Discover art, beer and German festive cheer on a weekend trip to Cologne’s Christmas market
YOU will have heard of the famous scent, yet there’s much more to do in Cologne than just shopping for bottles of eau de.
But while we’re on the subject, a bottle of the 4711 scent made in the city only costs around £19, with the whole range suitable for men and women.
You can buy a bottle of the fresh, vibrant perfume next to the city’s centrepiece, Cologne Cathedral which towers above the flat skyline with its incredible Gothic spires.
Now is the perfect time to visit. On November 16, , a doddle at only 50 minutes and from £27 one-way.
We checked into the trendy and newly opened 25hours hotel. It has a rooftop bar serving experimental cocktails, a mood-lit restaurant with an open kitchen and a prize-winning view from the top floor.
There are even bubbles for breakfast, served from the eighth-floor restaurant, setting up the day well for sightseeing in the beautiful city.
A night at 25hours hotel is from £50pp based on two sharing ().
A visit to the hipster district of Ehrenfeld is a must, too.
Here you’ll find more of a neighbourhood feel.
This is where the city’s many artists and creatives congregate and live.
Ehrenfeld is your go-to destination for cute coffee shops, interesting street art and amazing galleries.
Stroll down Koernerstrasse for the best of the area in one street, where wine and cheese shops, fashion labels, art galleries, traditional watering holes and clubs and bars capture your interest and don’t let go.
Don’t miss lunch or dinner at Karl Hermann’s for a more modern take on German cooking. The burgers here are killer, and there is a fabulous weekend brunch menu.
You will notice a lighthouse — yes, a lighthouse — nearby. Head there after hours for some of the best clubbing the city has to offer. If that is not for you, try Gewolbe to dance alongside the locals.
Then there’s Cologne’s Belgian Quarter, which is alive with bustling independent bars within a few sips of each other. I recommend Little Link, Frieda and Lorbass.
Cologne really flourishes after November 26, though, when the city’s famous Christmas markets burst into life. Each has its own distinctive, warm tipple, so there’s an excuse to visit all of them over one weekend.
Just be sure to fit in a German sausage or two to line the stomach so you don’t feel at your wurst.