Best trip in December - Italy or Germany?

For me, personally, I would choose Germany for a wintery December trip. I would prefer to see Italy in warmer sunnier conditions although both are great options. German Christmas markets are fun to explore and the Alpine scenery is so pretty when snow covered. If you choose Germany, you might consider a sidetrip to Salzburg from Munich. I found Salzburg with its Christmas market and all decked out in Christmas decorations and snow on the ground and falling to be delightful.

A modest proposal: Munich, Ortisei, Verona, Venice. Why choose between two when you can have both?

I personally prefer Italy to Germany, so take my comments with that in mind.

Are you traveling before Christmas or will you be there over the holidays? Trips including the holidays need to be planned carefully because of closures and limited local transportation.

The Christmas markets fill the German city centers so getting to/from the train station can be time consuming since traffic is more congested with many streets closed to vehicles. It's likely you will get very cold weather and snow, or not so cold temps and rain. Sunset in Berlin is before 4 pm and be prepared for grey skies most of the time. The Christmas markets draw lots and lots of tourists from all over Europe as well as Americans.

Sunset in Rome is nearly an hour later and sunrise is a 1/2 hour earlier (roughly 7.30 instead of 8.00). Italy will be warmer, with temps rarely below freezing. Sunshine and 60 degree temps are not unheard of in Rome and Naples. When people here plan Christmas market trips, Italy is rarely mentioned, so my sense is that they aren't big or extensive, so fewer tourists, easier to sightsee.

As for your itineraries, you are counting days when you should be counting nights. You lose about 1/2 day every time you change locations, so 2 nights = 1 full day, with about another 1/2 day to get a feel for a place and get oriented. For instance if you are only 3 nights in Munich plan 2 day trips, you don't have time to see much of Munich - except the very crowded Christmas markets in the evening. The good news is that in Munich some of the markets are open until 9 pm and even later. Perhaps they are in your other cities too (in many, they close around 7 pm).

We lived in Augsburg, Germany for four years in the late 80s, early 90s. I love Germany, but would not pay to go there in the Winter. It gets dark at 4:30 and it is cold. If you like to ski, fine, but sightseeing in the cold is just not that much fun.

It will be warmer in Italy, while still chilly.

The Christmas Markets in Germany are great, but to me spending thousands of dollars just to visit them is a bit much.

A trip to Italy, visiting Venice, Florence and Rome will involve some great museums and you will be inside for that part of the trip.
Two days in Venice is barely enough, but you can push it and see the key sights in two days. Florence deserves three days minimum, make sure you see the Academia Museum with David and try to see the Uffuzi Museum as well. The Hotel Balestri is an excellent choice for Florence.

Rome deserves more than three days, so I would skip going to Naples. Nothing wrong with Naples and Pompeii, but you will same travel time and be able to see more of Rome. I have been to Rome twice, spending a total of 12 days there and I didn't see all that I wanted to see.

If you choose Germany, reconsider your itinerary. You may have 3 nights in Munich - but not 3 days if you spend two on day trips, maybe not even one full day in Munich.

Berlin is a long journey. Most say 4 days minimum but you'll have just 2 after your travel day and a day trip to Potsdam. And that assumes you leave on Day 11. If you leave on Day 10, even less time.

Personally I'd spend all 10 days in Bavaria. Nuremberg does get overcrowded at Christmas. Bamberg is a lovely city. Würzburg is great too. Regensburg (like Bamberg) is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/624
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1155

And See Munich properly - maybe forego that day trip to the "King's Castles" (they're palaces, as the German language indicates - "Königsschlößer") and see Nymphenburg Palace instead, King Ludwig II's birthplace, which is right in Munich.

If Berlin was pulling at your for WW II stuff, no worries, Munich and Nuremberg each have a Documentation Center and other such sights. See Berlin when you have the time for it. I'd want 5 nights there.

Italy=better food + warmer weather + beautiful original old architecture.

Saturday…..
Sicily 44-62
Florence 44 – 55
Rome 44 -58
Munich 25 – 35
Berlin 27 – 36

I would do Germany. Just more interesting in the winter despite the temperature.