Winter time is a great time to visit Germany.

It’s been several days now since Nick and I returned from our three week trip to Germany. We were fortunate to be able to spend the Christmas Holidays and New Year’s celebration 2013/2014 with my parents and brother in my hometown of Schweinfurt. Visiting Germany in the winter time is wonderful!

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Visiting a Christmas Market during a visit to Germany in winter.

Looking at hand made decorations, colorful and fragrant candles combined with the smell of freshly baked cookies and sweets, bratwursts, hot wine and nuts is thrilling. It brings back so many childhood memories for Silke. Visiting a Christmas market is a must during a trip to Germany in the wintertime. Almost every larger town will have it’s own version of a Christmas market.

Christmas Market in Schweinfurt, Germany

Feed your soul and warm your heart at a Christmas Market in Germany

Strolling towards the Christmas Market in Bad Kissingen, Germany

German towns are decorated beautifully during the Christmas season.

During the winter months there are tons of lights in the streets and in peoples windows. This is the first time I saw dropping LED light strings, they are pretty cool and I’m sure we’ll seen them in the US by next year.

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It can be hard trying to figure out what to pack while visiting Germany in winter.

The temperatures can range from a high of about 45 degrees Fahrenheit to well below freezing, depending on where in the country you are. It may or may not snow at any time from late November to early March. Be sure to pack a warm jacket, hat and gloves, and clothes you can layer and mix and match. A pair of warm, sturdy shoes is also a must.

German winters can be very unpredictable.

There is no guarantee for snow, but you should always be prepared for rain.

We had a brown Christmas season this year which was just fine by us, but both Nick and I caught a nasty cold anyway. Luckily we were not sick at the same time and a little cough syrup, some hot tea and rest took care of it pretty swiftly.

We celebrated Christmas Eve with a small traditional meal, exchanging gifts and going to the Midnight Mass. We were served hot mulled wine after the church service which made for a wonderful time meeting a few old friends and neighbors.

Germans bring in the New Year with a Bang!

I always enjoyed New Years Eve celebrations in Germany.

What’s there not to like? We had a great time dancing at the local Gasthaus am Bergl, enjoyed a wonderful meal and made it outside to the square in time to watch the fireworks. It’s a long standing tradition, and the louder the bangs are on New Years Eve, the better the coming year will be!

Unfortunately, even in Germany more and more people are complaining about the noise, the dangers of fireworks and the effects on their pets. So, in future years we might not be able to enjoy fireworks at all. I believe it will be a great loss! Watching the fireworks always brought everyone together onto the street to celebrate together.

New Years Celebration in a Gasthaus

Most of all we enjoyed spending time with my family while visiting Germany in winter. 

During a day trip to Bad Kissingen

That’s actually a bread stick not a cigar

Enjoying a brat with my brother in our home town in Germany.

Now that we unpacked our bags from visiting Germany in the winter, it’s time to start packing for our upcoming housesitting trip to Belize. How does one pack for a 3 months stay in Central America?

Have you visited Germany in winter or during the Christmas season? Please leave us a comment below. We would love to hear from you and don’t forget to subscribe to receive our newest travel articles.