I'm not really sure if you can actually go inside here, but considering the lack of things to do in…read moreDusseldorf, and the fact that half the museums were closed when I was here, I somehow doubt it. Anyway, this is another of the town squares, though unlike Carlsplatz, this one was pretty empty, though it did have a statue in the middle. Actually, there wasn't really all that much in the square itself, though a short distance off of it you do come to the entertainment district that happens to be chock full of bars and clubs. However, while this square was nice, there wasn't all that much to do here.

We spied this several times - it's very pretty at night, as it's lit up. Worth a few snaps!read more

Went here for a day trip out of Cologne, and I didn't think the market was very different from what…read morewas offered in Cologne. I did enjoy the Printen themes though!

We had been to the Christmas market in Aachen about 30 years ago and went back for the first time…read more It has still got it. Around the Dom, Rathaus and Markt are plenty of stalls with food, gluehwein and Christmas merchandise. The size of the market is quite big but it has a good vibe. A nice place to spend 3 hours getting into the Christmas spirit.

Okay, while I didn't go inside (and I'm not even sure if you can go inside - I didn't check) this…read moreis still a pretty awesome place to check out. Like the towers of the cathedral and Martin Luther's church, the tower of the Historic Rathaus can be seen from most parts of the city, however the impressive nature of the building only comes to the for when you actually get up close to it. Basically the tower is covered in statues of various celebrities of the city. I have to be honest that I don't know who precisely the statues represent, but apparently one of them is a witch. However, even though I don't know the identity of the statues, it is still pretty cool to spend some time admiring the architecture.

If you're the sort of tourist who likes to learn a little about the social history of the places…read moreyou visit, and if you speak German, then I recommend popping into the City Hall. There are a couple tapestries and paintings to view that will give you insights into the city's history, and often art exhibits and such that will give you a sense of the current state of affairs in Cologne. There is also an atrium explaining the legend of the mayor and the lion. However, you need to speak/read German, as virtually nothing is written in English.