Germany in December

Christmas markets in every town; Nuremberg, Dresden and Cologne weekends are packed. Shops close from 24 December afternoon.

• North and the coasts · Hamburg, Bremen, Baltic and North Sea islandscool

  Wind and drizzle in any month; the coast season is June–August, when island ferries and beach chairs (Strandkörbe) are booked out.

• Berlin and the east · Berlin, Dresden, Leipzig, Brandenburg lakescool

  Continental: cold dry winters (around 0 °C), warm summers with 30 °C spells; lake swimming from June.

• Rhine and the west · Cologne, Frankfurt, Rhine and Moselle valleys, Heidelbergcool

  Mildest winters; wine harvest and river trips at their best in September–October.

• Bavaria and the Alps · Munich, Bavarian Alps, Black Forest, Lake Constancecool

  Summer thunderstorms in the mountains; skiing January–March at Garmisch and Berchtesgaden. Foehn wind brings clear warm days in autumn.

• Berlin4° / -1°, 10 rain days

Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.

• Christmas markets big impact

  Late Nov – 23 Dec

  Weekend hotel prices up in Nuremberg, Dresden, Cologne and Munich; crowds from 16:00.

• Christmas big impact

  24–26 Dec

  Shops close on the 24th around 14:00 and stay closed until the 27th; many restaurants closed.

• New Year's Eve

  Dec 31 · Berlin

  Large open-air party at the Brandenburg Gate; roads close early.

Crowds · Germany

High

Prices · Germany

High

High-price month: see what to book ahead.

• Layers: a fleece or light jacket

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