Germany in December: what to expect

December is Germany's darkest month: expect grey skies, drizzle and short days, with daylight roughly 08:00–16:30 in the north and only slightly longer in the south. Daytime temperatures usually sit in the low single digits, and nights drop to around or just below freezing. Snow is possible anywhere but reliable only in the Alps, the Black Forest and the higher eastern hills.

The pattern is regional. The north and the coasts are windy and damp, with rain rather than snow. Berlin and the east are drier and colder, with frosty mornings. The Rhine and the west are the mildest, which is why Cologne's and the Moselle's markets are comfortable to walk. Bavaria and the Alps are the coldest and the only zone where you can count on snow underfoot.

Crowds and prices both run high in December, but not evenly. The first week is the quietest of the month; from the second weekend the market towns fill, and Friday to Sunday evenings are the busiest. Nuremberg, Dresden and Cologne are the classic bottlenecks, and their hotels sell out weeks ahead for market weekends.

The peak is the run-up to Christmas: 20–23 December is the heaviest for both hotel rates and train loads, and long-distance trains need seat reservations on those days. After Christmas the picture flips — 27–30 December is quieter in the market towns, though New Year's Eve brings a second short spike in the big cities.

Budget roughly 20–40% more than a November city break for the same hotel, and expect market food and drink to be cash-friendly but not cheap. Rail is the one place you can save: Sparpreis tickets bought well in advance cost a fraction of the walk-up fare.

The month is built around Christmas markets (Weihnachtsmärkte), which open in the last week of November and run to 23 December in most towns, with a few continuing to the first days of January. Nuremberg's Christkindlesmarkt, Dresden's Striezelmarkt and Cologne's markets are the best known; smaller towns such as Bamberg, Görlitz and Cochem are calmer and cheaper.

Beyond the markets, the month has a few fixed points worth planning around. Saint Nicholas Day on 6 December is when children find small gifts in their shoes. New Year's Eve (Silvester) brings fireworks in city centres and heavy demand for restaurants and taxis. Ski areas in Bavaria and the Black Forest open as soon as snow allows, usually from mid-December.

For a first December trip, pick one or two bases rather than a loop. Berlin gives you big-city museums, several markets and easy day trips to Potsdam and Dresden by train. Dresden itself has one of the oldest markets in Germany and a compact old town you can walk in an evening. In the south, Munich and Nuremberg pair well, with Nuremberg's market the single best reason to be in Bavaria in December.

If you want snow rather than markets, base in Garmisch-Partenkirchen or the Black Forest and treat the towns as a fallback for bad weather. If you want the mildest walking weather, the Rhine and Moselle valleys — Cologne, Cochem, Heidelberg — are the least harsh, and their markets are strung along the river.

Two practical rules: keep days short and indoor-heavy, and check opening days around 24–26 December before you commit to a small town, where everything can shut at once.

Pack for wet cold, not deep cold: a waterproof shell with a warm mid-layer beats a heavy coat in most cities, and waterproof shoes matter more than a thick sole. Gloves, a hat and a scarf are not optional for evening market visits, when temperatures drop fast after dark.

Bring a small amount of cash — many market stalls still prefer it — and a compact umbrella or hood, since drizzle is more common than snow. If you are heading to the Alps or the Black Forest, add proper boots, a warmer layer and traction aids for icy paths.

November is darker, wetter and cheaper, with markets opening only in the final week. January is colder and quieter, with low prices outside the ski resorts and short days. February adds Carnival in the Rhineland and the Berlinale in Berlin, which push hotel prices up again.

If markets are the goal, December is the month. If you want to see the country rather than the squares, come back between May and September.