Traveling to Germany is not complete without a stay in Cologne.
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city, and is the largest city both in the German Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia.
The city is a beautiful cultured destination with great leisure facilities, pubs, restaurants, shops and history.
Many years of restoration work has seen a rebuild to portray the wonderful city it was.
Cologne is often called the Cathedral city.
About Cologne Cologne is an old city, of great importance in Roman History as it is one of four sanctified cities that formed the north corner spot of the Empire.
At the beginning of the thirteenth century Cologne was the largest fortified city in the world.
However, over 90% of Cologne was destroyed during WWII.
How to get there Depending on your departure point, flying is usually the best choice of transport.
If traveling from Europe, the Köln/Bonn Konrad Adenauer Airport is only 10km from the centre of the city.
However, if traveling from outside Europe, Frankfurt Airport is the closest and provides both road and train transfers for the 200km journey.
Where to stay in Cologne Hotels are the most popular choice of accommodation in Cologne and 2 to 5 star standard hotels are usually available.
However, check for the festival dates as this can seriously affect the availability of rooms.
Popular festivals include the "Balls ad Fools" Festival (early November), Easter Festivals (March/April,) and Christmas Markets (December) What to see in Cologne The Altstadt is worth a visit both during the day to visit Ludwig's Museum and the evening for dinner where you can enjoy a "Roman dinner".
For relaxation check out Claudius Spa that is found in the Rheinpark area.
Visit the Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom) that was originally established in 1248, Where to eat There are over 1,000 restaurants in Cologne.
Hence a great range of top quality restaurants that offer all kinds of international food.
There are also many attractive cafes and bars as well as all takeaway options.
Where to shop Cologne has a great range of shops that cater for everybody's needs.
The most popular shopping streets are Schildergasse and Hohe Straße.
Other smaller streets that head out of the centre have more unique shops and indoor markets.
The shopping areas clearly indicate pedestrian access, making them attractive and well laid out.
There is something for everyone in Cologne.
The ancient cathedral city is well worth a visit.