Shoes Off! House Shoes in Germany

When you enter a German home, you might notice a stash of shoes in the front hall.  Let this be your invitation to take your shoes off!  In Germany, it is customary to take your shoes off when you going into someone's home.  Unless you're specifically told to keep your shoes on, you can assume that your host would like you to come in without shoes.

If you are feeling uncomfortable without your shoes, don't hesitate to ask your hosts for some Hausschuhe (house shoes).  Most Germans have a separate pair (or more accurately, several pairs) of slippers for visitors stashed away somewhere, and will be more than happy to provide you with a pair.

Fun fact, when you visit someone for a social gathering, much like how in the U.S. you can guess the size of a house party based on the number of cars parked on the street outside, you can usually tell how many people are already there based on how many pairs of shoes are sitting outside of the door!