Make it quick..
The following guide will provide you with a perfect day trip around Cologne. Fun fact: The cathedral is the most popular tourist destination throughout the whole of Germany, and the tallest twin-spired church in the world!
Top tip: Cyclists in Cologne don’t seem to slow down for pedestrians and the cycle lane can be hard to distinguish so make sure you keep an eye out!
We just spent a day here too, so no doubt there is more to see. Share with us any places you recommend too!
Being Germany’s most visited landmark, this is an obvious one to choose but a list of Cologne’s top destinations wouldn’t be complete without it! If you get the train into the city from the airport, as you most likely will since it only takes 15 minutes, this will be the first thing you lay your eyes on as you step out of Cologne Central station! As most of the city was destroyed during the War, this is one of the oldest buildings remaining in Cologne and is absolutely unmissable.
The cathedral is free to visit but for a small fee, you can see where the Three Wise Men are buried!
Again, this is probably the second most obvious choice of attraction but there is a reason for that! Around halfway down the bridge, you will find one of the best photo spots in Cologne. As you look back down along the bridge, with the Cathedral peering in the background, this is one of those places on the planet where you have to just stop and really take a moment to absorb the view. This bridge is also a very impressive lock love bridge; it is huge and even with all it’s 410 metres of glory, wechallenge you to find a spot for your lock!
Cologne is full of Romanesque churches; so much so, it can be hard trying to choose which ones to visit. We would recommend St. Gereon as one to put on the list. This church has a very pleasing look from the outside as it is somewhat quite clean cut. However, on the inside, it is much more dramatic and has stained glass windows definitely worth mentioning. What makes this church slightly different from the others is the statue of St. Gereon’s head placed outside. Either take in the uniqueness and the great detail put into it or pretend to conquer him – whatever floats your boat!
Cities require a lot of moving around to see everything and this is a great place for your city break pit stop. The cakes are absolutely devine; we advise at least 30 minutes time just deciding which one to have. The surroundings are also lovely and don’t be fooled – the prices are very reasonable. Now aside from the cake, there is something else that makes this place very special but we don’t want to give too much away. We will say just one thing – make sure you give the toilets a visit!
Now if you are looking for a great place to enjoy the sunset in Cologne, we would recommend here. The Koln Triangle is a building, which allows you to head up to the 28th floor and gives 360 degree views of the city below. As mentioned, this is a fantastic spot to enjoy the sunset but it is of course, also a great place to enjoy views of the city in the daytime and at only 3 euros, why not do both?!
We like to be nice at Cloud Walks, so we’ve thrown in an extra destination, (you’re welcome), just in case you like to go a bit off the beaten track. If you like something a little different, Erenfeld is the funky, more edgy area of Cologne. This is where you will find lots of cool street art, plenty of vegan restaurants and no shortages of cocktail bars.