Exploring Cologne: How Many Days Are Enough?

Cologne, or Köln as it's known in German, is a city steeped in history, impressive architecture, beautiful parks, delicious pastries, and riverfront dining. It is Germany's fourth-largest city and boasts one of the country's most popular tourist attractions: the Cologne Cathedral. With so much to see and do, the question is: how long do you need in Cologne?

For those short on time, it is possible to see the main sights in one day. The city's key landmarks are conveniently located in the Altstadt (Old Town), making it easy to explore the iconic Cologne Cathedral, the Chocolate Museum, and sample the famous Kölsch beer in 24 hours. However, with plenty of attractions near the city, including imperial Aachen, the magnificent Drachenburg Castle, and the beautiful Augustusburg Palace, it is recommended to spend at least three days in Cologne to truly appreciate all it has to offer. This allows for a more relaxed pace and the opportunity to discover some hidden gems.

Cologne Cathedral

The cathedral is open daily from 6 am to 8 pm, but tourists can usually only enter between 10 am and 5 pm on weekdays and 1 pm to 4 pm on Sundays. However, it's worth checking the website for updates, as special events and masses can change the opening hours. English-language guided tours are held twice a day, at 10:30 am and 2:30 pm, and last for about 75 minutes. If you want to climb the 533 steps to the viewing platform, you should plan for between 30 and 45 minutes. The tower is closed during the carnival season in Cologne, on 11 November, and on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day.

When visiting the cathedral, only small bags and rucksacks (maximum A4 size) are allowed inside. Identity checks are carried out by cathedral staff when entering the cathedral, the treasury, and the tower ascent. Clothing should be appropriate, and sleeveless or cropped tops, short shorts, and skirts are not allowed. Food and drink should also be consumed outside, and smoking, including e-cigarettes, is prohibited.

The Cologne Cathedral is located in the Old Town, which is worth exploring in its own right. The Old Town's narrow alleyways, cobblestone streets, and historic buildings make it a charming place to wander. It's also a great place to stop for lunch or dinner, or to visit a local pub or brewery.

Roman and Gothic architecture in Old Town

Cologne's Old Town is home to the Cologne Cathedral, one of the world's most celebrated Gothic buildings. Construction of the cathedral began in 1248 CE on a site that is believed to have once been home to a Roman temple. The Eastern arm of the building was completed and consecrated in 1322, but the cathedral remained a work in progress for several centuries. It was finally completed in 1880, over 600 years after construction began.

The cathedral is considered a masterpiece of Gothic architecture, with intricate details, towering spires, and beautiful stained-glass windows. It is the largest Gothic church in northern Europe and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In addition to the cathedral, Cologne's Old Town boasts several other notable examples of Roman and Gothic architecture. The Church of Great St. Martin, the Historical City Hall, and the Roman and Germanic Museum are all worth visiting. The Roman and Germanic Museum houses the mosaic floor of a banquet hall from a Roman villa, discovered during excavations near the cathedral in 1941.

Other Roman remains in Cologne include a well-preserved 1st-century tower from the earliest city wall, the remains of the North Gate, and a portion of the Praetorium visible in the basement of the restored Gothic Town Hall. These ancient structures stand alongside modern offices, shops, and entertainment venues in the bustling city centre.

The Rhine River and its cruises

The Rhine River is a popular attraction in Cologne, with the city acting as a departure point for round-trip sightseeing cruises. The cruises are usually an hour long, but longer trips are available for those who want to include coffee breaks, dancing, lunch, or dinner. The cruises are a great way to see the city's top attractions, such as the Cologne Cathedral, the Old Town, the Hohenzollern Bridge, and the Cologne Chocolate Museum.

The Rhine River flows through the Middle Rhine (Loreley) Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is considered the most popular section of the river for day-trip cruises. The valley is known for its romanticism and includes the Loreley Rock and numerous castles and villages. The cruises along this section of the river usually go from Rüdesheim or Bingen to Koblenz, with very frequent trains connecting these places to Cologne.

The cruises along the Rhine River operate from April to October, with the high season being from late April to early October. Winter cruises are rare but are popular during the Christmas market Advent season, with special party cruises to greet the New Year.

