Cologne (Köln), Germany

Cologne is the fourth largest city in Germany, spans the Rhine River and is frankly a lot of fun. Cologne has an abundance of bars and brew houses serving the local beer: Kölsch along with classic German cuisine. Although small talk and pleasantries aren’t typical German behavior, I found the people of Cologne friendly, comfortable with foreigners, and helpful. Maybe it was the wonderful local beer (Kölsch), but the Germans we met were generally interested in our culture and proud of their local customs, which they were happy to share with us. This trip to Cologne was my first time in Germany, and although I was well-read on the country, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I took German language classes in high school and college for a total of six years. As anyone can tell you, classroom learning and the real thing are not even close. I had ‘brushed up’ on my German hoping to be able to communicate with the locals if needed in a pinch, but most of the younger generations speak very good, if not fluent English; it’s the older people (50-60+) who are a bit rusty. Plus, in the high-volume touristy areas, everyone speaks English. Don’t speak the language, don’t worry, you’ll be fine.

Cologne does have an airport (CGN) which is about 8.5 miles outside of town but I came in from Amsterdam. A high-speed train will get you from Amsterdam to Cologne in about two and a half hours. As I’ve previously established, I do love train travel in Europe. The cool thing about the Cologne central train station (Köln Hauptbahnhof), is walking out and immediately being practically smacked in the face with the city’s famous landmark, the Dom. So close you feel like you can touch it, what an unexpected surprise. This symbol of Cologne, the Cologne Cathedral is usually referred to as the Dom. It is the worlds largest Gothic cathedral and was constructed between 1248 to 1880. It is the most visited sight in the city so go as early as possible to avoid crowds. It is impressive. You catch yourself saying ‘wow’ over and over. The Dom is truly stunning, do not pass it up.

The Cathedral, the Tower, and Treasury are open daily from 6 am to 8 pm. It is a working cathedral, and mass is held several times a day, so please be respectful and quiet at all times. The Dom has a tower you can ascend. When facing the front of the Dom, walk towards the right; you will see signs. The tower is not open all day, closing in the winter months at 4 pm and in the warmer months at 6 pm. Tickets to the tower will cost €8 per adult. The tower has 533 steps to the observation deck; this can be a challenge, it’s no joke. Before you ask your legs to do it, you will need to ask yourself if the view is worth it. 9 out of 10 times, I will say yes, it is, but if the weather is lousy (rain/snow) or it’s very cloudy, I’m not sure it would be worth the effort, and an effort it will be, as the view will be diminished. Only small bags and backpacks are allowed inside the Dom but there is a left-luggage office right next to the Cathedral Gift shop. Larger luggage storage is located in a container right next to the cathedral shop on Roncalliplatz and costs €2 per hour. From the Dom, you can easily walk to the main squares of the old town: Alter Markt and Heumarkt.

Alter Markt (Old Market) – the hub of Cologne’s old town – is considered the city’s most traditional square and is also the largest square in the Cologne. There is no street traffic here and it feels very cozy, City Hall is tucked away in the corner. Walk through this square from the Dom to get to the Heumarkt, Cologne’s second biggest square. Both these squares hold the Old Town Christmas Market which opens mid-late November until Christmas. Heumarkt is lined with several brew houses and had a little more action when we were there. Locals told us that over 90% of Cologne’s city center was destroyed during WWII and that much of what we see now was rebuilt after the war. Don’t get me wrong, the streets were cobbled and there were the occasional half-timbered houses but despite some of the buildings not looking very historic, it is full of history and tradition.

Considered one of the most colorful areas in Cologne, there is a row of beautifully restored narrow, steep-gabled, pastel houses just below St. Martin’s, which can be found near the banks of the Rhine River. This area is also referred to as the Old Fish Market and is a great place for a photo. The area between here and the Heumarkt (Altstadt) has been restored with a medieval flair, sort of. I guess well enough to make it charming and fun to explore. If you want to circle back to the Dom, from here most folks will go to the Hohenzollern Bridge, or as I call it, the Love Lock Bridge. If you want to “immortalize your love” in the form of a lock (insert eye roll here), you can still hang a lock on this bridge. Locals do not sell them here, so you will have to bring your own if this is on your bucket list of things to do. The bridge is covered in them.

Did you know Cologne is where cologne was invented? Makes scents, right? (See what I did there?) Cologne is the home of Eau de Cologne. They still produce the original scent, and I was curious: what did people like to smell like 300 years ago? We stopped by the Farina Fragrance Museum in the original production rooms of the 18th century. This is where the world-famous Eau de Cologne was born in 1723. The original fragrance, invented by Johann Farina, is typically described as smelling like a fresh Italian spring morning (ok, whatever) with notes of lemon, orange, bergamot, herbs and orange blossom, reminiscent of “mountain daffodils after the rain.” It smelled better than I thought; I was envisioning an overly floral and powdery ‘grandma’ scent. It was, as they described it, lightly citrusy and pleasant. So, for something a little different, you can book a tour here on GetYourGuide, TripAdvisor or simply walk up and buy a ticket. If a tour isn’t your thing, you can still roam the gift shop if you are interested in buying a bottle of the original cologne.

