Cologne is a vibrant European city that most major railways stop in. Home to numerous museums, a historic cathedral, and a large concert venue- there are endless things to do for everyone. Bonus the majority of them are free and the city is entirely walkable!
We took advantage of the three hour train ride to catch up on the latest Game of Thrones episode we missed. Our train from Paris (read about our Paris adventure here!) arrived to Cologne in the late evening. The train station is in the middle of the city, which made getting to our air bnb incredibly easy. You exit the train station and your first view is the Cathedral, built in 1248!
It was a quick 10 minute walk from the train station to our Air bnb. We dropped our packs off, explored the apartment, and set out in search of food. We found a bar nearby where we were able to get plenty of German beer, chat with locals, and grab a bite.
The next day was our only full day in Cologne. We woke up early and grabbed cups of coffee and set out to walk the city. First stop: Breakfast; Leah and I dove head first into German cuisine with Currywurst, German pretzels, and German donuts.
We had food in our stomachs and coffee keeping us going so we set off to see the Cathedral! The Cologne cathedral is the oldest gothic cathedral in all of Northern Europe, holds the largest swinging church bell in the world, and holds the remains of The Three Kings. If you’re up to the challenge they let you climb to the top, all 533 steps!
After exploring the cathedral we headed down to the river to explore the historic old town.
A must stop in Cologne is one of the many Merzenich Bakeries. They’re scattered throughout the city and arguably have the best pastries.
The city of Cologne is arguably one of the most walkable city’s in Europe. To end our day in Cologne we saw George Ezra play at the Lanxess Arena. We were able to walk from our Air BnB, across the city, cross the Hohenzollern Bridge, and take pedestrian pathways all the way to the arena.
Other things to see & do
Check out a museum
Cologne is home to the Chocolate Museum and for Art lovers check The Ludwig Museum and the Wallraf-Richartz Museum.
Tour The Rhine
The Rhine River runs through Cologne and is one of the largest rivers in Europe. You can hop on a boat for a tour of the City and surrounding area or take an evening party cruise.