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A Weekend in Cologne
Cologne, Germany
The great thing about living in London is that it's easy to be spontaneous with weekends away. There is always an airport or train station within a reasonable distance and you can literally book the day before and head out on an adventure. Saying that, Paul planned to take me to Cologne last weekend in secret to visit my brother who is doing a semester abroad there at the moment. Sneaky. I think it's fair to say that before my brother moved there, Cologne would not nesessairly have been at the top of my visit list. It's not the city of love, not too much notable art or history and no beach. This, however, was a total misjudgment and I have come away loving it more than Paris. You need to go to Cologne on your next city break. It is not endless and sprawling, but has a fantastic, lively vibe. It's streamlined and modern, but not too businessy or clinical. It's clean and efficient, but certainly not boring. I loved it. We were blessed with the weather, and spent most of our visit day relaxing with a cold Kolsch beer in one of the pretty pubs along the Rheine. Kolsch is the the only beer they ever drink in Cologne. Note - it is not acceptable to ask for another brand of lager.
We took a lovely river cruise along the Rhiene on our second day which was well worth it (€9pp) especially with the stunning weather. There are many companies along the river which offer many cruise options but we opted for the one hour trip, just to see a bit of the city.
The main attraction in Cologne (apart from perhaps the beer) is most definately the Dom. This magnificent, gothic cathedral stands in the middle of a modern city square and everything around it shrinks in comparison.
For a mere €4 you can climb 533 steps of a very narrow spiral staircase with hoards of human traffic in both directions and have achy thighs for several days afterwards. But trust me, the view is worth it.
Take water. It's high. Now, I am a sucker for all things romantic so imagine my delight when we walked passed the railway bridge and purely by chance I noticed that it was gleaming in a thousand colours...
Love padlocks! You and your one true love write your names on a padlock, clip it on the bridge and chuck the key in the river - eternal happiness! The most famous one is definately in Paris but what the hell ..
A few more things to mention incase you're planning your own Cologne mini break:
- Okinii - for an all-you-can-eat Asian dining experience like no other.
- Cafe Rosenow - tasty, authentic German breakfast
- There is free wifi everywhere all over town - don't pay for it!
Overall, I cannot speak highly enough of this city. It makes a fantastic weekend getaway and with a flight time of under an hour from London.. There is literally no reason not to! Put it on your list!
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