Germany Sunday Shopping Days 2015 – a simple list-up for major cities.

There are more than 360,000 shops, supermarkets, shopping malls, stores etc. in Germany. Sadly, Germany does not have any convenience stores, and practically any shops open on Sundays.

The good news is that the German Shop Closing Law (Ladenschlussgesetz), first enacted on 28 November 1956, is gradually losing its power, and more communities allow shopping on Sundays on certain days.

Yes, Sunday Shopping in Germany is possible from 12:30/13:00 – 17:30/18:00 on particular dates and in particular places. Dates for Sunday Shopping are set by the local governments.

Here you fund information on Sunday Shopping Days 2015 in Germany (selected tourist destinations).

BERLIN Sunday Shopping Dates 2015shopping hours in Germany

January 25, 2015

March 8, 2015

September 6, 2015

October 4, 2015

October 25, 2015

December 6, 2015

December 20, 2015

COLOGNE (centre of the city) Sunday Shopping Dates 2015

November 8, 2015

December 6, 2015

HAMBURG Sunday Shopping Days 2015

September 27, 2015

FRANKFURT Sunday Shopping Days 2015

September 20, 2015

October 4, 2015

October 18, 2015

DUESSELDORF

September 27, 2015

December 13, 2015

MUNICH

June 14, 2015

POTSDAM/BRANDENBURG

September 6, 2015

September 27, 2015

November 29, 2015

December 20, 2015

TRIER

October 25, 2015

November 29, 2015

Accommodation cost in Germany: from Castle Hotels to B&B – country futures

CASTLE HOTELS in Germany.

Price range per night: 20 EUR (dorm rooms) to over 300 EUR per person

German Castle Hotels are, in most cases, historical castles turned into hotels. Castle hotels are categorized from hostel level up to 5 Star hotel level.

A stay in a castle hotel usually includes breakfast and is recommended to all travelers to Germany as it gives you the best opportunity to experience the “real” German medieval lifestyle.

Germany castle hotel

Castle Hotel Klink

Germany has more than 20.000 castles and palaces.

Some of them function as Castle Hotels in Germany, ranking from 1-star Castle hotels up to 5-star Castle hotels.

A little bit of German History…

For the largest part of its history, till 1870 Germany was not a unified country, but a guild of hundreds of independent German-speaking states, that together made up the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation.

The total number of those German lands in the 18th century was around 300 – 350 (estimation). This fascinating historical fact resulted into the cultural & architectural diversity of the German Castles and Palaces in each region.

HOTELS in Germany

There are over 11000 hotels in Germany. The majority of them are in the three- to four-star category.

Average price per night in Germany is around 100 EUR (2014), but the price varies depending on the location and the hotel category.

Germany hotel prices

Hotel prices in Germany

HOSTELS in Germany

German hostels (youth hostels) have been providing affordable accommodation to local and international students for over 100 years. Currently, there are more than 1000 Youth Hostels in Germany.

The price range for an overnight stay in a Hostel in Germany is between 12 EUR and 30 EUR (sometimes slightly more). The average price is roughly 18-25 EUR per night.

Germany hostels

Germany YMCA Hostel

MITWOHNZENTRALE in Germany

Mitwohnzentralen are house-sharing agencies offering furnished temporary housing: rooms, apartments and houses for a handling fee.

The Idea of ​​Mitwohnzentrale was born in the late 80s in Berlin and spread quickly across the country. Now, most of the cities in Germany have Mitwohnzentrale-Agencies.

MONASTERY STAYS  in Germany

Monastery Stays are a unique lodging experience in Europe. Germany has more than 80 active monasteries. Many of them offer accommodation in Monastery Guest Houses or Monastery Hotels.

Monastery Stays are functional and often not expensive, and give you some quiet and peaceful time. The right place for spiritual relaxation, in the medieval atmosphere.

The pricing system varies from monastery to monastery. Some monasteries have fixed prices. Other monasteries leave it to the guests to show their gratitude by making a donation.

Monastery stay

Monastery in Germany

VACATION RENTALS in Germany

Vacation rentals are very popular among Germans, especially properties in the mountain regions and in the coastal areas in Northern Germany during the long holidays. Now, there are around 10,000 vacation rentals in Germany. The price varies greatly depending on location, size of the residence and the season.

B&B, GUESTHOUSE

A very German style inns / bed-and-breakfast lodgings are Guesthouses. The same thing has many names in German: Gasthaus, Gasthof, Landhaus, or Pension. They are usually family run, offer German style ambiance, and often include breakfast in the price. Currently there are around 13,000 Guesthouses in Germany offering affordable

accommodation services. The prices are from 25 EUR up to 45+ EUR.

Germany Shopping Guide – country futures

Basic Germany Shopping Guide

Shopping days and opening hours for shops in Germany are regulated by state governments. Therefore, the opening hours vary from state to state. The old German law regulating shops’ opening hours (Ladenschlussgesetz) allowed shops to operate from Monday to Saturday, currently applies in the states of Bavaria and the Saarland only.

Generally, shops in Germany are obliged to close on Sundays and public holidays (both federal and state). Only some categories of shops are allowed to be open on Sundays and public holidays. Gasoline stations (Tankstellen) and convenience stores located in railway stations and airports may stay open past the normal hours. Most gasoline stations in larger cities and those located on the German Highway (Autobahn) are open 24 h.

Shops in so-called “tourist areas/zones” may also operate outside the normal hours, although restricted to sell souvenirs, handcrafted articles, drinks and other tourist items only. In some bigger cities, shops called “Spätkauf” usually open until 10 or 11 p.m. during the week, and sometimes on Sundays.

General information on shopping days & opening hours of shops in Germany:

German Christmas Markets

Mon-Sat          NO RESTRICTION

Sun      Vary in different states and cities

German Department Stores

Mon-Sat          10:00 – 20:00 (21:00)

Sun      Closed

German Supermarkets and Shops

Mon-Fri           7:00 or 8:00 – 20:00 (22:00)

Sat       7:00 / 8:00 – 20:00 (smaller supermarkets close around 18:00)

Sun      Closed

German Bakeries

Mon-Sat          6:00 – 18:00 (20:00)

Sun      6:00 – 12:00

German Pharmacies

Mon-Fri           8:30 – 18:00/19:00 (some pharmacies close for lunch 12:30-14:00)

Sat       8:30 – 12:00/13:00 (or later)

Sun      closed

Pharmaceutical Emergency Services are available outside of the opening hours of the pharmacies: weekdays: 20:00 – 6:00, Sundays/Public Holidays – all day. Each pharmacy has an information board at the entrance, where current information on the pharmaceutical emergency services and the name+address+phone number of the pharmacy in charge are displayed.