24 hours in Cologne
The fourth largest city in Germany, Cologne or Köln is a city bursting with culture, where historic buildings meet modern architecture along the mighty Rhine river.
Known as the city of churches, Cologne has no fewer than twelve central churches, ranging from the jaw-dropping 144.5 metre cathedral to much smaller Saint Cecilia’s and Saint Maria’s (or Mary).
The city name of Cologne comes from when the territory was first established as Colonia, literally meaning ‘colony’, by the Romans in the 1st century.
When to go: Year round, weather is similar to most of northern Europe. April - October most temperate weather.
Essentials to pack: Big coat/windbreaker, trainers, hat to cover ears
Currency: Euro - £1 = €1.15
Must see: Kölner Dom (Cathedral), View from the top of the Köln Triangle, walk along the Rhine river, Fishmarkt, Heumarkt and Altermarkt squares, Rathaus (town hall), Hohenzollern bridge
How to get there: Train from London to Brussels and then connecting train to Cologne (www.eurostar.com and www.bahn.de) approx. £190 return, 5 hours travel time each way. Driving London to Cologne 8 hours. 1.5 hour flights from London approx. £50 return. River cruise options available from London and Paris. Bus from London to Brussels and then connecting bus to Cologne approx. £60 return, 18 hours travel time each way.
Public transport: Fast and efficient busses, trams and trains. Public transport is easy to use and runs mostly round the clock. Buy tickets for trains, trams and busses prior to getting on at nearby machines - they accept card or cash payments.
Where to stay: As the city is so easily traversed by foot due to it’s compactness, staying pretty much anywhere in the city is fine. We wanted to be close to the main train station as we only had one day in Cologne before moving on to a housesit near Dortmund and we had a lot of luggage so wanted to be able to drop it off and explore the city as much as possible in our limited time period! We also love staying in hostels so saw this as a great opportunity to stay at the Station Hostel - http://www.hostel-cologne.de/en/ where a bed in a 6 bed dorm with shared bathroom was £18 pp. The hostel was clean and tidy, only drawbacks were that there was no common room and the bar was closed as it was a Sunday evening. The location could not be beaten though - right next door to the train station and Cologne cathedral.
24 hours in Cologne:
To do:
Kölner Dom
First on this quick-fire itinerary is the impressive Cologne Cathedral. Taking over 600 years to complete the build of this gothic basilica, the cathedral is 157m tall, 86m wide and contains a vaulted chapel which is 144.5m long. I knew that it would be an impressive sight but I didn’t fully anticipate the scale of the structure until we were standing outside it (I got a similar feeling when I first saw the La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona). The cathedral is the second tallest church in Europe after Ulm Minster and was declared a World Heritage sight in 1996. The church is built primarily from sandstone which reacts with sulphuric acid in rain and has turned the building an imposing shade of dark grey, appearing even black on some days.
You can enter the cathedral to pray, watch a service, light a candle or simply look around. There are guided tours of the cathedral which need to be purchased in advance online www.domforum.de/domfuehrungen, they cost 10 euros per person and tours last approximately an hour.
As previously mentioned, Cologne is known as the city of churches and there are several other churches in the central area you can visit and enter for free. One other church which is hard to miss is the Great Saint Martin church.
Taken on our stroll along the Rhine, taking in the Cathedral (RHS) and Great St Martin’s church
Walk along the Rhine
Something which you’ll have time to do no matter how long you’re in Cologne for, a walk along the Rhine river is a must. The centre of the city and old town is virtually on the edge of the river and so riverside strolls are never more than a few minutes walk from whatever tourist attraction you’re visiting. This majestic river runs for approximately 765 miles from the Swiss alps to the North sea. The width of the river in Cologne is approximately 410m, which is the length of the bridge which spans it at Cologne’s centre (Hohenzollern); making it an unmissable spot and home to several river fronted cafes, bars and restaurants. You can walk alongside the river on public footpaths for miles, crossing over one of Cologne’s many bridges (most of which allow foot traffic) to the other side, and completing the loop. This is a great place to people spot, watch ferries and smaller boats coming and going and the best way of getting to know the city intimately.
