1. Cologne
Germany’s fourth largest city and home to communities from around the world, Cologne (or Köln) is diverse and captivating. Bisected by the Rhine river, the city stretches out across nearly 100 square kilometers, making it impossible to cover everything in just one day. While most visitors head straight for the Gothic cathedral (the Dom) that inspired Notre Dame, getting out into the neighborhoods will give you a better feel for the city and its inhabitants—including urban artists and prominent thinkers. Keup Strasse in the Muehlheim district will have you feeling like you’ve taken a trip to Little Istanbul. Street art and food truck festivals in Ehrenfeld will give you a view of the city’s younger, hipper side. Or put on your walking shoes and tour the galleries, museums and shops, which draw art-loving tourists from around the world.
EAT:
As the stomping grounds for many local celebrities and media professionals, the Belgian Quarter and streets surrounding Brusselerplatz are full of lively restaurants. Try the Indonesian curries at Warung Bayu; grab a coffee or grappa at Cafe Noa; snap up Insta-worthy sushi at Daikan or brunch at one of three Cafe Schmitz locales on Aachener Strasse.
DRINK:
You can pop into any old brewery or corner pub and grab a glass of the local brew Kölsch, which is traditionally served in two-centiliter glasses. Or you can head to the late-night club district in Ehrenfeld and party like a rock star (and the German football team) does at Halle Tor 2, an indoor/outdoor late night techno venue that draws all the local celebrities.
DO:
With one of the largest collections of pop art in the world, the Museum Ludwig (right beside the Cologne Cathedral) is an important contemporary art museum that also houses classic works by abstract expressionists including Paul Klee and Max Ernst. Rotating exhibitions draw young crowds, as do evenings with techno music in the foyer or art films shown throughout the week at the adjacent Film Forum.
STAY:
Named after a local arts and fashion magazine, the Qvest Hotel is a well-kept secret catering to the design-conscious in the Gereon Quarter. Each room is unique, with design elements including cross vaults or hand-painted wooden ceilings dating back to 1390 and invaluable artworks throughout the property.
If you do just one thing…
It should be a visit to the uber-creepy bone room at St. Ursula’s church just north of the main train station. One of the city’s 12 Romanesque churches which originally date back to around the 12th century, St. Ursula and its collection of bones are said to hold the secrets to the city’s history and tell the legendary story of the church’s patron saint, a virgin said to have sacrificed herself so the city would not fall to heathens.