Experiences to Have In Cologne, Germany
April 18, 2017 8:55 AM Subscribe
I am staying with friends near Lindlar until mid - June (about 30 miles east of Cologne) and am looking to have interesting experiences in the area. I plan on going to the Wallraf-Richartz-Museum, Ludwig Museum, and the Fragrance Museum in Cologne. More suggestions of cool things to do and places to go appreciated.
Ah, we moved out of the city, but I lived in Köln for a couple years- it's a great place!
I have a list of the things I usually drag people to see/do when they come visit , all should be quite accessible by public transportation....
-Köln:
--Kölner Dom
--The Claudius Therme (Ugh....LOVE this place, seriously. Do not skip this. Go for the healing waters, stay for the giant whirl pool they turn on every hour. Also, pay the extra five euros and do the salt water floating pool. Very much worth it.)
--Schildergasse- Europe's busiest shopping street
--Kölner Zoo
--Drinking a Kölsch in Köln
--In general eating and drinking your way around the downtown area is a lovely way to pass the time
--Feed some goats at a tierpark in a city park
-Düsseldorf (not as fun as Köln)
--Drinking Alt (Köln and Düsseldorf have an intense rivalry about their local beers- you can't find one city's beer in the other city, they just don't serve it or sell it)
--Lovely pedestrian walking/shopping zone
-Bonn (Not much to see)
-Aachen
-Aachener Dom (built by Charlemagne, and just gorgeous on the inside. Special tour in English/German worth paying the couple of euros, they take you upstairs to see Charlemagne's throne)
-Assorted Castles:
--Schloss Rheidt (the attached Italian restaurant is very nice. They also have a garden show coming up in a week or two that is fun- wander around a moated castle browsing craft/food/garden stalls)
--Schloss Bruhl
--Schloss Dyck
--Schloss Drachenburg
-Assorted Other Sights in the region
-Landschaftspark Nord in Duisburg
-Phantasialand
-Rhine River cruises (you can either take a train further south and then hop on a boat, or start in Köln). Rick Steves has a great map/audio guide for a certain stretch of the river that is chock-a-block full of castles. It makes a great day trip. Just do a search for Rick Steves Romantic Rhine
posted by Bibliogeek at 9:32 AM on April 18, 2017 [3 favorites]
I have a list of the things I usually drag people to see/do when they come visit , all should be quite accessible by public transportation....
-Köln:
--Kölner Dom
--The Claudius Therme (Ugh....LOVE this place, seriously. Do not skip this. Go for the healing waters, stay for the giant whirl pool they turn on every hour. Also, pay the extra five euros and do the salt water floating pool. Very much worth it.)
--Schildergasse- Europe's busiest shopping street
--Kölner Zoo
--Drinking a Kölsch in Köln
--In general eating and drinking your way around the downtown area is a lovely way to pass the time
--Feed some goats at a tierpark in a city park
-Düsseldorf (not as fun as Köln)
--Drinking Alt (Köln and Düsseldorf have an intense rivalry about their local beers- you can't find one city's beer in the other city, they just don't serve it or sell it)
--Lovely pedestrian walking/shopping zone
-Bonn (Not much to see)
-Aachen
-Aachener Dom (built by Charlemagne, and just gorgeous on the inside. Special tour in English/German worth paying the couple of euros, they take you upstairs to see Charlemagne's throne)
-Assorted Castles:
--Schloss Rheidt (the attached Italian restaurant is very nice. They also have a garden show coming up in a week or two that is fun- wander around a moated castle browsing craft/food/garden stalls)
--Schloss Bruhl
--Schloss Dyck
--Schloss Drachenburg
-Assorted Other Sights in the region
-Landschaftspark Nord in Duisburg
-Phantasialand
-Rhine River cruises (you can either take a train further south and then hop on a boat, or start in Köln). Rick Steves has a great map/audio guide for a certain stretch of the river that is chock-a-block full of castles. It makes a great day trip. Just do a search for Rick Steves Romantic Rhine
posted by Bibliogeek at 9:32 AM on April 18, 2017 [3 favorites]
Bonn's great for a day trip.
- Arithmeum - super interesting calculator museum. There's a few hands on exhibits where you get to do maths with these lovely machines. Loved the architecture of the place as well, and there some related art on display.
- Beethoven's House. I didn't find it that exciting, but I know the composer I used to train with would find it fascinating.
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The chocolate museum in Cologne is well worth a visit as well! History of chocolate, and they have a mostly-automated factory line there.
posted by TrinsicWS at 9:52 AM on April 18, 2017
- Arithmeum - super interesting calculator museum. There's a few hands on exhibits where you get to do maths with these lovely machines. Loved the architecture of the place as well, and there some related art on display.
- Beethoven's House. I didn't find it that exciting, but I know the composer I used to train with would find it fascinating.
-----------------
The chocolate museum in Cologne is well worth a visit as well! History of chocolate, and they have a mostly-automated factory line there.
posted by TrinsicWS at 9:52 AM on April 18, 2017
Aachen Dom for sure, and of course the Koeln Dom.
Koeln has a neat archaeological area that includes a Roman Praetorium and Jewish museum. The contemporary art museum there is also world class.
And touristy, but definitely do a boat trip on the Rhine. It's beautiful and really worthwhile. If there is an opportunity to rent bikes, I would also do that, it's a wonderful city to explore that way.
posted by veery at 10:04 AM on April 18, 2017
Koeln has a neat archaeological area that includes a Roman Praetorium and Jewish museum. The contemporary art museum there is also world class.
And touristy, but definitely do a boat trip on the Rhine. It's beautiful and really worthwhile. If there is an opportunity to rent bikes, I would also do that, it's a wonderful city to explore that way.
posted by veery at 10:04 AM on April 18, 2017
The MAKK (design and applied arts museum) is great.
posted by the return of the thin white sock at 11:06 AM on April 18, 2017
posted by the return of the thin white sock at 11:06 AM on April 18, 2017
Response by poster: Thanks to all. Visited Cologne yesterday. The Dom is impressive. And the contemporary was wonderful. Kunst Museum in Bonn also impressive.
posted by goalyeehah at 2:22 AM on April 30, 2017
posted by goalyeehah at 2:22 AM on April 30, 2017
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posted by praemunire at 8:59 AM on April 18, 2017