Seeing Cologne Cathedral, it is impossible to not be impressed. The exterior is so intricate &…read moredecorative. I could see this structure at one time being the tallest in all of Europe. I walked into the cathedral with the flow of crowds to stand in the perimeter while listening to parts of the Christmas Day church service. Later in the day, I returned to walk through the church. It's huge inside. There are many triptychs, beautiful stained glass windows and ornate pieces. This church is a must see on a trip to Germany! Visiting Cologne at Christmas time also has the bonus of holiday markets!

First visited the cathedral on May 24, 2024 during our Basel to Amsterdam Viking River Cruise. Had…read moreonly a few hours in the city, and it was cold and rainy. Came back on June 22, 2025 during our Grand European Viking River Cruise. Wife and I went in briefly, wearing long pants, to meet the dress code requirements. This despite temperatures in the 90s during the great heat wave of 2025. In my younger days I would have tried taking the 533 steps to the top of the Cathedral tower, but wife was in no shape to do that. Our boat docked about 1.5 miles north of the Cathedral. We got a new vantage point to view the Cathedral at night from the river. Sailed past the lighted Hohenzollern bridge at 10:20pm with the Cathedral in the background. The new lighting done to save energy barely could be seen, compared to the old lighting which lit up the sky. Undoubtably I was the only person wearing a Hawaii hat visiting the cathedral that day.

If you're in the Leverkusen or Rheindorf area and need to do some shopping then I highly suggest…read morethe Rathaus Galerie. The galleria is always clean, neat and well kept. You'll find many many riding their bikes, walking or just enjoying their lunch break outside. Most anything you're looking for, you'll find at Rathaus Galerie. You'll find clothing, housewares, electronics, game stores, restaurants and much more. The Galerie is setup as an indoor mall that also allows you to go outside to to other part of the mall. Over the last two weeks, I've been here several times and I have had no problem with parking, navigating the mall. The people here are very warm and welcoming and I enjoy the shopping or just people watching.

Amazing very convenient parking garage. Close to everything and easy to get in and outread more