Cologne Road Trip
Discussion
Hi.
According to local legend, I married the most Christmas obsessed girl on planet earth. Hoping to surprise her with a trip to Köln in December to tie in with our (Christmas) wedding anniversary.
Has anyone been? Tips on route/places to stay/visit etc most welcome.
Thanks in advance.
Apparently Mr Christmas.
According to local legend, I married the most Christmas obsessed girl on planet earth. Hoping to surprise her with a trip to Köln in December to tie in with our (Christmas) wedding anniversary.
Has anyone been? Tips on route/places to stay/visit etc most welcome.
Thanks in advance.
Apparently Mr Christmas.
Spent a lot of time there for work, we have a large office in Cologne.
The Cathedral is stunning:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cologne_Cathedral
Presume you are going for the Christmas markets?
http://www.germany-christmas-market.org.uk/cologne...
River trip down the Rhine
The Chocolate museum is well worth a visit, the smell inside is amazing
http://www.schokoladenmuseum.de/start.html
The Cathedral is stunning:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cologne_Cathedral
Presume you are going for the Christmas markets?
http://www.germany-christmas-market.org.uk/cologne...
River trip down the Rhine
The Chocolate museum is well worth a visit, the smell inside is amazing
http://www.schokoladenmuseum.de/start.html
We went last year around November time. Great place with a stunning cathedral, very decent art galleries and museums and good night life.
Our hotel was reasonable (Lindner Hotel Dom Residence), but nothing special (did have parking though).
We stayed at the Beaumont. Lovely, recommended++.
Our hotel was reasonable (Lindner Hotel Dom Residence), but nothing special (did have parking though).
kapiteinlangzaam said:
Maastricht is 1hr to the West and has a lovely feel to it at Xmas time.
I was very impressed with Maastricht, very 'classy' city. Worth a visit OP.We stayed at the Beaumont. Lovely, recommended++.
Edited by g3org3y on Sunday 1st September 14:30
kapiteinlangzaam said:
We stayed here last time, Hilton Cologne:
Very central with good views, nice rooms and can be good value.
http://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/north-rhine-westp...
Very central with good views, nice rooms and can be good value.
http://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/north-rhine-westp...
Hilton said:
Self parking: 28.00 €
I usually stay at the Hyatt- it's on the other side of the river from the Dom next to the 'lock' bridge where all the soppy saps put a padlock with their and their loved ones name on it.
You get a great view of the Dom if you ask them nicely. Also if you upgrade to a club level room you get free breakfast, free drinks throughout the day (non alcoholic) and then in the evening free food (they describe it as H'orderves and alcoholic drinks (good quality beer/wine/german fizz). If you don't want to pay their exorbitant parking fee it's 4 euros a day to park next to the hotel. Although if you've got a nice/unusual car and space is available they'll let you park outside in one of the 'show off' positions and they've yet to charge me a cent for it.
Another benefit of the hotel is that it's close to Lommerzheim
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g18...
The best bar in town IMO which serves fantastic authentic food and my favourite Kolsch. The only bar I've ever gone to myself and left having made several new friends who refused to let me pay for any of my beers (I was in there drinking for 5hrs)- so I bought a round for everyone in the place
Cologne is a great city and there are some good stretches of unrestricted autobahn depending on the route you take.
The Christmas market is one of the best as well- have fun. Also make it there for Carnival some time if you can- you won't regret it.
You get a great view of the Dom if you ask them nicely. Also if you upgrade to a club level room you get free breakfast, free drinks throughout the day (non alcoholic) and then in the evening free food (they describe it as H'orderves and alcoholic drinks (good quality beer/wine/german fizz). If you don't want to pay their exorbitant parking fee it's 4 euros a day to park next to the hotel. Although if you've got a nice/unusual car and space is available they'll let you park outside in one of the 'show off' positions and they've yet to charge me a cent for it.
Another benefit of the hotel is that it's close to Lommerzheim
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g18...
