10 places for winter sports in Germany

At 2,962 meters (over 9,700 feet), Zugspitze is Germany's highest point. The glacier ski arena on Germany's tallest mountain attracts tourists, skiers and snowboarders alike. The glacier offers 20 kilometers of runs in easy to moderate levels.

Nearby, skiers have dashed downhill from Kreuzeck mountain (1,651 meters) in Bavaria's Wetterstein mountain range for almost 100 years. Fun is guaranteed here at the site of the 1936 Olympic Games and the world renowned Kandahar downhill runs. It takes top athletes less than two minutes to finish the 3,300-meter stretch.

The Allgäu Alps also offer ski arenas higher than 2,000 meters. Sometimes, at 2,224 meters, the Nebelhorn is too true to its name, which literally means fog horn. But once the fog lifts, a fantastic Alpine panorama opens up to visitors, reaching from the Dolomites to Mont Blanc.

Winter sports fans who like to toboggan will also find plenty of routes in Bavaria. There's a 6.5-kilometer natural sled run from Wallberg mountaintop (1,722 meters) to the valley below. Early birds are sure to have the most fun: Zipping down freshly prepared runs that aren't yet marked by bumps is easy on your back.

A visit to Great Arber (1,455 meters) in the Bavarian Forest is less about concentration and speed, and more about contemplation. Hikers find that the deep snow swallows noise, all that's left is the soft crunch of boots in the snow. The low mountain range in southeastern Germany is also popular with cross-country skiers.

Tackling the more than 100 kilometers of the Schonach-Belchen trail in the Black Forest will take ambitious cross-country skiers two days. The trail heads up Belchen Mountain (1,414 meters), situated in the south of the mountain range - definitely an alternative to the bustle of the nearby Feldberg winter sports rigmarole.

Kahler Asten (842 meters) near Winterberg in the Sauerland region is also a popular winter sports area, in particular with northern Germans and Dutch ski fans who want to avoid the long trek down to the Alps.

Wurmberg Mountain (971 meters) in the Harz range in Lower Saxony boasts the largest ski arena in northern Germany. The downhill run may only be 400 meters in altitude, but there is a black ski piste for expert skiers.

Fichtelberg Mountain (1,214 meters) in the Erzgebirge is the highest mountain in eastern Germany. T-bar lifts and chair lifts take skiers to the top, or you can ride in Germany's oldest cable car - which turned 90 years old in 2014.

When it's cold enough for snow to stay on the ground even in low altitudes, cross-country skiers are lucky. They can simply put on their gear and take off - and combine their workout with sightseeing, like these skiers swooshing past Moritzburg Palace on the Elbe River.