Are you considering a visit to Germany? Why not visit the city of Cologne? It has a history dating back to Roman times. Situated on the Rhine River and Germany’s fourth largest city, it offers good connections to the nearby cities of Düsseldorf and Bonn. Cologne is also connected to Amsterdam, Brussels, London and Paris by Thalys, ICE and Eurostar High Speed ​​trains. Frankfurt Airport has a direct service to Cologne and is an hour away on ICE trains.

Cologne has a lot to offer in terms of entertainment and culture. The following places are definitely worth visiting:

The Gothic cathedral, also known as the Dom, is the city’s most famous landmark and also a well-known architectural monument in Germany. It is 144 meters long and 86 meters wide and has two 157-meter-high curves. Construction began in 1248 to house the relics of the Magi, the Dom not being completed until 1880. The completion of the cathedral was celebrated as a national event. Despite changing architectural styles over the centuries, the result is quintessentially Gothic. Located in the center of Cologne, from the top of the south tower of the Cathedral there are panoramic views of the city and its surroundings. Open every day from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm, except during religious services.

The most impressive attraction of the Romano-Germanic Museum is the 70 square meter Dionysos-Mosaik. Once the floor of the main hall of a large Roman villa dating from the 3rd century, the mosaic was discovered in 1941 during excavation work for a bomb shelter. The Museum, which was opened in 1974 and is located near the Kölner Dom, has a collection of prehistoric, ancient and medieval finds. The exhibits give insight into the daily life, beliefs and customs of long-forgotten cultures. An unusual feature is the collection of Roman glassware.

Cologne is the city of live music and concerts, with music from all eras from all over the world and in the most diverse stylistic schools and movements performing here every day. The powerfully beating heart of this Cologne musical culture is the philharmonic hall built on the mound of the cathedral, which seats 2,000 people. Since its opening in 1986, it has become one of the main international concert halls. The ‘Philharmonie’ concert hall has at least one show scheduled for almost every day of the year. Recitals range from chamber music to jazz, folk and pop, with a house policy to encourage lesser-known, new and unusual music.

The Alter Markt (Old Square) town hall dates from 1330 but has a 15th-century tower and a 16th-century Renaissance façade. After sustaining damage during World War II, part of the 14th-century Renaissance building was rebuilt. The Cologne artisans concentrated particularly on restoring the Town Hall tower, and thanks to their donations the Town Hall was successfully restored. Statues of emperors, popes, poets and scholars, as well as women’s rights activists, look down from the tower onto the busy square below.

The Old Market is located in the heart of the old town. Surrounded by bars and restaurants, it hosts a variety of events throughout the year: home to the Christmas market during the festive season and the Medienburgerfestival in summer, the Old Market is perhaps best known for the Carnival which starts here at 11.11am on the 11th of the month 11. This is when the colony goes completely crazy. During the Middle Ages, the Old Market was the commercial center of Cologne, and the nearby butter market, fish market, and hay market were some of its branches. Today, it is simply a focal point for tourists who flock here to witness the comings and goings around the market fountain.