The best bar in town IMO which serves fantastic authentic food and my favourite Kolsch. The only bar I've ever gone to myself and left having made several new friends who refused to let me pay for any of my beers (I was in there drinking for 5hrs)- so I bought a round for everyone in the place
Cologne is a great city and there are some good stretches of unrestricted autobahn depending on the route you take.
The Christmas market is one of the best as well- have fun. Also make it there for Carnival some time if you can- you won't regret it.
kapiteinlangzaam said:
Its a pain, but normal these days. The only places that dont charge you to park seem to be Premier Inns!
Parking in (safe) city centre multi-storeys is €20+ per day no matter where you are - to park in a hotels parking in a nice city like Cologne, €28 seems about right.
I did Dusseldorf, Prague, Budapest, Vienna and Innsbruck city centres last year and never paid more than 15 euro, hence my shock at twice the price in Cologne. Dusseldorf was Hilton, too.Parking in (safe) city centre multi-storeys is €20+ per day no matter where you are - to park in a hotels parking in a nice city like Cologne, €28 seems about right.
Fox- said:
kapiteinlangzaam said:
Its a pain, but normal these days. The only places that dont charge you to park seem to be Premier Inns!
Parking in (safe) city centre multi-storeys is €20+ per day no matter where you are - to park in a hotels parking in a nice city like Cologne, €28 seems about right.
I did Dusseldorf, Prague, Budapest, Vienna and Innsbruck city centres last year and never paid more than 15 euro, hence my shock at twice the price in Cologne. Dusseldorf was Hilton, too.Parking in (safe) city centre multi-storeys is €20+ per day no matter where you are - to park in a hotels parking in a nice city like Cologne, €28 seems about right.
20 euro+ is the norm in most German 4/5 star hotels in most German city centres.
In Cologne there are plenty of places you can park for the 4 euros a day I mention- they seem safe enough to me, the places next to the Hyatt in particular because for all intents and purposes you're parking outside the hotel and there are people around 24/7.
edit to add:Q park in the Netherlands are f
kers-safe clean facilities in the main but they bend you over and dry hump you for it. The robbing tts.
In Cologne there are plenty of places you can park for the 4 euros a day I mention- they seem safe enough to me, the places next to the Hyatt in particular because for all intents and purposes you're parking outside the hotel and there are people around 24/7.
edit to add:Q park in the Netherlands are f
kers-safe clean facilities in the main but they bend you over and dry hump you for it. The robbing tts.stuartmmcfc said:
Lovely place. Flying there is pretty easy, cheap and quick tbh
I have been a few times and I struggle to see what's good about it,beyond a cathedral and a very average shopping centre.
The local bier wasn't anything to write home about, either.
I have found Aachen, Dusseldorf & Maastricht to be nicer places.
Each to their own. Koln is twinned with Liverpool and Liege.
I can't speak for Liverpool, but I wasn't all that impressed with Liege, either.
We did a road trip ending up in cologne last December for the Christmas markets.
We got the ferry, stayed in Bruges for a night, cologne for 2 nights, and Antwerp for a night then back on ferry.
Cologne was nice, Xmas markets were not great but the bars/shops etc make up for it.
I think we're doing exactly the same this year I think
Any questions please ask!
We got the ferry, stayed in Bruges for a night, cologne for 2 nights, and Antwerp for a night then back on ferry.
Cologne was nice, Xmas markets were not great but the bars/shops etc make up for it.
I think we're doing exactly the same this year I think
Any questions please ask!
dcb said:
I have been a few times and I struggle to see what's good about it,
beyond a cathedral and a very average shopping centre.
The local bier wasn't anything to write home about, either.
I have found Aachen, Dusseldorf & Maastricht to be nicer places.
Each to their own. Koln is twinned with Liverpool and Liege.
I can't speak for Liverpool, but I wasn't all that impressed with Liege, either.
Possibly one of the best beer cultures in the world along with a highly developed sense of identity and one of the most liveable cities in the world.beyond a cathedral and a very average shopping centre.
The local bier wasn't anything to write home about, either.
I have found Aachen, Dusseldorf & Maastricht to be nicer places.
Each to their own. Koln is twinned with Liverpool and Liege.
I can't speak for Liverpool, but I wasn't all that impressed with Liege, either.
