Would you like to discover Cologne off the beaten track? My recommendations and natural escort girl tips for a great weekend in Cologne! I lived in the cathedral city for twelve years, and I still come to hear often today. This article will tell you my best Cologne tips for the most beautiful districts, sights, shops, and food. It includes, for example, sustainable second-hand shops. There are also cafés and restaurants with outdoor seating or beer gardens, dog-friendly or vegan.
My beloved Cologne has over a million inhabitants
It is the fourth largest city in Germany after Berlin, Hamburg, and Munich. Before I get to the insider tips off the beaten track, there are a few classic sights that are on the wish list of most visitors to Cologne:
1. The Cologne Cathedral right next to the central train station is the city’s landmark
2. The old town of Cologne with the colorful houses, restaurants, and pubs at the fish market
3. The Rhine, on which you can take a boat trip
4. Love locks on the Hohenzollern Bridge, which you can cross on foot
5. The chocolate museum with its chocolate fountain
6. The crane houses on the Rhine
7. The museums such as B. the Museum Ludwig am Dom
8. The breweries with their Kölsch beer
9. The Cologne carnival
10. Christmas market Cologne – there is a large selection.
Cologne off the tourist track
Would you like to discover Cologne differently on your own? In this article, I will tell you my highlights, also in alternative and hipster districts of Cologne. You need to know: The city was severely damaged in World War II and then rebuilt. Beautiful old houses like in Hamburg are therefore relatively rare.
But the city has a big heart and is therefore very lovable: the people are primarily easy-going, cosmopolitan and friendly, always ready for a chat. On the carnival days, the whole of Kölle completely freaks out. Then clowns, sailors, and bears frolic in the city. Work is out of the question. Cologne is very proud of carnival, Kölsch, and 1. FC Köln. This city also hosts the most popular Escort Agency!
The best hotel tips
Hotel Casa Colonia near Cologne Cathedral
I liked this 3-star hotel. It is centrally located near the cathedral and central train station, is quiet, nicely furnished, has a delicious breakfast buffet, is excellent value for money, and has excellent reviews. Learn more.
25hours Hotel The Circle (downtown)
This hotel has fabulous reviews. You can see Cologne Cathedral from your hotel room if you’re lucky – see the picture above. The hotel is retro space style offers numerous lovely details. A nice café and fun shops are waiting for you downstairs in the lobby. Learn more.
Lindner Hotel City Plaza near the center
This tastefully decorated hotel is trendy; it also has fabulous reviews. Here you will find a restaurant with Cologne specialties and international dishes, a bar with a terrace, a sauna, and a fitness studio. The pillow in the shape of a cathedral or murals with Cologne motifs shows the connection to the cathedral city.
Vintage shopping, street art and vegan restaurants
Are you shopping in Cologne? That’s entirely possible! In the city center, you will find the usual chains. There are lovely little and unique shops or second-hand shops in the Ehrenstraße, in Ehrenfeld, or the Belgian Quarter. Are you a museum or theater fan? Cologne offers a wide range of cultural activities. I’m always drawn to the numerous nice cafes and restaurants. You can also discover a lot of street art, e.g., B., in the district of Ehrenfeld.
How long should you plan for a first visit to the cathedral city? A weekend fits well! Because Cologne is manageable in size. You can reach many things on foot. Otherwise, you can take the subway or, if necessary, a taxi.
Delicious food in Cologne
There is something for every taste in Cologne. Whether down-to-earth or upscale, German or international dishes, burgers, or vegans. In my Cologne tips below, you will find a large selection of cafés and restaurants. I’ve been vegan since December 2019; in Cologne, I like trying out vegan-friendly or vegan restaurants and cafés. In times of Corona, I prefer to sit outside. This also works well when our dog Buddy is with us. That’s why I checked again on my last visit to Cologne to see who had outdoor seating and a beer garden.
Best travel time for your short vacation
During the carnival in February/March, the Cologne joie de vivre can be felt for about a week. If you have the opportunity to celebrate – do it! Cologne in summer offers many highlights such as flea markets, food festivals, beach bars, beer gardens, ice cream parlors, and bathing lakes. Even in winter, you can experience a lot here, e.g., B. the Christmas market in Cologne. There is a vast selection of Christmas markets, something for everyone.
Tips for a great weekend!
What is the best way to go about a short trip to Cologne?
• have a leisurely breakfast in one of the beautiful cafés
• Enjoy the view of Cologne from one of the vantage points
• join a tour to let a guide show you the most beautiful corners
• plan enough time for shopping, restaurants, and a Kölsch beer or two in the evening
The most beautiful tours
Are you in Cologne for the first time? Then I recommend one of the tours to you; I always book them through Get your Guide because the guides can show you unique corners and tell stories. What I particularly like about Kölle is the humor. During the comedy tour on the bus, you will experience a comedy show about Cologne during the tour. This is a fun way to discover all the city’s essential sights. The brewery tour, the tour with the night watchman, or the cemetery tour is also popular.