Tip - there’s usually a very strong breeze running through the city and especially along the riverfront so wrap up warm!
Walking tour
Due to a cancelled train we missed the free walking tour that we had booked onto, but we always feel it’s the best way to get to know a city if you only have limited time there. The company we had booked with was Guru Walk - https://www.guruwalk.com/cologne. The tour is free but it is customary to tip the guides whatever you feel the tour was worth.
View over Cologne from Köln Triangle tower
Köln Triangle viewpoint
The best place to view the city from up high is the Köln Triangle viewpoint, situated just over the river from the cathedral on top of a building which stands at just over 103 metres. It costs 5 euros per person to go up in the lift and the open-air top floor has 360 degree walking platforms for views all over Cologne. It opened in 2006 and has become the most popular vantage point of the city. There are towers in the cathedral that you can climb up for a good view, but in our opinion, the impressive cathedral is PART of the view, and so we opted to do the Triangle instead. It’s open until 8pm at night, and if we had longer in the city I would have gone up there about 30 minutes before sunset, to get a view of the city in the daylight and darkness as well as taking in the sunset.
NOTE - In January 2023 we still had to wear a mask whilst in the elevator to access the viewing platform. Make sure you have one handy!
Colourful houses at Fischmarkt in front of Great St Martins church
Fischmarkt, Heumarkt and Altermarkt squares
All of these well-known market squares are close to each other which make them perfect for exploring if you have limited time in the city. All of these squares have various small alleyways connecting them which open into large squares dotted with restaurants and beer houses. As this is a tourist hotspot, the prices are more expensive than elsewhere in the city but not at all extortionate.
As the name suggests, Fischmarkt stands where a once bustling city fish market took place close to the river. The market is thought to have started around the 13th century, and the pretty colourful buildings in the square are dated as 12th century constructions.
Altermarkt is the Old market square and is situated centrally in the city. This area was badly damaged during WW2 but the maze of cobbled lanes and small boutiques has kept the area going as a thriving shopping location.
Statue in Heumarkt
The name of Heumarkt comes from ‘hay market’ which was it’s primary use in the middle ages. The centre of the square has a large majestic statue of Friedrich Wilhelm 3rd, King of Prussia from 1770 to 1840. This location is frequently used as a meeting point. The square is large and retains it’s historic beauty with cobblestones on the pedestrianised areas and grand buildings around the perimeter.
One side of the Rathaus or City hall
Rathaus (City hall)
Difficult to miss, unless you are visiting in January 2023, like us, when this great building is undergoing massive restoration works. It is located off Hohe Straße, between the two squares of Rathausplatz and Altermarkt. It houses part of the city government, including the city council and offices of the Lord Mayor. Built in 1569, this building is of historic and cultural importance to the city.
The daily ringing of the bells or glockenspiel is not to be missed; the 48 bronze bells in the town hall tower chime daily at 9am, 12 midday, 3pm and 6pm.
Love locks on the Hohenzollern bridge
Hohenzollern bridge
To get to the Köln Triangle building you will need to cross the river and my advice is that you do so via the Hohenzollern bridge which spans 410m across the Rhine. Named after the House of Hohenzollern whom were the German emperors and rulers of Prussia, the bridge was originally finished in 1911 but expanded several times. Today it consists of a six-track railway in the centre with walkways and cycle paths on both sides.
It is most famous in the modern day for its’ thousands of “love locks” which are attached to the bridge at every opportunity and are symbols of eternal love and fidelity. It is said that tourists and residents alike immortalise their relationship by attaching a lock and throwing the key into the Rhine.
We didn’t take any pictures whilst having a beer, so here’s one of me having a coffee instead!
Last but not least - Kölsch beer
The regions famous beer, Kölsch, is something you must try whilst you are in Cologne. Since 1997, the term "Kölsch" has had a protected geographical status within the EU, indicating a beer that is made within 50km of the city of Cologne and brewed according to the Kölsch Convention as defined by the members of the Cologne Brewery Association. Kölsch is one of the most strictly defined beer styles in Germany: according to the Convention, it is a pale, hoppy, bright (not cloudy) top-fermenting beer.
All I know is that it tasted good!
And that’s about it folks… until next time :)