Ski holidays in Germany are not on many people's radar but there are some superb ski resorts, with modern infrastructure, uncrowded pistes and great value. Skiing in Germany is typically associated with the Alps in Bavaria and the famous resort of Garmisch-Partenkirchen which gives that classic alpine experience of ski chalets, great apres-ski and some high altitude skiing on the glacier.

But there are also plenty of other great ski resorts dotted around the country and many easily accessible from Munich. In fact, Germany has over 100 ski resorts dotted along the borders with Austria, Czech Republic and Switzerland. It's best known ski resort is Garmisch-Partenkirchen which is famous for its annual ski jumping and World Cup downhill races.

Full of Bavarian tradition, Garmisch is an international resort at the base of Germany's Zugspitze - it's highest mountain and home to Germany's only glacier that let's you ski from early autumn until late spring.

Rhön

The Rhön Mountains lie between the states of Hesse, Bavaria and Thuringia and creep up to just over 1000m. With gentle slopes, the resorts, such as Feuerberg (the largest in the area), are ideal for beginners. Smaller resorts in the region include the Wasserkuppe, which features night skiing, a terrain park and a 600m toboggan run.

Black Forest

Deep in southwestern Germany lies Baden’s Black Forest, which has over 200 ski lifts covering 70 peaks above 1000m. The largest ski area is in Liftverband Feldberg although another option is Stollenbach, which is just a 30 minute drive from the pretty city of Freiburg so you can combine a city break with a bit of skiing.

Czech border

The states of Saxony and Thuringia on the Czech border have a few ski resorts all within driving distance of Berlin, Dresden and Leipzig. Thuringian Forest is a very popular base to rent a self catering chalet or apartment as the ski resorts, such as Oberhof, are within a 20km drive.

Not surprisingly, some of the mountain villages are busier during the summer than in winter with so much to see and do. And, being this far south, the days are long with generally warm weather meaning outdoor activities are very popular.