2023-12-25 07:58:00
Fans of winter sports from other countries often say that the Germans can only be envied. Residents of Germany do not have to travel far to practice their hobby – there are enough good mountain resorts here.
According to the Deutscher Skiverband, about 7.4 million people in Germany ski, more than 2.3 million ski, and almost two million regularly snowboard. Where are the popular German regions for winter recreation and sports?
Thuringian Forest
Winter in the Thuringian Forest near OberhofPhoto: Martin Schutt/dpa/picture alliance
The Thuringian Forest (Thüringer Wald) is one of the best regions for winter sports in East Germany. For example, the Skiarena Silbersattel downhill trail in Steinach is popular, but for those who prefer skiing, there are many different routes in the Thuringian Forest.
Ore Mountains
Fichtelberg in the Ore MountainsPhoto: Jan Woitas/dpa/picture alliance
The 1200-meter Fichtelberg mountain is the highest mountain in Saxony. Here is the German winter resort of Oberwiesenthal, which is the most important ski center in the Ore Mountains (Erzgebirge). There are not only downhill skiing slopes and jumps, but also a luge track.
Sauerland
Mount Kahler-Asten near WinterbergPhoto: Jochen Tack/picture alliance
Sauerland is a mountainous region in western Germany. It is the largest area for winter sports north of the Alps. Located two hours from the Rhineland and Ruhr regions, as well as Frankfurt am Main. There are a total of 57 ski resorts with 148 lifts. Courses for snowboarders are especially popular. The Winterberg resort located here even made it into the top three most photogenic small towns in Germany in 2022, or rather, the most frequently mentioned on Instagram.
Black Forest
Snowboarder in the winter resort of Feldberg in the Black Forest Photo: picture-alliance/dpa
The Black Forest is a mountain range in the state of Baden-Württemberg. The highest point in the region is Mount Feldberg (1493 meters). There are 31 lifts in operation. The total length of downhill trails of all degrees of difficulty is 55 kilometers. The season lasts more than 110 days a year, thanks to the altitude above 950 meters above sea level and the presence of snow cannons.
Bavarian Forest
Mount Javor (Grosser Arber) in BavariaPhoto: Armin Weigel/dpa/picture alliance
In the Bavarian Forest (Bayerischer Wald), the season usually lasts from the beginning of December to the second half of March. The highest point of the Bavarian Forest is Mount Yavor (Großer Arber, 1456 meters). In recent years, several new ski slopes have been built in this region.
to Fichtelgebirge
Winter morning in the Fichtelgebirge region Photo: Nicolas Armer/dpa/picture alliance
Fichtelgebirge are medium-height mountains in northeastern Bavaria. The total length of all skiing routes is 100 kilometers. Another 30 kilometers are for walking through the winter forest. Of course, there are slopes, snowboard tracks, and ice skating rinks.
Taunus
Ski slope on the Great Feldberg mountain in TaunusPhoto: picture-alliance/ dpa/dpaweb
The Taunus region is just a stone’s throw from Frankfurt am Main, which many of its residents enjoy. The highest point of Taunus is the Großer Feldberg mountain range. Its height reaches 880 meters. The ski season here is short. The region is popular among skiers, who are attracted by a good network of walking paths and picturesque landscapes.
Exit
Ski slope in the Harz near the resort of St. AndreasbergPhoto: Frank May/picture alliance
Among Germany’s mid-altitude mountains, the Harz region plays a smaller role in winter sports than many other regions, but offers good conditions for cross-country skiing and ski jumping. There are also downhill trails of different difficulty levels. The highest mountain is Brocken (1141 meters).
Eiffel
Winter in the Eifel Photo: Henning Kaiser/dpa/picture alliance
The Eifel region is located in western Germany, between Aachen and Trier. Here is the Weißer Stein ski area and the eponymous White Mountain, 693 meters high. The total length of ski slopes equipped with lifts is 27 kilometers. It is not necessary to take skis with you. You can go sledding.
Bavarian Alps
Church of St. Coloman in the Bavarian region of AllgäuPhoto: Fotolia/Kautz1
The most popular ski resorts in Germany are located in the alpine regions of Bavaria: Allgäu, Berchtesgadener Land, Upper Bavaria (Oberbayern). In total, there are 80 winter resorts, with 108 cable cars, two rack railways, more than 780 ski lifts, 6,000 skiing routes.
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