If you want to really dive deep into the German culture, I recommend taking a walking beer tour here. You can book a tour on your favorite app. This was a highlight of my visit to Cologne and was so much fun! You get to visit a few of the more famous brew houses in the old town, get a little history along the way, and make friends. And you get to drink plenty of their local beer: Kölsch. Kölsch is a German-style pale ale that is light golden in color and light in body, with a crisp finish and very little carbonation. I found it very refreshing. To be called a Kölsch, the beer must be brewed within roughly 30 miles of Cologne. Kölsch has a unique serving ritual. You don’t order a beer; you get a beer. And the waiters will keep bringing you beers, tallying your glass consumption number on a coaster until you signal you are done by placing your coaster on top of your glass. The waiters are very quick and efficient. They tote these tiny glasses of beer in these ingenious round trays, making sure everyone has a glass at all times. Kölsch beer is served in small, tall glasses called “Stangen” (translates to stick) because it’s meant to be drunk quickly, as the light carbonation can flatten rapidly if left sitting in a larger glass. The small size glass (6 oz) encourages quick consumption to enjoy the beer while it’s fresh and cold. And enjoy we did!

During our walking beer tour of Cologne, we asked our guide to refer us to other places to eat and drink. The local guides are a font of knowledge and very proud of their hometown. We always try to ask them, “where do the locals go to …?” A little effort to mingle with the locals has always paid off in spades. This was how we happened to spend a Saturday evening in Brauerei Zur Malzmühle (the second oldest brew house in Cologne). From the outside, not much to look at but the place was packed. Waiters sat us at the end of a longer table in the bar area. Our newfound table-mates were incredibly friendly and recommended what we should order, insisting that it is tradition in Cologne to finish your meal with a glass of schnapps. This brew house makes their own ‘house’ schnapps; it’s not on the menu, you have to ask for it. This liquid goodness was absolutely scrumptious! We inquired if we could buy a bottle, and the waiter said no, impossible, not for sale. Our table-mates joked that they distill their schnapps in the basement and that it is a long-held family recipe. Or maybe it’s a true story; I don’t care. Listen, it was so tasty, my husband decided we HAD to come back the next day for more. This is also the place that, in my opinion, has the very best apple strudel I have ever had. Theirs set the bar very high, and it is what I compare every other strudel to. Trust and believe, I take my personal quest in finding the best apple strudel to heart; Austria, Switzerland, Germany, wherever; if it’s on the menu, I order it. This was the greatest I’ve ever had, the multiple thin layers, the apple mixture, the buttery, flaky pastry, the vanilla sauce! (Insert sigh of delight) I’m drooling just thinking about it, and now I’m hungry.

Beer and chocolate seem to be an inadvertent theme with my husband and me when we travel, but hey, do what you like, right? Although Lindt is a chocolate company with its roots in Switzerland, it has a fantastic chocolate museum in Cologne. Simply walking through the door and getting that first sniff of chocolate in the air makes your mouth water. I highly recommend taking a tour here or, at the very least, ordering a few treats at the café inside the building; it has great views of the Rhine River. For those of you interested in learning the history of chocolate and how it’s made, take a tour of the factory; you can even make your own chocolate treats—a truly unique experience. The museum is now famous for its giant chocolate fountain, and taking a bite of a wafer dipped in the freshly made chocolate is worth the trip alone. Go hungry because you will have lots of opportunities to sample all the chocolate. We went on a cold day, and their hot cocoa is simply the very best I have ever had. No instant powder mix was this! Imagine fresh melted chocolate mixed with milk and topped with freshly whipped cream. Rich and creamy, it warmed my soul. I recommend booking a tour online on their website to avoid lines at the museum.

I’ve been told that Carnival in Cologne is one of those experiences that you have to do one time in your life. The Carnival spirit runs deep here, and you can feel the excitement as it approaches. The week-long street festival runs between Fat Thursday and Ash Wednesday. I happened to visit in late January, and people were already masquerading around town, amping up the fun factor. There is plenty to see and do in Cologne; two full days are more than enough time to hit the highlights, and most everything is within easy walking distance. If you like German cuisine, and I am definitely a fan, you will find Cologne an unexpected culinary delight; I would seriously go back for the food alone and plan to schedule that next trip during Carnival. If you’ve always wanted to go to Germany, consider exploring Cologne. It feels less touristy than Munich, and because there are fewer tourists, it feels more authentic. Bonus: Cologne is easier on the budget. And if it’s important to you, beer culture is just as strong here. Hey, beauty is in the eye of the beer-holder.