I saw the storefront while walking around Cologne in the morning and thought it sounded fun. I…read morethen reserved a seat online for a later show in English. When it starts, they take you into a little theater where the setting to the experience is explained in a theatrical way and you "meet" one of the main characters, the hatter. You then go into the fictional hat shop for a demo before the VR experience. This was very cool and also poignant. You get to see what Cologne looked like before it was turned to rubble during WW2. It's not long but a neat way to experience old Cologne.

I had a few hours before my flight and Museum Ludwig was the perfect activity to fill in that time…read more This place is massive (3 floors!), so wear your comfortable walking shoes as there is a giant staircase (elevators too of course). It's next to the main train station as well, so it's a great spot to burn time before a flight or train. I only had about 2 hours and it wasn't enough--give yourself the full afternoon or at least 3 hours! They offer a free service desk for jackets and purses. However, don't bring a large tote--they have a strict size limit and you'll have to leave it at the desk. Even if you aren't an "art person," the sheer variety here from Pop Art to Surrealism keeps it from feeling boring. Each room felt well-curated and combined with the high ceilings, there was an openness that allowed each art piece to breathe and have it's moment. Do not sleep on the gift shop. I found some nice trinkets for my desk and souvenirs for friends + family.

Museum Ludwig is the most popular museum in Cologne on TripAdvisor and one of the top attractions…read moreoverall in the city, and for good reason. I stopped by on a Sunday evening for two hours before they closed. Ideally, you'd like to spend 3-4 hours here, especially if you do the audio guide. Museum Ludwig is Cologne's preeminent museum of contemporary art. You'll find works of art from pretty much every major artist who painted in this style. Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Andy Warhol, Paul Klee, Piet Mondrian, Rene Magritte, etc. It's a feast of riches so I'm only scratching the surface. Beyond the quality of the art, something else I care about at museums is how the exhibitions are laid out. Here, it's intuitive. It's pretty easy to go from room to room without worrying about missing something. Some museums aren't laid out in the best way logistically---Museum Ludwig is. There are three floors. Start at the top and then make your way down. Outside of the layout and the artwork, the final piece for me is comfort. You have that here, too. There's air conditioning which certainly is not a guarantee in Europe. You have free lockers. You have free WiFi. Well done all-around. If you're visiting Cologne, Museum Ludwig should definitely be part of your itinerary.

On a long night in Cologne, before going to an EDM concert, I stopped by Papa Joe's for a drink on…read morea Saturday night. Located in a really cool area of Cologne, surrounded by bars, restaurants, and good vibes, what originally attracted me to Papa Joe's is that it's a jazz bar. I love me some jazz. Ambiance (4/5): When I think of a jazz club, I have a picture in my head. An upscale experience, dimly lit, with comfortable seating. Papa Joe's is not that at all. Think of it as a casual New Orleans bar. The stage is at the end of the bar close to the bathroom. The ground level is pretty narrow, with some seating and a long bar. Upstairs, there's some seating overlooking the ground floor. This is where I sat and it was a nice vantage point to watch the festivities. They have live music almost every day of the week with different bands performing. Unfortunately, the one playing when I attended wasn't jazz at all. It was funk. Not what I was expecting, and overall, the band wasn't great. Despite the music being a miss on this evening, I do like the vibes at Papa Joe's. Service (4.5/5): My waiter did a great job greeting me upstairs, taking my order promptly, and offering recommendations. Friendly and efficient---exactly what I look for in a service experience. No complaints. Food (N/A): I had dinner prior so I was on a liquid diet. Drinks (4/5): Papa Joe's has a long list of cocktails, including New Orleans classics like the hurricane. Mine packed a punch, which I always appreciate. Most of the cocktails are on the tropical/fruity side. Nice selection overall. Plus beer and everything else you would expect at a full bar. The menu tells you the history behind Papa Joe's which is pretty cool. An interesting spot for sure in Germany, and one that I enjoyed, although it was much different than what I expected.

Started off at 12:30; we were a party of 8. Beers came out quickly. I ordered a goulash. The wife…read moreordered a pork knuckle. The goulash was awesome a bit more like a stew. The one in Hungary was more soupier. The meat was a bit tough but good with paprika, potatoes and peppers The pork knuckle was soft and tender. It was well cooked. The sauerkraut was good. We both would order the pork again, but I would try a different soup not the goulash, but the pea soup. This place was worth visiting. We were going to eat at Peter Brauhaus first but glad we came here.

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By 50 AD Cologne was the largest Roman settlement north of the Alps with a population of 45,000…read more The Romans called it Colonia, Claudia Ara Agrippinensium (Colony of Claudius and Altar of the Agrippines). It was the massive Roman settlement that is the basis of the museum's collection. The first major find occurred in 1941 when while digging for an air raid shelter a large mosaic floor tile from a first century Roman Villa was discovered. It depicted the world of Dionysos (220/23). The find and other artifacts found represents the basis of the museums collection. Other notable objects are the reconstructed sepulcher of legionnaire Lucius Publicus (40 AD), the largest collection of Roman glass vessels and a unique collection of Roman and Medieval jewelry. The museum has three floors for viewing and countless objects. The Adult admission price is 9 Euros. Large bags are checked at the front desk. No credit cards are accepted. Some English translations and no English audio. the Cologne Welcome Card gets you a 20% discount. It's open Tues-Sundays 10-5. It's rather old school in the way objects are displayed with limited interaction and technology but the objects are well lit and there is much natural sunlight. I was impressed by the collection itself.

One of my all-time favorite museums!…read more After my first visit 6 years ago and then later while I studied in Cologne 4 years ago, the Romisch-Germanisches Museum came to feel like a home, connecting and emphasizing years of study at university in the US and bringing the culture and art of the Romans to life again. It highlights the history of Cologne as a "colonia" of Rome under the early emperors (from which its name derives) and its transition into Late Antiquity. The highlights of any visit are the in situ mosaic of Bacchus and funerary monument of Publicius, around which the museum is constructed and centers. Thanks to this set-up, you can view the mosaic from multiple levels and angles, taking it in in all its glory. The rest of the museum tour and collection is arrayed on a few floors and allows you to get up close and personal with the statues, busts, and other artifacts. Unless you're working on an archaeological site, this is the closest you'll get to such objects. I have loved every visit here and will definitely be back when I can!

Interesting to see Roman ruins underneath a German city, but since Cologne was a provincial…read morecapital, there they are! This is an underground excavation of the governor's residence, and if you're a fan of ancient history then it's worth the €3,50. For that matter, even if you're not a huge history fan, it's a unique feature of Cologne and probably worth it. There is only one small room of displays, and they are almost all in German, but they appear to be quite professionally done. There is also a stretch of Roman sewer tunnel you can walk though; while interesting there aren't any displays or anything in it, it's just a long hallway. The ruins themselves are in a huge room with a walkway running around and through it. The signs in this area are in both German and English. Not someplace you should expect to spend hours, but if you like this stuff you should probably upgrade to the €10 ticket that includes admission to the Romisch Germanische Museum (next to the cathedral) that has a lot more displays.

The praetorium was the residencs of the roman proconsul in Köln (…read moreCOLONIA CLAVDIA ARA AGRIPPINENSIVM). It was the military and civil administration department of the roman province "Niedergermanien". Today you can look at the ruins that are located under a house in the " Kleine Budengasse". Probably that is only interesting for people who are interested in roman history and/or archaeology. I think all other people can save the EUR 2,50 for the entry...