Guten Morgen from Köln

Cologne is the fourth largest city in Germany after Berlin, Hamburg and Munich. I was only here for two nights and to be honest that’s all you really need. There’s not a whole lot of must see attractions in Cologne but it’s a nice city to visit for the weekend.

Everything was relatively expensive in comparison to other German cities such as Berlin and Hamburg. The weather in June is beautiful, at around 32 degrees the perfect time to visit.

Accommodation
I stayed in the Mercure Hotel (£162 per night) located right in the city centre.

The breakfast here was a delight, with a range of different cold cure meats, cheeses, fruit and pastries and Nutella on tap! Need I say more? This hotel also had a gym and a sauna, make sure to ask for a balcony room on the top floor.

Must dos
The famous Cathedral Kölner Dom is the number one thing to see here in Cologne. There’s also many shops nearby.

Street art in Ehrenfeld. Ehrenfeld is one of Cologne’s coolest neighborhoods and street artists from around the world have left behind art peices.

Cologne is located on both sides of the river Rhine which is near Germany’s borders with Belgium and the Netherlands. I would definitely recommend having a walk by the river for sunset.

Cologne has a variety of museums. Make sure you check out the Museum of Applied Art, the Museum Ludwig and also the Chocolate Museum.

Home to the largest arena Lanxess Arena and the Live Music Hall, Cologne is often a destination for the best music. With artists such as Aerosmith and The 1975 playing, it’s definitely worth checking out what gigs are on before planning your visit.

There’s also a botanical garden and zoo nearby if you have more time.

Food
Bona’me is the perfect spot for Middle Eastern food. There are two restaurants in Cologne, but I would recommend the one by the river (North Rhine). It is the Turkish version of Vapianos (if you’ve been in London before) where you go up and watch your food being made. I recommend the flat breads, especially the aubergine with fresh yoghurt.

 

The Hard Rock Café in Cologne is also a great spot for lunch, dinner and drinks (do yourself a favour and order the garlic and herb fries with chimichurri sauce). They sometimes have gigs playing in the evening in the café which is a super fun vibe.