Germany's best locations for winter activities

The Wetterstein Mountains near Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Bavaria are a wintry paradise for ski lovers. It's the ideal place for fans of backcountry skiing, as many paths go off-piste up the mountain and involve skiing down. Don't forget to enjoy the breathtaking views from the summit before gliding down into the valley.

An advantage of cross-country skiing is that it can be done almost anywhere — even in cities. Parks in Munich, for example, have a host of cross-country trails that are open depending on the weather. But cross-country skiing is perhaps most enjoyable when surrounded by impressive mountain scenery like in the Karwendel mountain range.

For many, sledding brings back childhood memories. One of the most popular locations to experience this nostalgic winter activity is the sledding run on Wallberg Mountain in Upper Bavaria, one of the longest in the country. With a descent of 6.5 kilometers (4 miles), it offers a whole 30 minutes of sledding fun. Just don't forget to wear a helmet!

Strap on your snowshoes and head out into an expansive winter wonderland! The Black Forest is the perfect destination for this easy winter activity. Due to their larger size, snowshoes have a distinct advantage over normal hiking boots — you don't sink as much into the snow. Keep an eye out for special snowshoe trails.

You don't have to go all the way to the Alps in southern Germany to ski — it's possible to hit the slopes in the middle of the country, too. The Wurmberg, for example, is the highest mountain in Lower Saxony, with an altitude of almost 1,000 meters (3,281 feet). Besides ski slopes, it has plenty of other offerings, including a toboggan run, cross-country ski trails and winter hiking paths.

Ice climbing is one of the most demanding type of winter sports. While others might prefer to stay at home and curl up under a blanket when the temperatures have dropped far below zero, ice climbers can finally do what they love most. An especially idyllic climbing paradise is the 30-meter (98-foot) Blauenthal Waterfall in Saxony's Erz Mountains, the state's largest waterfall.

Germany is home to a number of ice rinks and lakes perfect for ice skating. One especially interesting place to skate is in Essen in the Ruhr region, where you can glide on ice surrounded by large factories that are no longer in use. In winter, skaters can whiz past the Zollverein industrial complex, a former coal mine. Though shut this spring, the ice rink will reopen next season.

If you don't want to rely on the next snowfall or simply don't feel like going all the way to the mountains, the Snow Dome in Bispingen, Lower Saxony, is the place to go. The temperature in the indoor ski center is kept below freezing, meaning snow is guaranteed. The hall has an area of about 23,000 square meters (245,570 square feet) and a slope that is 300 meters (984 foot) long.

Germans are known for their love of hiking, so why should they stop in winter? With the right equipment and clothing, trekking through a wintry landscape can be downright magical — especially in the Brandenburg region. Whether on the hills of the Fläming Heath or near one of the Boitzenburger Land lakes, Brandenburg's bucolic landscapes offer many opportunities for a winter stroll.

Believe it or not, stand-up paddleboarding — or SUP — can also be done in winter. Of course, it's important to have the right equipment, namely a wetsuit. For an incredibly tranquil experience with few people around, pick a clear day to go to Falckensteiner beach in the Kiel Fjord on the Baltic Sea. It's a unique winter sporting activity, to say the least.