YOU’LL find perfume, chocolate and a super spa in this German gem, says writer Janice Hopper.
Enjoy super-walkable Christmas markets the Farina Fragrance Museum and Schokoladenmuseum for chocolate tastings.
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Follow the scent
Cologne is super-walkable, and though famous for its Christmas markets, there’s tons more to discover.
First up, tour Farina Fragrance Museum and discover how perfumer Johann Maria Farina named the first modern perfume “Cologne” to honour the city.
Oscar Wilde and Princess Diana were both fans of the light, fresh scent, and you’ll leave with a dinky 4ml sample.
Tours cost from £8.70 (Farina.org).
Take your sweet tooth to the Schokoladenmuseum for chocolate tastings and a walk through the tropical house to experience the climate where cocoa beans flourish.
Don’t miss the 3m-high chocolate fountain, either!
Entry costs £14.25 per person (Schokoladen museum.de).
Elsewhere, Cologne’s vast Gothic cathedral took over 600 years to complete – and you can marvel at its more than 160 stained-glass windows for free (Koelner-dom.de).
Ditch the swimmers
Pamper yourself in the 12 pools, eight saunas and three steam baths of famed German spa Claudius Therme.
FYI, while swimsuits are compulsory in bathing areas, they’re banned in the saunas! Entry costs from £16 for two hours (Claudius-therme.de).
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Next, stroll across Hohenzollern Bridge, AKA Love Lock Bridge, for Rhine River views and to snap the colourful padlocks left there.
Finish the day sipping a Royal Botanik cocktail, a refreshing mix of armagnac, lime, honey, mint and sparkling wine, £15.50, at Bar Botanik at the top of a 19th-century water tower with beautiful people and beautiful vistas (Wasserturm-hotel-cologne.com).
Go botanical
Hit Belgisches Viertel – the Belgian Quarter – for fabulous indie shops.
Boutique Belgique has on-trend fashion curated by model and fashion blogger Lena Terlutter (Boutique-belgique.de), try Schee for arty gifts and prints (Schee.shop), and drop by Things We Like for earthy homewares (Thingswelike.shop).
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Later, escape the city centre to explore the Botanical Garden, established in 1863.
We’re talking 12,000 plant species over 5.5 hectares, and entry is free (Eghn.org/en/flora-park-und-botanischer-garten).
Grab a Kölsch
The city is famous for its crisp Kölsch lager – be sure to drop by lively Früh Am Dom, the second biggest brewery pub in Germany for a glass, £2.20 (Frueh-am-dom.de).
For a quainter beer hall with local vibes, check out Brauhaus Reissdorf, which also serves traditional currywurst and fries, £9, and bread dumplings, £15.50 (Brauhaus-reissdorf.de).
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Meanwhile, expect impeccable five-star service with afternoon tea and bubbles, £73 per person, at the historic Excelsior Hotel Ernst.
Pastry chef Pavel Tanev’s delicate pistachio petit gâteau with chocolate sponge and orange blossom is foodie bliss (Excelsiorhotelernst.com).
Flagging while sightseeing?
Grab a cheesy beer bread, £2.50, followed by an apple cinnamon roll, £1.85, at one of the city’s Merzenich bakeries (Baeckerei-merzenich.de).
Find the one
Expect mustard and turquoise soft furnishings, plus artwork inspired by Cologne’s famed fragrance at Motel One’s great-value Old Town/Altstadt digs, close to the district’s pastel buildings and quaint streets.
The contemporary bar with terrace suntrap offers up great Riesling, £8 a glass, and the airport is just a 15-minute taxi ride away.
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Doubles cost from £71 a night (Motel-one.com).
FYI
Cologne was established by the Romans in 50AD, catchily named Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium.
UK flights to Cologne cost from £38 return.
Plan your trip at Cologne-tourism.com.