Other than that- s
te. I presume you live in Shangri La.
I'll admit Kolsch like most reinheitsgebot beers aren't exactly the most inventive brews the quality is high.
I'd also say Dusseldorf is the equal of Koln and possibly better if beer is your idea- alt beer is better than Kolsch.
That said if you want a good Christmas market in Germany- Dortmund has the largest Christmas Tree and a massive market.
Edited by Motorrad on Sunday 1st September 18:52
We did Cologne last December going via Rotterdam and picking up some friends in Eindhoven.
It snowed like mad all the time (winter tyres + V70 = the business on snowed over roads) which made for a fantastic Christmassy feel. The markets were great.
I want to do it again but evidently the snow was just good luck - so I need somewhere with guaranteed December snow, max a days drive.
It snowed like mad all the time (winter tyres + V70 = the business on snowed over roads) which made for a fantastic Christmassy feel. The markets were great.
I want to do it again but evidently the snow was just good luck - so I need somewhere with guaranteed December snow, max a days drive.
Cologne also has one of the largest lap dancing clubs / brothels in Europe - Pascha - 10 Euro entry, all the beer you can drink. It's a little way out of the city, but is good fun (more so on a stag do than a trip with the wife, but she may be in to that). Attached to the lap dancing club is a tower block brothel, with each floor catering for a different 'need'.......
radiodanno said:
According to local legend, I married the most Christmas obsessed girl on planet earth. Hoping to surprise her with a trip to Köln in December to tie in with our (Christmas) wedding anniversary.
mustdash said:
Cologne also has one of the largest lap dancing clubs / brothels in Europe - Pascha - 10 Euro entry, all the beer you can drink. It's a little way out of the city, but is good fun (more so on a stag do than a trip with the wife, but she may be in to that). Attached to the lap dancing club is a tower block brothel, with each floor catering for a different 'need'.......
Sorry to say but my wife is the most Christmasy woman there is. We have done cologne a few times and driven there, an easy run from the Tunnel, only traffic you will see is around Brussels.
We stayed at the Holiday Inn and this is right next to the train that gets you to the centre easily. There are sevral different markets around the City, some have a different feel especially after dark. Shopping wise Cologne is like any big city with the usual shops.
If you drive a good trip is to the Markets at Valkenberg, these are held in tunnels that are left after extracting Marl, a local stone/mineral. Being under ground the atmosphere is special and right at the end is a chamber where there are bars and meals etc, there is a small charge to go in but worth it.
Another good market is at Aarchan quiet big but very tightly laid out but again great atmosphere.
This year we are off to Vienna to see their markets as well as other things.
If you still have a bit of laughter in your heart for the Christmas period you will enjoy it.
We stayed at the Holiday Inn and this is right next to the train that gets you to the centre easily. There are sevral different markets around the City, some have a different feel especially after dark. Shopping wise Cologne is like any big city with the usual shops.
If you drive a good trip is to the Markets at Valkenberg, these are held in tunnels that are left after extracting Marl, a local stone/mineral. Being under ground the atmosphere is special and right at the end is a chamber where there are bars and meals etc, there is a small charge to go in but worth it.
Another good market is at Aarchan quiet big but very tightly laid out but again great atmosphere.
This year we are off to Vienna to see their markets as well as other things.
If you still have a bit of laughter in your heart for the Christmas period you will enjoy it.
One of my highlight of my trip was a proper "beer house" we found right next to the Xmas market in cologne.
You sit at the bar and they have huge kegs of beer sat on bar, they will re-fill your stein without you even asking and tot it up on your beer mat. We sat there and had a German bratwurst lunch and a good few lovely beers. Great atmosphere.
It's where the red arrow is placed below, the big "square" is where the market is next to the (very impressive) cathedral and train station
You sit at the bar and they have huge kegs of beer sat on bar, they will re-fill your stein without you even asking and tot it up on your beer mat. We sat there and had a German bratwurst lunch and a good few lovely beers. Great atmosphere.
It's where the red arrow is placed below, the big "square" is where the market is next to the (very impressive) cathedral and train station
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