If you're looking for a longer cruise, you can take a day-trip cruise from Bonn to Linz, which takes about two hours upstream and an hour and a half downstream. This cruise passes by many castles and ruins, including Drachenfels, Rolandsbogen, and the remains of the bridge at Remagen.

Local beer, Kolsch

When in Cologne, drinking the local beer, Kölsch, is a must. This refreshing, golden-hued beer is best enjoyed during the warmer months, as dark beer is considered "bad beer" in this part of Germany.

Kölsch is a clear, light, and crisp lager that is warm-fermented with top-fermenting yeast and then conditioned at cold temperatures like a lager. It is one of the most strictly defined beer styles in Germany, with specific regulations that must be followed for it to be called a Kölsch. The beer must be brewed according to the Kölsch Konvention, put forth by the members of the Köln Brewery Association, and the Reinheitsgebot, or German purity law. Additionally, the brewery must be within 30 miles of the city of Cologne, which is marked by the ability to see the spires of the Cologne Cathedral.

Kölsch is not just the name of the beer but also refers to the entire local culture, encompassing the dialect, humour, and people of Cologne. There is a saying in the city: "Kölsch is the only culture that you can drink." As such, there are several traditions and rituals involved in drinking Kölsch and visiting a Kölsch brewery (known as a brauhaus in German).

Service in a traditional brauhaus can be standoffish, and by American standards, it may even seem rude. However, this is normal in Germany, and the servers, known as Köbes, take their jobs very seriously. They are efficient and professional but may not hang around to chat. They will bring you a new beer as soon as your current one is close to being finished, and they will keep doing so until you indicate you don't want another by placing a coaster on top of your glass. This is because, in a brauhaus, you don't order your beer; instead, it is brought to you by an enthusiastic waiter who encourages you to drink until you can drink no more!

When clinking glasses, it is customary to do so from the bottom of the glass, not the top, as toasting from the top is said to bring seven years of bad luck.

There are over 100 brauhauses in the city, each featuring one of the 24 brands that have signed the Kölsch Convention, a document outlining the criteria needed to be called a Kölsch. Here are some of the most popular ones to visit:

• Früh: One of the most popular brauhauses, known for its slightly more malty and hoppy Kölsch. The main Früh brauhaus by the Dom has a classic atmosphere, with winding hallways and mismatched rooms.
• Reissdorf: A Kölsch brewery that is well-known outside of Cologne. Their beer has a slightly maltier and heavier taste with a hoppy finish.
• Gaffel: A crisp and clean Kölsch, with a slightly musty yeast note on the finish. The brauhaus has a modern feel, with a huge open room.
• Brauerei Pfaffen: A family-owned brewery since the 1970s, located near Heumarkt. Their Kölsch is crisp and clean, and the service is friendly.
• Peter's Brauhaus: A quintessential German brauhaus in the Old Town, frequented by locals and tourists alike. Their Kölsch is smooth and crisp, and always fresh from the tap.
• Brauerei zur Malzmühle: A small brewery with a cult-like following, located just outside the old town near Heumarkt. Their Kölsch has a richer, hoppier flavour and a great malt backbone.

So, if you're in Cologne, be sure to try the local Kölsch beer and experience the unique drinking culture that comes with it!

The National Socialism Documentation Centre

The centre features a permanent exhibition, temporary exhibitions, and a memorial site. The permanent exhibition, entitled "Cologne During the Nazi Era", explores political, social, and community life under Nazi rule, including themes such as the seizure of power, propaganda, everyday life, youth culture, racism, genocide, and opposition. The exhibition utilises over 30 multimedia stations to detail life in Cologne and Germany during this dark period.

The memorial site, located in the cellar of the building, is a former Gestapo prison and is considered one of the best-preserved detention sites from the Nazi era. The prison cells and inscriptions on the walls by prisoners serve as vivid reminders of the horrors that took place within them. Over 1,800 inscriptions and drawings by prisoners can be found on the walls of the ten cells.

In addition to the permanent and temporary exhibitions, the centre also offers educational programmes and workshops, such as a workshop on "Youth Culture in the Nazi Era" and a tour of Cologne's Ehrenfeld district, where an anti-Nazi resistance group operated. The centre's library, documentation section, and research projects further enhance its role as an important site for learning and understanding this period of history.

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