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.

The Lindt Chocolate Museum itself is beautiful, informative, and genuinely enjoyable. The exhibits…read moreare well designed, the chocolate history is fascinating, the tasting stations are everything you'd hope for and staff interactions enhanced our experience. Up until the very end, our visit was truly wonderful. Sadly, the way we were treated by staff as we were leaving completely overshadowed what had been a great experience. While we were calmly waiting near the exit for family members who were finishing in the gift shop -- where they had just spent a couple hundred euros -- staff members became abruptly rude and aggressively chased us out of the building. Even more unacceptable, one family member was refused access to the restroom, despite being an active, paying customer who had just made a substantial purchase. The tone used with us was unkind, unnecessary, and frankly shocking for a company that promotes hospitality. Because of this final interaction, we would not return, and it's very unfortunate -- because everything else about the museum was excellent. A guest's last experience matters, and ours left us feeling disrespected and unwelcome.

Lots of complaints of crowds.... Arrive early, less people…read more We got here early and there was no line. Super comfortable and not crowded. The kids ordered chocolate and that takes 45 minutes so we went to the cafe shop and ordered some things to tide us over while we waited. By the time we left the lines were ridiculous, the entrance was super crowded and there were far too many people for my liking. Probably would not have paid to go into the museum had the crowds been there when we arrived. You can get chocolate during tour, when you walk in and during the tour itself. Lots of history. It was interesting. 44.50€ for a family, feels expensive for what it is, but a decent way to waste time. You can go in and get cake and coffee, chocolate or drinks and skip the tour.

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.

I had heard of the love lock bridge in Paris, so I was pleasantly surprised to discover that…read moreCologne has its own when I was doing research prior to my trip. Hohenzollernbrucke, or love lock bridge, is one of the top attractions in Cologne on TripAdvisor. Here's what you should do to make the most of the experience. Make sure to buy a lock before you arrive. You can buy a lock in the area, but you're going to pay a premium for it. Located in the heart of the city, part of the experience is just walking the bridge and seeing the endless number of love locks that couples have placed on the bridge over the years. It's a beautiful sight to behold. From there, it's time for you to find a spot for yours. As you would expect, pictures happen and a kiss also happens. It's a cool, little romantic experience. Love is in the air! Even if you're not stopping by with your significant other (or you don't have one), it's still a nice attraction to check out where you can snap some photos. And a quick one at that.

There is some website that states there is estimated to be 25,000 locks on this bridge, but I don't…read morebelieve that! It's got to be at least 100,000! There are many bridges that have lots of locks on this, but this one may be the most impressive I've ever seen. Lots of great photos can be taken at/on/near this bridge. This place is definitely worth a visit if you're in Cologne. If you took the train in or out of this beautiful city, you've likely crossed this bridge.

Groß St Martin is a lovely church from the 1200s. While it is much more basic than the cathedral,…read moreit is still quite nice and is well worth stopping by as you walk through the old town. The church itself is pretty, but the really impressive part is the excavation Roman ruins in the basement. They aren't huge, but it is a unique experience, and they are well signed and maintained. The church is free, but there is a ,50-cent fee to walk down into the excavation (they have laminated descriptions in four languages, but the signs are in German). Definitely worth the ,50 cents to see the ruins!

Fantastic Marriott property. The location is ideal for a great stay in Cologne. The staff is always…read morefriendly and everyone speaks excellent English. The rooms are clean and comfortable. The breakfast is wonderful, with fresh German breads every morning.

Really spacious and clean rooms, a great breakfast, and centrally located only a few minutes walk…read morefrom the train station.

We visited several museums in Köln during our recent stay. This was far and away the best and most…read moreinteresting museum we visited. It is compact and multi-level, but with an elevator, which was much appreciated due to my bad knee. The museum has a modern feel. The information is attractively presented concisely and clearly in both English and German. I did not make it to the top floor. I sat on a conveniently placed stool near the evaluator while my wife went up. She said that I missed the best part, so be sure to check it out.

The museum's permanent collection is closed (at least as of fall 2019) while a new building is…read morebuilt, with the date that will happen unknown. The two special exhibitions I saw (about the Cologne pavilion at the 1937 World's Fair in Paris; also an exhibition of Cologne buildings before and after the war) were both interesting, and there were some interesting local books for sale (about Carnival, etc.). Still worth a stop if the special exhibition sounds interesting, but somewhat disappointing if you want to learn the history of Cologne. Do walk all the way around the building to enjoy the sight of the gold winged car on the roof and the statue /fountain paying tribute to Cologne's Roman history (there are pieces of the Roman wall quite close).

We spent several nights at the hotel as part of our Christmas Market vacation in Germany. The…read morehotel service was wonderful and the staff was absolutely lovely from the Front Desk to Housekeeping. Our room was very comfortable and quiet. In addition, the location couldn't have been more perfect, across the plaza from the main train station and right next to the Cathedral.

Everything you would expect from 5 star excellence but what distinguishes the this place is the…read moreworld class customer service! Thank you for such a memorable experience!