If you are planning a short break, Cologne is a great choice! It’s only a 2 hour flight from Dublin and there are numerous airlines offering cheap, direct flights from ireland. Cologne is a city of passion and culture so if you are planning to visit this beautiful city, here are some top tips for you.
1 – Visit Cologne Cathedral
Obviously Cologne Cathedral or Kölner Dom is the city’s landmark and Germany’s most visited one too. It’s right next to Cologne Central Station and it was declared an UNESCO world heritage site in 1996. They started building the gothic Cathedral in 1248 but stopped in 1473, continued in the 19th century and finished in 1880. But work is actually never finished because it is so big and old that there is always some sort of construction going on. There is a German saying that when the Cologne Cathedral is finished, the world is going to end! And maybe after you visited the Cathedral you can take a break on the Cathedral steps or the Cathedral plaza.
Visiting the Cathedral is free, but there also are guided tours available.
2 – Follow the footsteps of the Romans
The Romans may not come straight to your mind if you think about Cologne, but once it was a Roman city and you actually can see parts of the old city wall in Cologne and other ruins. If you are really interested you can go visit the Roman-Germanic Museum (Römisch-Germanisches Museum), it is right next to Cologne Cathedral.
3 – Put a lock on the Hohenzollern Bridge
Love is in the air. If you are in Cologne you can prove your love by putting a lock on the bridge and throwing the keys in the river (or just keep them) as a symbol of forever being together. Even if you do not have a partner you can do it with friends to prove your friendship or just enjoy the view of the Rhine and take pictures. After you’ve crossed the bridge, you could relax in the Rhine Park or on the Rhine steps right next to the bridge.
4 – Drink a Kölsch in the old town
If you think about Germany there is a chance that beer will come to your mind. It is true Germany has a lot of different kinds, for Cologne it is Kölsch. So try a Kölsch and enjoy the charms of the old town with its many bars, restaurants, old buildings and fountains.
5 – Take a look at Cologne Street art
Cologne is slowly turning into an urban street art hotspot, especially in Ehrenfeld, the Belgian Quarter and Mülheim. You can see everything from small to large murals to graffiti to stencils and stickers. There are pieces from world renowned artists to local artists. You will find some beautiful pieces. We suggest looking around Ehrenfeld train station and the Heliosstraße.
You also can book guided tours through Cologne’s street art districts by the CityLeaks Festival in Spring and Summer.
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Interested in more of our destinations in Germany? Why not have a look at our article about Stuttgart or Frankfurt
Travel Insurance for Cologne
If you do end up making plans to travel to Cologne, make sure you have travel insurance for your trip.
Travel insurance is important, if you become ill or have an accident you are prepared. Remember that you’ll also be covered against all other mishaps that might befall you during your trip, such as lost luggage or cancelled/delayed flights.
Choose single trip travel insurance if your trip is likely to be your only travelling of the year, or go for annual multi-trip travel insurance if you’re likely to do more travelling during the year too.
Whatever policy you choose with Insure My Holiday, you are assured of a high standard of cover at a low price.
Key benefits of our Gold Plan travel insurance
- Medical Expenses Cover of €5 Million
- Personal Luggage Cover of €2,000
- Personal Money and Documents Cover of €1,600
- Delayed Departure Cover of €200
- Cancellation or Curtailment Cover of €4,000
- Abandonment Cover of €4,000
- Missed Departure Cover of €500
- Personal Accident Cover of €55,000
- Personal Liability Cover of €2,000,000
- Third Party Supplier Insolvency Cover of €2,000
- Schedule Airline Failure Cover of €1,000
- Legal Expenses Cover of €10,000
- Hijack Cover of €1,000
- Catastrophe Cover of €750
- Credit or Cash Card Fraud Cover of €300
Key benefits of our Platinum Plan travel insurance
- Medical Expenses Cover of €10 Million
- Personal Luggage Cover of €3,000
- Personal Money and Documents Cover of €2,000
- Delayed Departure Cover of €400
- Cancellation or Curtailment Cover of €6,000
- Abandonment Cover of €6,000
- Missed Departure Cover of €600
- Personal Accident Cover of €95,000
- Personal Liability Cover of €2,000,000
- Third Party Supplier Insolvency Cover of €2,000
- Schedule Airline Failure Cover of €2,000
- Legal Expenses Cover of €20,000
- Hijack Cover of €2,000
- Catastrophe Cover of €1,000
- Credit or Cash Card Fraud Cover of €500
All are as generous or more generous as you will find with any other travel insurance provider, so it all adds up to even more great reasons to choose Insure My Holiday for all your travel insurance needs.
Just get a travel insurance quote now to see how much you can save!
