ICE SKATING AT WEISSENSEE

Your legs dangle from the dock. You can hear the quiet swish of the blades on the ice. Your breath slowly drifts across the lake in the icy air. An inviting dance floor, smooth as glass.

You build up strong momentum, and already you're gliding across the largest constantly frozen natural ice surface in Europe. And every year at that, in time for Kathrein (November 25).

You must be joking! Small as well as large ice queens and kings bustle about on the surface, pirouette pros and rookies - often in groups that are always welcoming new members. Not to worry: on 6.5 km², a collision is virtually impossible. Those who miss that certain something with ice fishing, ice golf, and ice hockey can swap out the Weissensee blades for a wetsuit. For example, not only for diving, but also to see ice hockey from another perspective. We mean that literally: the puck floats on the surface, and even under the ice. Sometimes, however, you don't have to venture out into the ice cold water to enjoy the underwater world. If the lake is frozen without snow, you can usually see all kinds of sunken things and sluggish fish just as well from dry land-and to a viewing depth of 10 meters.

Annual major events include the Alps Curling Cup and the Alternative Dutch Eleven-Cities-Tour, a highlight for passionate speed (ice) skaters.