The Tollwood Winter Festival gets under way in Munich on 25 November 2014. All manner of cultural events – from concerts and theatre to variety entertainment and comedy – will be taking place at the Theresienwiese festival grounds until the end of the year. The Market of Ideas Christmas market is also part of the festival. Here you can watch artisans at work, sample a wide array of international food and enjoy a memorable winter's day in the Magic City of Munich.

Another attraction in the Bavarian capital is the Deutsches Museum, which was voted one of Germany's top 100 sights in 2014. With around 73,000 square metres of exhibition space, it is one of the biggest museums of science and technology in the world, and is currently showing an exhibition about the history of the Trans-Siberian railway.

In the UNESCO town of Quedlinburg in Saxony-Anhalt, the air will be filled with the aromas of mulled wine, cinnamon stars and gingerbread from 28 November to 21 December 2014. The whole town will be transformed into a festive wonderland with all manner of attractions. 'Advent in den Höfen', for example, is a unique Christmas market held on the first three weekends of Advent in more than 20 Quedlinburg courtyards that are usually closed to the public. The Christmas market on the market square, set against a backdrop of medieval buildings, has been voted the loveliest in Saxony-Anhalt many times. You can also look forward to a cultural programme of theatre, concerts and variety entertainment.

Aside from Quedlinburg, there are three other UNESCO World Heritage sites in Saxony-Anhalt: the Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Wörlitz, the Bauhaus sites in Dessau and the Luther memorials in Eisleben and Wittenberg.

Calling all chocoholics! The ninth edition of chocolART, Germany's biggest chocolate festival, will be taking place in Tübingen in Baden-Württemberg from 2 to 7 December 2014. For the duration of the festival, Tübingen's historical market square is transformed into a chocolate-themed world of discovery. The illuminated timber-frame houses and glass-fronted chocolART patisserie are just two of the highlights on offer. Chocolate tastings and chocolate making courses are ideal ways to join in the fun. So come along and be dazzled by Baden-Württemberg's best chocolatiers!

Top tip: the Tübingen festival's late night shopping event on 6 December is not the only chance to buy Christmas gifts. This university town on the Neckar river is also close to Outletcity Metzingen, the perfect place to find luxury gifts and designer brands.

It's back – from 27 November 2014, HOLIDAY ON ICE will be touring ten German cities with its anniversary production, PLATINUM. These breathtaking shows feature figure skating and acrobatics set to contemporary music, electro, classic waltzes, swing, gospel and Brazilian samba. Take your seats for this journey through 70 years of figure skating history. The costumes are derived from creations by German designer Harald Glööckler.

The first stop on the HOLIDAY ON ICE tour is Magdeburg, then Saarbrücken, Erfurt, Münster and other German cities. The tour ends in Kiel in March 2015. Book your tickets now for the city of your choice.

A hugely popular travel destination, the Black Forest in Baden-Württemberg is ranked number twelve in the TOP 100 attractions in Germany.

The spa resorts on the Black Forest Spa Route in the north of the forest are popular destinations for health and wellness holidays. Nature lovers will enjoy the diverse landscape of the North/Central Black Forest Nature Park and the Black Forest National Park. Or you can explore the entire region by bike on the Black Forest Panorama Cycle Route. And cities such as Stuttgart and Freiburg offer a wide range of culture and gourmet regional cuisine. Come and explore this wonderful region for yourself.

Thirteen German cities have come together to create the Historic Highlights of Germany. Among the oldest cities in the country, they occupy a special place in the history, culture and economic and scientific life of Germany. During the festive season, you can discover a new side to these historical cities as they host their atmospheric Christmas markets. Pay a visit – and lose yourself in the magic.

From Rostock in the far north or Erfurt in the east to Freiburg in the south or Trier in the west – wherever you are in Germany, you're never far from its historic highlights.

On the weekends of 29 and 30 November and 6 and 7 December 2014, Pappenheim Castle in Bavaria is especially worth a visit. Hundreds of flickering torches and fire baskets illuminate the castle and light the way to the Castle Christmas market. The romantic atmosphere guarantees a fairytale outing for the whole family. The market, which has been named as one of the 100 best Christmas markets in Germany, is open on Saturdays 4-9 pm and Sundays 2-8 pm.

Good to know: not far from Pappenheim, the Romantic Road runs through the federal state of Bavaria. This 400-odd kilometre scenic route links various attractions from Würzburg to Füssen. Are any of them missing from your must-see list?

On 30 November, 7 December and 14 December 2014, you can spend an Advent Sunday out on the water in the Altmühl valley in Bavaria. From on board a pleasure boat, you'll enjoy panoramic views of the magical wintry landscape of the Altmühl Valley Nature Park with its castles and palaces. You'll also get to savour delicious Bavarian specialities and glühwein. The tour on the Main-Danube Canal starts in Kelheim.

Not only is the Altmühl Valley Nature Park one of the largest in Germany (3,000 square kilometres in area), but it also offers a wide range of leisure activities. Whether it's the Tauber Altmühl Valley Cycle Route for cyclists, the Altmühl Valley Panorama Trail for walkers or the UNESCO World Heritage Roman Limes for culturally minded visitors, the region has something for everyone!

The brand-new show THE WYLD celebrated its world premiere at Friedrichstadt Palast in Berlin on 23 October 2014.
This elaborate stage show with exceptional costumes is the most expensive production in the 95-year history of Friedrichstadt Palast. 'THE WYLD – Out of this World' is a cosmic love story that plays out in the parallel universes of the Berlin night. Be sure to catch this futuristic spectacle before its run finishes on 29 September 2015.

Another of Germany's entertainment hotspots is the city of Hamburg, which puts on a fantastic programme of musicals. The company Stage Entertainment is currently presenting Disney's The Lion King, Phantom of the Opera and Rocky. The Miracle of Bern will be a new addition to the programme from November 2014.

Festive music and the aroma of glühwein will fill the air at Maulbronn Monastery in Baden-Württemberg on 6 and 7 December 2014. This historical abbey, a UNESCO World Heritage site, provides an enchanting backdrop for the 120 Christmas market stalls. As well as exquisite handicrafts, the market offers a range of food and drink such as fried potato dumplings, flamed-grilled salmon and the monastery's hot punch. You can also take a tour of the monastery or visit a model train exhibition.

Other UNESCO World Heritage sites nearby include Speyer Cathedral and Lorsch Abbey. The towns of Speyer and Lorsch are particularly magical in the run-up to Christmas and well worth a visit.