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Published: November 6th 2005
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Enjoying Cologne
Sudeep in his element! When we first thought of holidaying in Cologne, we were thinking of a 2 hour flight either way and a good two days in the city. Then we chanced upon a really great deal from
Deutsche Bahn (www.bahn.co.uk) . £69 per person return from London - of course there was a catch - the travel was by train. Did we really want to do it? It would mean 6 hours of travel time either way, which would give us barely a day and a half in the city.
However, if you really look at it, Europe does travel by train and, Cologne is a small city and it was worth a try. Now here is how the deal worked. The Eurostar from London Waterloo to Brussels Midi and ICE from Brussels Midi to Cologne. On the way back, the same deal, except you take a Thalys and not the ICE. (There are a number of connecting trains from Brusells to Cologne and details can be obtained from the Deutsche Bahn call centre). The train from Brussels gets you right into the heart of Cologne and if it is too late, taxis are available and as we found out, more than
The Dom
Approaching the Dom affordable.
European trains are a revelation - comfortable, snazzy, polite staff and a lot of leg room. Plus, the view of the countryside along the way, made the journey completely worth it. For those of you, who have the time and the inclination I would recommend it. And the deal is still on at bahn.co.uk.
Now for the hotel. We had already stayed at a Jolly Group hotel in Rome and had very positive feelings about the place. Cologne reaffirmed that. The staff was polite, absolutely top notch breakfast and comfortable and pretty rooms.
In terms of location, the hotel is a 5 minute (my speed i.e. very leisurely) walk from the U-Bahn and two stops to Koln Central (which is the heart of the action - bang next to the Dom). It might start to get cold now, but we had a lot of good sun, no rain and lots of colour in the city - this being the time of fall.
What to do in Cologne If you take my advice, take it easy. But here is what you should really do.
1. The Dom.
Don't miss the
Dom (Kölner Dom). It is a
The Dom
View of the Dom cathedral of immense significance as it houses the relics of the Magi, making it one of the most important Roman Catholic institutions in the world. The cathedral is well located, bang next to the Central station (Koln Hauptbahnhof).
The cathedral itself is beautiful, inside and outside. It is an imposing building, standing tall and proud. Many wannabe photographers struggle to get a full shot of the Dom and we were no different. If you are at the Dom, then do visit the treasury and the museum. Entrance to the Dom is free but for the treasury it is 4 Euros per person.
The flea market along the Rhine (5 minutes from the Dom) is worth a visit. You may not pick up anything, but do walk through the place to get a buzz of the city.
At night, you could take a boat trip across the Rhine (we paid 6.50 Euros each for an hour long ride).
2. St Kunibert St Kunibert is one of the 12 Romanesque churches in the city and this one is particularly beautiful because of its stained glass windows. St Kunibert is a 10 minute walk from the Dom if you follow the flea
Inside the Dom
Relics of the Magi market to the very end.
3. Fruh's Kolsch Kolsch is a beer brew special to Cologne and most of the larger restaurants and cafes in Cologne brew their own beer. The glasses are tiny (.2l) but service is so good that you never find yourself out of the drink. Fruh's is one of the most popular Cologne brews and we did go back there a second time. It is touristy but not worth avoiding. The place is large so do not be initimidated by the crowds you see outside. The place is located close to the Dom (Altsadt). A proper meal for two with a lot of beer comes for under 30 Euros.
While on driniking and eating, Cologne has a variety of really good cusine (although locals will tell you to avoid Indian/ Pakistani food as it is not authentic enough). Turkish, African, Thai and Italian are some of the more popular cuisines. If you plan to visit a fancier place over the wekend, be sure to make a reservation.
Travel around Cologne Cologne has an efficient and well connected U-Bahn (underground) and S-Bahn (suburban rail system) - works much the same way as the Metro and
The Dom
Full View RER work in Paris. You can get a three day travel pass. Some stations do not have ticket counters and therefore keep a lot of coins handy to buy tickets from the vending machines located on platforms. The tickets are valid on the U-Bahn, the S-Bahn as well as the regional trains and buses.
If you have the time, Museum Ludwig (Modern Art) is close to the Dom. It is closed on Mondays (which we did not know of) - but seems to be popular place anyways. Cologne is a truly beautiful city. Our stay was short but worth it. Most locals are friendly and will go out of their way to help you with directions. Language is not a problem - if you are careful to ask 'Do you speak English'. Keep cash handy as some of the more inviting stores/ eating places may not accept cash.
A tip: Be careful of your belongings (i.e. when on a train make sure your baggage is close to you/ within sight- we did have an incident on the train back to Brussels ).
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Irene Villanueva
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beautiful pictures
All the picture about Cologne are beautiful, again, congratulations.