Berlin, 28 December 2010 Why not combine a city trip with a winter vacation? When Mother Hulda makes her bed, the Berlin winter fairy tale begins. The German capital offers piste fun without any ski pass. In the middle of the city snow-covered landscapes invite to the pleasures of alpine sports. Cross-country skiing, downhill skiing or sledging: winter sports enthusiasts will certainly get their money's worth in the days to come.

Cross-country skiers can look forward to professionally laid tracks to mark the ski trails. At Tempelhofer Feld a five kilometre circuit is available. Three tracks take the skiers through the snowed site. Depending on weather, the trails are re-tracked on a regular basis. The same fun is provided by the cross-country ski trails in the large parks and the Berlin Tiergarten.

If you want to improve your downhill times, you can practise the right swing on Berlin's ski pistes. Great fun is offered by pistes in the leisure park Lübars. On 45 to 500 metre long pistes not only ski and sledge enthusiasts go downhill but also snowboarders. The 115 metre high Teufelsberg hill in the heart of Grunewald offers roller coaster rides in a romantic natural setting.

With modern cross sledges or classical wooden equipment: sledging is fun for the whole family. The different sledge types and sledging styles can for instance be observed in the Mauerpark. Above all during the weekend winter enthusiasts of all ages take a day of snow vacation. If you don't have your sledge with you, you can rent one on-site. (www.schlittenvermietung.de)

The biggest après ski celebration will then take place in a few days at Brandenburg Gate: on New Year's Eve the streets around Pariser Platz will be turned into a party mile. With live acts and midnight fireworks the New Year is heralded in – with or without blades.

Last-minute bookers will find hotel offers and New Year's tips online on www.visitBerlin.de and on phone number ++ 49 (0)30/25 00 25.