German winters are cold and snowy. Be prepared for temperature below zero degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit). You can also expect rain and sunny days, but creating a German winter packing list with layers and warm extremities will be your saving grace when visiting in the winter. It’s still a wonderful country to visit in the winter. You can visit for the Christmas Markets in December, enjoy winter activities such as skiing, and experience the country under a blanket of snow. It is truly magical!
What to Wear in Germany in Winter
You are going to want to pack layering options and warm socks. You may encounter rainy days in the winter so having waterproof footwear is a must. Packing layers allows the opportunity to wear more or less, depending on the weather that day. If you’ve heard of a clothing capsule, you’ll want to make one. Choosing a small variety of items that can all be styled together is the perfect packing tip. Bringing a bright jacket will provide amazing contrast in photos. I like my pink and yellow jackets!
Depending on the length of your trip, and whether you like to bring a carry on or checked bag, you may wish to increase the amounts shown below. Most people travel to Germany for 3-7 days. This German winter packing list would be great for anywhere from the 2- to 5-day range, and add more options if you plan to go for longer. Check out some of my Germany itineraries here:
German Christmas Markets
Burg Eltz | The Magical Harry Potter Castle in Germany
German Winter Packing List
– 2-3 short-sleeve shirts for layering
– 3-5 long sleeve shirts
– 1 sweatshirt or cardigan
– 2 pairs of pants
– Warm pajamas (the hotels/hostels can get cold)
– 7 pairs of underwear and undergarments (I don’t know about you but I always pack extra pairs)
– 5 pairs of warm socks (preferably wool)
– 1 pair waterproof footwear (keep those feet dry!)
– 1 dress or skirt and top if your plans involve going somewhere that requires dressing up
Travel Bags and Accessories
Depending on your travel plans, you might want to consider a small personal item as your only bag. I have this bag from that fits in the Personal Size requirements flights in Europe. It has a separate compartment for a camera and camera gear. The top easily fits toiletries, changes of clothing, and items like a laptop or tablet and chargers. I also love my Lululemon Everywhere Belt Bag. You can wear it around your chest or your waist for a little extra space for your passport, cash, wallet, keys, etc.
Personally, I prefer travelling with backpacks and not luggage. Cobblestone streets in Europe make it more frustrating to drag a bag but they also provide a lot of space to pack items so it’s your call! I love packing cubes to keep everything separate and always bring an extra packable bag if I’m packing light.
Outerwear
A winter coat to stay warm is necessary. I wore a down filled jacket under my wool coat and was more than comfortable. I have this down filled rain jacket that I bring everywhere. It packs up in a small bag, is bright for awesome contrast in photos (see my link here for how much you need a yellow jacket for travelling) but warm. If you get cold easily, I also recommend a pair of mittens, a scarf, and a hat. Any clothing items with wool will provide additional warmth (merino wool is typically a softer not as itchy wool).
Tops
Warmth and layers will be key for comfort in winter in Germany. Having a merino wool base layer is ideal, with a few layering options like long sleeves or a sweater. If you can create a clothing capsule and pack items like sweaters/cardigans that will be warm on an outdoor adventure but nice for a dinner outing, you’re set! See below for an idea of how a clothing capsule works and offers a huge variety of outfit choices with just a few pieces.
Bottoms
Waterproof or quick drying pants will be your best friend for your German winter packing list. These pants from Aritzia are my favourite travel pants because they’re stylish but very comfortable and pack up tightly without wrinkling. I also love travelling with a pair of leggings. You can also bring a pair of rain pants or snow pants but I found I was comfortable in Germany without them.
Shoes for Germany
Wear waterproof Winter boots/rain shoes. You’re likely to wear one pair of shoes while walking around the cities or doing day excursions. If you have space, pack an extra pair of warm flat shoes or a pair of heels to dress up in the evenings! It’s nice to give your feet a break from the same shoes sometimes.
I organize my packing lists with an app called Stylebook. I use it daily, but it’s also really helpful to visualize the items you’re packing in your bag.
Clothing Capsule
A “Clothing Capsule” is awesome when travelling with limited space. This is a minimal amount of clothing pieces to create a variety of outfits. This mean matching colours, similar styles and packing layers. A recent clothing capsule I had for my trip to Germany included:
- I picked up these pants in olive green. They’re comfortable and they look nicer than leggings or sweats.
- I have these pants from Aritzia. They are so comfortable, pack up tightly, don’t wrinkle, are high-waisted and look great.
- Sticking with colours to match green and black pants, I brought one white tshirt, one black long sleeve shirt, and one white blouse. I layered the t-shirts with the blouses and wore them on their own to change it up.
- One dress with a warm pair of tights. I wore it with the white blouse and a pair of pants, as well as on it’s own with the tights.
- White converse. Honestly, they’re great for walking around in for hours and they look stylish.
With the above items, not including outerwear, I have 16 outfit combinations. That’s plenty for 8 days of travelling!
Other Essentials
The “other” things for comfort and convenience include:
- Warm socks. Travelling with cold feet is awful so pack lots of warm socks for the day and one pair of wool socks for the hostel.
- Toiletries. Everything in travel size! Don’t forget your: toothpaste, toothbrush, shampoo, soap, face wash, moisturizer, makeup (if you need it), a comb/brush, hair products etc.
- Towel. You can rent a towel at most hostels or they are provided in hotels.
- Electronics and chargers. Camera, iPhone, Kobo and external battery.
- Universal adapter.
- An extra bag. This is nice to leave your clothes in a bag in your hostel/hotel and just carry your essentials during the day.
- Pajamas.
- A reusable water bottle. This is one of the top items that should be on every list!
- Especially these days, I pack sanitary wipes in my bag to wipe down any plastic surfaces on the plane/public transport
- Cold medicine and Advil.