Germany at a glance
- Typical sits
- City flats with cats; country and seaside houses with dogs
- Busiest times
- Summer, and winter, when many Germans go somewhere warm
- Visas
- EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland: no visa. UK, US, Canada, Australia and many more: no visa for 90 days in any 180
- Car
- Not needed in cities; often needed in the countryside, where buses are few
Homes in Germany looking for a sitter
See all →Berlin, Germany
Frankfurt, Germany
Berlin, Germany
Where you’ll find sits
Sits come up all over Germany: in big cities, in the mountains, in villages and by the sea.
Berlin and the big cities
City life, with a pet to come home to.
Why you’ll love it
- Berlin's museums, Hamburg's harbour, Cologne's cathedral
- Big parks for dog walks, like Munich's English Garden
- Flea markets, riverside cafés, food from everywhere
What a sit is usually like
- Pets
- Mostly cats, some dogs
- Home
- A flat near good public transport
- Getting around
- Trains, trams, buses and bikes; no car
- Length
- Often one or two weeks
Best for: First sits, people without a car
Bavaria and the Alps
Alpine views and village life in the south.
Why you’ll love it
- Mountain hikes and clear lakes to swim in
- Beer gardens, village festivals and painted houses
- Castles like Neuschwanstein, and Munich a train ride away
What a sit is usually like
- Pets
- Dogs and cats; on farms, chickens too
- Home
- A village house or farmhouse with a garden
- Getting around
- Trains reach many valleys; a car helps
- Length
- A week to a few weeks
Best for: Hikers, dog lovers, snowy winters
Villages and small towns
Country life at a slower pace.
Why you’ll love it
- Forest walks from the door, in the Black Forest and beyond
- Half-timbered old towns and village bakeries
- Wine villages on the Rhine and the Moselle
What a sit is usually like
- Pets
- Often several: dogs, cats, sometimes chickens
- Home
- A house with a big garden, sometimes a farm
- Getting around
- A car helps; country buses are few
- Length
- Often one to three weeks
Best for: Walkers, and sitters at ease with several animals
The coast and islands
Sea air and long beaches in the north.
Why you’ll love it
- Long walks by the sea, in any weather
- Sylt's dunes and Rügen's white cliffs
- Harbour towns, lighthouses and fresh fish rolls
What a sit is usually like
- Pets
- Often dogs
- Home
- A house near the sea
- Getting around
- Trains reach many towns; a bike or car helps
- Length
- Often a week or more
Best for: Dog lovers and beach walkers
When to go
Germany has four clear seasons. Here's what each is like, and where it's best. Each listing has its own dates.
Winter
Dec – Feb
Christmas markets fill almost every town in December, and the Alps get snow for skiing. Elsewhere it's cold and often grey, and dark by late afternoon. Many hosts travel at Christmas or go somewhere warm.
Spring
Mar – May
Forests turn green, fruit trees blossom and beer gardens open. White asparagus is on menus from April. The weather changes fast: sun, rain and a cold snap can come in the same week.
Summer
Jun – Aug
Long evenings, lake swims and open-air festivals. School holidays differ by state, so families travel from late June into September. Heat waves can pass 35 °C, even 40 °C, and the coast is busy in July and August.
Autumn
Sep – Nov
September is often mild and sunny: Oktoberfest time in Munich. The Rhine and Moselle villages celebrate the grape harvest, and forests turn gold in October. November is grey and wet until the Christmas markets open, late in the month.
What to know before you go
Sundays
Most shops close on Sundays and public holidays, so shop on Saturday. Bakeries often open on Sunday morning, and shops in big train stations stay open. It's a quiet day too: no lawn mowing or loud work.
Rubbish and bottles
Paper, packaging, food waste and the rest each have their own bin, and glass goes in street containers by colour. Ask your host which bin goes out when. Most plastic bottles and cans carry a deposit: return them at a supermarket machine for a voucher.
Dogs in public
Dogs ride most buses and trains, sometimes with a ticket or a muzzle, and many cafés let them in. Towns and parks often require a lead, and in spring some states require one in the countryside too. In summer, many beaches allow dogs only on marked dog beaches. Ask your host where the dog can run free.
Cash
Cards work in supermarkets and most shops, but some bakeries, cafés and market stalls take cash only, and some take only German bank cards. Keep some euros with you.
Language
Most people in the cities speak good English. In villages, and with some older hosts, German may be the only language: a translator app does the job, and clear, simple English works fine in an application.
Ticks
From spring to autumn, check the dog and yourself for ticks after walks in woods or long grass. Ask your host if the dog has tick protection, and where the tick remover is.
Visas
From the EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland, you don't need a visa at all. From the UK, the US, Canada, Australia and many other countries, you don't need one for a visit of up to 90 days in any 180. Most others need a Schengen visa.
Germany is in the Schengen area, so days in other Schengen countries count towards the same 90. House sitting is an unpaid exchange, not a job, but the border officer decides what counts. Be ready to say that no money changes hands.
Later, visitors from the UK, the US and other visa-free countries will need ETIAS: a short online form with a small fee, filled in before you travel. The EU hasn't set a start date, so it isn't needed yet. Longer stays usually need a German visa or residence permit. There's a freelance visa, but it's for work, separate from house sitting.
Rules change. Check the official rules for your passport before you book: the countries that need no visa, the EU's 90-day calculator and Germany's visa rules.
How it works
If you want to travel
- 1
Make a free profile. Bring your reviews from other platforms.
- 2
Apply for a home you like. Send the host a short message.
- 3
Agree the dates and go. Look after the pets and stay for free.
If you have pets
- 1
List your home. Your location, your pets and a few photos.
- 2
Sitters apply. Read their profiles and reviews, chat, and pick the one you like.
- 3
Travel. Your pets stay home and keep their routine.
House sitting in Germany: FAQ
Is it free?
Yes, for both sides. Listing your home, browsing, applying, messaging and matching never cost anything. A few extras are paid — a verified badge, more visibility — but you never need them to find a sit or a sitter.
How do I become a house sitter in Germany with no experience?
Start with a short city sit, often a cat in a flat, where buses and trains make life easy. Hosts in Germany often leave detailed notes and like a clear plan, so show you're reliable: a complete profile with real photos and an honest bio, and your Airbnb or Couchsurfing profiles as references if you've stayed with people there. Write each application for that home, answering what the listing asks.
Do I need a visa to house sit in Germany?
If you're from the EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland, you don't need one. From the UK, the US, Canada, Australia and many other countries, you can stay up to 90 days in any 180 without a visa. Most others need a Schengen visa. See Visas, above.
Do I need a car for a house sit in Germany?
Not in the cities, where buses, trams and trains go almost everywhere. In villages and on farms, often yes. Each listing says so, and whether the host lends theirs.
I'm on another platform. Can I bring my reviews?
Yes. Add the link to your profile there. Once we've checked it, we show your review count with a link to read the reviews there — and from MindMyHouse, the reviews themselves.
I have a home in Germany. How do I find a sitter?
List it free with the dates you're away, and sitters apply. You can also browse sitter profiles and invite someone yourself. Read their profile, references and reviews, chat in-app, and choose — nobody is assigned to you.
