How to Spend a Couple of Nights in Cologne – Eliot Evans
Big thanks to guest writer Eliot Evans for sharing his experiences when he travelled to Cologne in Germany.
A couple of years ago I visited the German city of Cologne with my good friend Joseph. We both found a couple of free days in our calendars and we booked the £30 return flights from Stansted airport to this industrial region of Germany. I had always heard plenty of nice things about Cologne, the gothic architecture, the positive energy, and of course the beer, so we were extremely keen to get going.
In classic Eliot fashion, this trip would only last a couple of nights. Therefore, it was vital to fill the itinerary with as much as possible within such a short timeframe. On arrival, we caught a train to the city centre where we left the train station into a square swarming with hundreds of tourists, locals and street performers. Towering above us was the famous Cologne cathedral… A masterpiece in gothic architecture that dominated the attention of all within the surrounding areas. No picture could do this building justice, it truly is something one must see for themselves.
The AirBnB and Dinner in Cologne
After strolling the high streets of the city, we eventually stumbled across our Airbnb. A small yet comfortably sized flat with a balcony that allowed us to cool off in the 30°C summer heat. As you’d expect, locating an Airbnb within a bustling city can be an extremely exhausting process. This meant it was time to get some food. I like to make sure I eat well when I leave the country, which means experiencing the local cuisine.
This therefore led us to a small restaurant with not all that much space or seating. But they could just about squeeze us outside so that we could escape the sweltering heat radiating from inside. Now, it was time to order, schnitzel and sausage were the key things on our mind. However we went for the schnitzels, fried, breaded pork accompanied by some delicious potatoes, salad and a sauce that we just couldn’t identify but absolutely loved. What did we drink? Cologne’s very own beer, Gaffel Kolsch. I’m not a big drinker, and I’m certainly not a beer connoisseur unlike Joseph. However I can say it was fantastically refreshing and accompanied the meal wonderfully.
FC Koln Football Stadium
Following a well-earned night’s rest, Joseph and I took to TripAdvisor to come up with the first idea of the day, visiting 1. FC Koln’s football stadium (the eloquently named RheinEnergieSTADION). The two of us love football so whenever we go away together, we always make sure to visit the local stadium and try and get a tour. The tour took us in and around the stadium from pitch side to the changing rooms, educating us all on the industrial roots of this now 119-year-old football club. It was a fantastic stadium which I’m very glad has made its way back to the first division of German football.
Although the stadium tour was fantastic, what was going on outside was even better. Across the fields surrounding the stadium a local football tournament was occurring with tens of matches being played, beer being served by the gallon, and hundreds and thousands of bratwurst sausages being consumed by the masses. It was the closest thing to heaven that Joseph and I could find. We grabbed a pint and a sausage, sat pitch side and watched the Cologne police force batter another side that simply did not look up for it at all.
Having taken in the atmosphere of the tournament and resisted the urge to sign a one game contract with any of the teams there, we decided to move on to our next location. The Cologne Chocolate Museum.
The Cologne Chocolate Museum
This museum was simply fantastic. We were taken on a journey through the history of chocolate that led to a machine room that showcased the modern chocolate making process from cocoa bean to wrapper. A mouth-watering experience that had us drifting along the walkways, floating in the air like some sort of classic Warner Brother’s cartoon. At the end of it all… a chocolate fountain, a majestic structure formed from golden eggs to create a golden egg. Once we had finished making our way round, we were presented with the opportunity to construct our own chocolate bars. These treats could be white, milk or dark chocolate, with the chance to fill them to the brim with gummy bears, Oreos, fruit, marshmallows or anything else that we desired.
For the remainder of the afternoon and evening we strolled along the banks of the Rhine, encountering and appreciating some fantastic street performers, whilst treating ourselves to some ice cream as temperatures remained in the mid-20s past 10pm.
Farewell Cologne
The next morning, we woke up, bid farewell to the city and hopped onto the train back to the airport. We took one final glance at the centrepiece cathedral that defines the city. A view that was no less impressive than the first time our eyes gazed upon the spires.
On reflection, this truly is a trip I will never forget. Once the world starts moving again, I recommend anyone reading this to take a couple of days to explore this wonderful location in the heart of Germany’s industrial region. You definitely won’t regret it.
Eliot Evans
RheinEnergieSTADION:
The Cologne Chocolate Museum: