Steinplatte offers easy as well as more challenging slopes. Other highlights are the snowpark, the funline, the cosy ski huts, the cross-country trails and the fantastic panorama from the Steinplatte.

Feldburg, Baden-Württemberg

Set against the lush green of the low mountain range of the Black Forest, the Feldberg ski resort in Baden-Württemberg is a unique destination for a ski trip.

Skiers whizz down the Seebuck in Feldburg. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Patrick Seeger

The Feldberg ski area has 16 downhill runs, 14 lifts and chairlifts and 30 kilometres of slopes on offer.

One of the resort’s highlights is the Hinterwald run: at 9,300 metres long, it is the longest run in the Black Forest. The Notschrei ski area also has a toboggan run as well as cross-country ski trails through the forest.

Zugspitze, Bavaria

Germany’s highest mountain is also home to some wonderful ski resorts. At an altitude of 2,720 metres, glaciers, natural snow and lots of sunshine make this a stunning destination to explore the slopes.

READ ALSO: 8 unmissable events in Germany this December

Skiers and snowboarders can explore a total of 20 kilometres of slopes, while tobogganing fans can also get a chance to whizz down Germany’s highest mountain.

Those planning an overnight stay on the mountain should definitely check out the igloo village – an art hotel made of snow and ice at an altitude of 2,030 metres.

Garmisch-Classic, Bavaria

Right next to the Zugspitze, is the ski resort of Garmisch-Classic – a popular destination among skiers thanks to its long slopes and beautiful surroundings.

A ski slope in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Angelika Warmuth

The resort consists of three ski mountains – Hausberg, Kreuzeck and Alpspitze – and offers 40 kilometres of slopes for all levels of skiing expertise.

The Hausberg area is particularly popular with families and beginners, while the Alpspitze slopes are popular with more ambitious skiers.

Oberjoch/ Bad Hindelang, Bavaria

The ski resort Oberjoch/Bad Hindelang is a particularly great choice for a skiing holiday with children, as one of the highlights is the huge Kinderland, where children can learn to ski or snowboard in a playful way. 

READ ALSO: Five ways to make the most of Germany this winter

The resort also boasts 30 kilometres of blue, red and black ski slopes for skiers of all levels as well as night skiing and ultra-modern 8-seater ski lifts which take skiers up to the slopes. 

Winterberg, North Rhine-Westphalia

The Winterberg ski resort in the Sauerland region of North Rhine-Westphalia offers 28 km of slopes across 6 mountains: Kahler Asten, Bremberg, Kappe, Poppenberg, Herrloh and Sürenberg.

Skiers on a slope in Winterberg resort in Sauerland, North Rhine-Westphalia. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Bernd Thissen

Half of the slopes are blue, which makes learning to ski in Winterberg easy, especially for beginners.

More experienced skiers can try out the slopes on Poppenberg and Kappe, while the slalom slope at Herrlohkop is one of the steepest north of the Alps.

Those wanting to take a break from the slopes can rite the Kappe Express – a miniature train ride through the attractions of Winterberg and the Kappe mountain. 

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REVEALED: The most popular camping destinations in Germany

Camping in Germany has never been more popular, according to a new report by the statistical office. The Local takes a look at camping trends and the nation’s most popular outdoor destinations.

REVEALED: The most popular camping destinations in Germany

With 42.3 million overnight stays recorded, more people than ever before camped in Germany in 2023, according to data released by the statistical office (Destatis) on Monday.

That was up 5.2 percent from 2022, and 18.2 percent above the pre-Covid year 2019.

Camping has steadily gained popularity in Germany in the past 10 years. With the exception of the Covid years 2020 and 2021, which were marked by travel restrictions and accommodation bans, the number of overnight stays in campgrounds has steadily risen in this period.

In comparison, the number of overnight stays with other types of accommodation, like hotels, has not yet returned to pre-Covid levels – still down 1.7 percent in 2023 compared to 2019.

Just over 10 percent of campers come from abroad. In total, 4.5 million international guests camped in Germany in 2023, and 37.8 million campers outdoors in their home country.

Where do people like to camp in Germany?

The most popular camping locations in the Bundesrepublik are split between the northern coasts and the southern forests. 

Schleswig-Holstein’s Baltic Coastline was the most popular location, with a total of 3.5 million overnight stays. 

The next most popular camping regions included the Black Forest, the North Sea coast of Lower Saxony, the Allgäu and the Lake Constance-Upper Swabia region.

READ ALSO: Holiday like a local: Five of the best camping regions in Germany

Interestingly, campers coming from abroad tend to be primarily drawn to the southwest of Germany – spending the most nights in the Black Forest, followed by the Mosel-Saar and the Rhineland-Palatinate Eifel regions. 

Allansbach am Bodensee

The village of Allansbach am Bodensee in Baden-Württemberg. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Felix Kästle

One reason behind these regions’ popularity is their proximity to neighbouring countries like France, Luxembourg or the Netherlands, where camping is particularly widespread.

If you’d rather avoid the most popular camping spots, inner-Germany’s lake regions also make for good camping options. The Franconian Lake District, Lusatian Lake District and  the Hegau on Lake Constance all have a number of great lakeside campsites to choose from.

How to camp German style

Unfortunately for the adventurous and thrifty, camping outside of designated campsites – so-called wild camping – is illegal throughout Germany. So to avoid any trouble, you’ll want to find a legitimate campground (Campingplatz).

Campgrounds vary immensely in terms of price and amenities, but most of them will have designated zones for RV or trailer camping and tent camping. Picnic tables, fire pits, electrical outlets, bathrooms with showers and even wifi are typically available even in the more basic sites. Whereas more built-up campgrounds operate like resorts with restaurants, swimming pools, washing machines etc.

Prices tend to start around €20 per night for car camping. Sometimes guests coming without a car, such as bike-touring campers, can pay less.

According to Destatis, motorhome camping prices increased by 9.0 percent in 2023 compared to 2022. Campsite fees overall increased a bit more moderately, by 6.6 percent.

This being Germany, making early reservations is not a bad idea – especially at the aforementioned popular destinations, campgrounds can fill up during peak vacation times. 

If you are planning to camp on the beach on Schleswig-Holstein’s Rügen island in August, for example, you may want to contact the campground ahead of time to see about reserving a spot. That said, a lot of campgrounds tend to have space for spontaneous arrivals throughout the season.

Websites like Camping Info or Pin Camp (the camping portal of Germany’s automobile association ADAC) can be useful for finding campgrounds around the country. 

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