Colonia - Cologne - Koeln
by croisbeauty
Cologne is one of the oldest towns in Germany, founded by Romans to marked the border between the Roman Empire and the lands of hostile Germanic tribes. The Romans named it Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensis, which later had been shortened to Colonia or Cologne. In 50 A.D., the Roman Empress Agrippina, a native of Cologne, raised the settlement status to that of Roman town. First that I have noticed in Cologne is great number of bell towers all over the town. Cologne has always been a major religious centre, therefore it was also called the Rome of the North. One can hardly get lost when strolling around because the high towers of the magnificent cathedral, aswell as the Grosse St. Martin, gives you an excellent orientation. Not many towns, I've visited so far, enables such an easy way of strolling around.
Nearly every city has a rival....
by DrewV
Nearly every city has a rival. Take for example Los Angeles and San Francisco -- Nothing makes San Franciscans happier than LA looking bad, and vice versa. Barcelona and Madrid have a nice rivalry going. In my neck of the woods, Memphis and Nashville hate each other (and that's NOT to strong a word). Baltimore hates Washington, and Washington finds Baltimore too insignificant to care about.
But few rivalries are more hostile than the one between Cologne and Düsseldorf. The two cities, separated by a half-hour train ride, a fairly large river, and countless centuries of culture, loathe one another. Try to order a Kölsch in Düsseldorf, and you'll likely be beaten (or at least ridiculed). A similar fate awaits the fool who craves an Altbier in Cologne. When the two cities' soccer teams meet in a Rhineland derby, nothing but bad things happen. Fortunately for the neutral traveler caught in the middle, but unfortunately for both cities, FC Köln and Fortuna Düsseldorf are both horrible -- in fact, Fortuna is mired in the third division. The arguments tend to lose their lustre in the third division. Still, be smart, know which city you're in before ordering a drink...
Tram, S-bahn, U-Bahn, bus and more
by pieter_jan_v
Köln has a very good organised transport system; below ground, at ground level and above.
Overview of all lines
Map with all lines
Kölner Seilbahn
Lost & Found: Otmar Pohlplatz 1, tel: +49-221-26313
Transport Museum:
Straßenbahn Museum Thielenbruch
Gemarkestrasse 139
51069 Köln-Dellbruck
Good hearty food!
by stiab3 about Restaurant Heumarkt
Great restaurant. I ate here twice in 4 days!
A very family and child-friendly restaurant with air-conditioned areas. It is a good choice for a full meal in a friendly and casual environment. Try one of the stews, entrées, or a delicious appetizer for a lighter meal. I started with the goulash soup - served with bread - tasty and warming!
The farmer's platter! If you like meat then this one is for you! It's like a mixed grill served with sauerkraut and veggies.
The 2nd time I had the schnitzel . . . think it was served with chips. It was pretty good anyway.
Chocolate Museum
by Nathalie_B
iWhile on vacation many of us tend to visit museums and mostly those are art museums. Koln has a diferent idea of a museum - chocolate.
The museum shows the process of chocolate production, tells about history of chocolate, has a big gift store, and even offers a nice view on the river.
This place is a real paradise for kids, just imagine the amount of chocolate they get to taste on this tour. And even if you're like me, absolutely dislike chocolate, you'll still have a great time.
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Antoniter Church, Cologne
Cologne, Germany
Entrance, just cross the bridge.
Vanilla/chocolate shake
