Calling in on Cologne...

Cologne, Germany.

Key things:

• 3 days was too long - 2 would have been enough
• The Museum Ludwig was a bit meh - didn't love it but maybe as I'm not a huge modern art fan?

• Visit the National Socialism Documentation Center of the City of Cologne museum but make sure to spring a few Euros for an audio guide - we realised too late there were no English translations and had to make do with looking at pictures. Be sure to head downstairs.. it's quite unsettling and on the upside English translations on the images.
• Go to Bei Oma Kleinmann for a schnitzel as big as your head - I have a big head and yeap... it was even bigger. Go early if you can't get a booking and they'll squeeze you in. The service is quick and friendly.

 

•  Once you've visited the Cathedral and feeling the need to warm up, visit Cafe Reichard for a cake and hot chocolate. Admittedly it has a bit of a tourist trap vibe but it's a sweet little place with a load of nana's meeting for cake and tea/coffee. The pricing isn't too bad and the service quite good! 

Take a day trip to Bonn:

• U-Bahn #16 or #18 takes you straight there from central Cologne - the train ride will take about 30-45mins if not a little more
• Visit the Haribo factory but bare in mind it closes at 2pm on a Saturday. If you can't be bothered going that far out, there's a store right in Bonn.
• Still craving schnitzel? Visit Brauhaus Bonnsch - come for the food, not so much the service (though perhaps our grumpy lady server was a rare occurence?)

• Have tea and cake at First Flush Tea Room, it's the sweetest little place and everyone gets a different tea set and tea pot. (the cakes aren't bad either!) Great looks (candle lit, mis matched and kitschy) with good service!

Lastly... don't expect to be able to waste time at the airport. There's nothing to do, not many food options and that's pushing it... it feels wrong to even put Subway in the 'food option' column.

Would we go back? Probably not... lovely place and a handful of things to do but it's one of those places you visit, tick off the list and that's it. Unless something special comes on like Christmas Markets which I'm told are pretty amazing!