BACKGROUND
Cologne, (Köln) is the largest city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and possibly the fourth most populous city in Germany with more than 1.1 million inhabitants within the city limits proper.
The city’s medieval Catholic Cologne Cathedral, the Kölner Dom is the third tallest church and tallest cathedral in the world.
The cathedral was originally constructed to house the “Shrine of the Three Kings” and is a recognised landmark throughout the world and one of the most visited sights and pilgrimage destinations in Europe.
The Cologne cityscape is further shaped by the 12 Romanesque churches of Cologne.
The city is a major cultural centre for the Rhineland hosting more than 30 museums and galleries. There are many institutions of higher education with the University of Cologne being one of Europe’s oldest and largest universities.
DATE OF VISIT
I have visited Cologne on numerous occasions and in all seasons. It is a city which is easy to walk around and to enjoy the sights and scenes that Cologne has to offer. The city has excellent motorway links and train connections.
WHERE DID I STAY?
The Marriott Hotel, Johannisstraße 76-80, 50668 Cologne
The Marriott in Cologne is a very nice hotel with large comfortable rooms, an excellent breakfast service and a very good Grill offering in the evening. The hotel is centrally located and very close to the Kölner Dom and Hauptbahnhof from where you can take trains to most if not all of the major cities of Germany and beyond.
PERSONAL FEEDBACK
A visit to the Kölner Dom is an absolute “must see” and during the summer a walk around the Altstadt is once more a great experience. There are numerous restaurants and cafés all over the city and especially in the Altstadt.
There are extensive shopping streets from behind the Kölner Dom and Hauptbahnhof and a walk through to Neumarkt. If you are in need of any camera related equipment whilst in Cologne, may I recommend Foto Gregor in the Neumarkt (https://www.foto-gregor.de/filialen/koeln). An excellent camera shop with very helpful staff and a wide range of products covering all the main photographic brands.
Cologne is one of the centres of "street art" and I highly recommend a stroll through Belgian Quarter, the Ehrenfeld district, Ebertplatz and the rest of the city to admire and enjoy the "street art" on display.
PLACES TO EAT
It is very difficult for me to recommend any specific places to eat because there are just so many venues from fast-food to fine dining, all of which are very good. I recommend using an app. like Tripadvisor to find somewhere which suits your tastes. Because of my schedule I have most often dined at the Cast Iron Grill in the Marriott hotel where both the food and the service are excellent.
LINKS
- Cologne Tourism: https://www.cologne-tourism.com/
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cologne
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cologne_Cathedral
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