Cologne Tips: View of the Cologne Cathedral
Even after living in this city for twelve years, my heart still beats faster when I see the cathedral. You can’t miss the cathedral. Because when you come out of the central train station, you are right in front of it. But there are two other great vantage points:
1) Viewpoint Cologne Triangle
You have a fantastic view of the cathedral and the Rhine from the Cologne Triangle on the other side of the river. Because the building is over 100 meters high, from the panorama platform, you can enjoy the 360-degree view, e.g., B. also at sunset or night on the city’s lights. Unfortunately, photos are only possible through a high pane of glass, and dogs are not allowed on the tower.
2) Sunshine floor at Neumarkt (Cologne insider tip)
In summer, my tip is this beach bar on the roof of a skyscraper – with a cathedral view. Relax there in the sun, with relaxing music and cool drinks. I’m a big fan of the sunshine floor and have often been here with a friend: walking over the white sand to a beach chair or the loungers. One of my absolute favorites among the insider tips for Cologne! Unfortunately, the 2021 season was also canceled due to Corona; the sunshine floor will remain closed for the time being.
Hip Belgian Quarter
My favorite district in Cologne is the Belgian Quarter; like Ehrenfeld, it’s an excellent hipster district. Life takes place outdoors in summer, but you can also enjoy winter here because there are many cafes, restaurants, and cute shops, for example, on Venloer Strasse, on Brussels Strasse, or around Brussels Square.
3) Vevi – vegan café with vintage flair
The Vevi has what it takes to become your favorite café. When the weather is nice, you can sit on the two benches in front of the wide window. If it’s colder and you still want to look outside, you can relax inside on the cushions lying on the window sills. The small café is very cozy with a floral sofa, motley chairs, lots of pictures, odds and ends, and potted plants hanging from the ceiling. When I visited, the little dog Ginger was snoring in the corner.
What’s on the menu here? For example, breakfast, quiche, soup, pancakes, waffles, or raw cakes – all suitable for vegans. I ordered a smoothie bowl with red berries, banana, peanut butter, almond milk, and dates. It was topped with banana, grapes, almonds, and flaxseed. So delicious! Desserts are also available here without sugar and gluten. The Schokoba raw cake with cocoa, coconut, banana, and cashews sounded great.
4) “Coffee & Cake”: Café with outdoor seating
Venloerstrasse 19
I lived in this corner of the Belgian Quarter for a long time. The cute little café with a gallery was my second living room. You can still often find me here today. Because the food and coffee are delicious and it’s just very comfortable. In warm weather, there are 16 outdoor seats.
The cake always tempts me; there is usually a vegan option. Another tip: the vast and delicious salads. Excellent for us: the café is dog-friendly. Buddy is welcome here, as are other furry friends.
5) Buy sweets from Madame Miammiam
Antwerpener Strasse 39
Madame Miammiam has magical cakes, tarts, and biscuits. For example, with motifs from Cologne or suitable for the season. Here I regularly press my nose flat against the shop window. Are you still looking for an edible gift or a wedding cake? Then you’ve come to the right place!
6) Australia Shopping World
Limburger Strasse 14
Just a few steps further, you can take a trip down under. For example, there are Tim Tam biscuits and non-alcoholic ginger beer. As well as boomerangs, plush wombats and other Australian fan articles. G’day, mate!
7) Shop “Seventh Heaven.”
Brussels Street 67
If you are looking for gifts for your loved ones or yourself – you will find them in one of Cologne’s hipster shops! Many excellent books, beautiful postcards, decorative items, and clothing. There is something for children as well as for adults. I’m always drawn to the Finnish label Marimekko. Unfortunately, mostly too expensive for me, but the things with their colorful patterns are just too beautiful!
8) Shop “Mrs. Kayser”
Maastricht street 40
There are unusual things for children and adults here. I’ve often rummaged for gifts.
How about a hot dog badge, a flamingo watering can, or a seahorse lantern? I also liked the T-shirt for children with the inscription: “I count to three, then it’s carnival here!”.
9) Royal Punjab Indian Restaurant
Venloerstrasse 4
This is our favorite Indian in Cologne. Carsten is crazy about butter chicken, which he usually eats with naan bread and mango chutney. There is also plenty of choice for vegetarians. In summer, you can sit on one of the eight seats on the street, in winter in the warm interior. It can get crowded here on the weekends, so it’s better to reserve in advance.
10) Restaurant Stadtgarten with a large beer garden
Would you like to go for a walk? The Stadtgarten is great for that!
We lie here in the meadow in summer while green parrots fly overhead. Where they come from is still not entirely clear. For me, the most beautiful Christmas market in Cologne also takes place here: small, cozy, and alternative. You can eat something in the Stadtgarten restaurant (Venloer Str. 40), which has a large beer garden in the warm season. I want to try the vegan flammkuchen.
11) Second Hand Shop “Vintage & Rags”
Hohenzollernring 47
Do you like second-hand shops too? Here I keep looking for dresses from the sixties or for summer clothes. The large shop on two floors offers a lot of sweethearts. Here you will find jeans jackets, Hawaiian shirts, or a retro costume for the Cologne carnival. Or are you looking for shoes, bags or scarves? So, if you want to spend quality time here in Cologne, book a sexy escort girl from our Escort Agency and start visiting this beautiful town! Follow our tips from today and we are sure that you will not be dissapointed.