Cologne - any advice?

[brighton_girl87]

I have just booked tickets to go to Cologne with my housemates in February.

I'm sure people on here have been before; so any any advice on good hostels/cheap hotels? I know its ages away yet but we are going to be there for the Carnival so need to get it booked sooner rather than later.

Also anything we must see while we are out there?

Thank you!

 

[birthofanorange]

The gothic cathedral - it's amazing.

 

[Keyser Söze]

Biggest brothel in Europe is in Cologne. Well worth a visit.

 

[Martinf]

Versace pour Homme

 

[Muzzy]

There are 2 hostels, one is central can't recall either name off the top of my head, avoid the one by the river, it's a long hike back if you have to walk! Google Cologne hostels and they should both be on there... Deffo recommend the central one though!

 

[Mackenzie]

Versace pour Homme

I was thinking Brute, but yours is good too.

 

[Frutos]

Versace pour Homme

I'm quite frankly amazed it took that long for such a pun to be made.

Standards are slipping around here.

 

[Martinf]

I was thinking Brute, but yours is good too.

What were you thinking? By the way, call me Martin for now. Call me Brute after our second or third date.

 

[Mackenzie]

What were you thinking? By the way, call me Martin for now. Call me Brute after our second or third date.

Cheeky.

 

[Vankleek Hill Seagull]

Go to the chocolate factory. They have a chocolate fountain where you get given a biscuit or two to dip in it.

 

[gullshark]

Cologne - Wikitravel

Always find Wikitravel to be pretty good reading.

 

[loco61]

which weekend in february?

is very important ... especially if its carnival! 16.-22nd Feb

if not i can recommend a trip to see 1. FC Köln ---
great atmosphere, they will probably be fighting a relegation battle again by then but wont change much in the stadium!
11th feb home to hamburrg
and 25th feb home to leverkusen (local derby)
dates might get changed for tv though

pubs: recommend the big breweries if never been before
eg near the cathedral (dom)
Cölner Hofbräu Früh - Das ist Früh

but loads of choice ... irish pub in the "altstadt" for english football

 

[loco61]

sorry : looks like nsc doesnt take funny german letters ... "frueh"

 

[gjh1971]

Take a trip down the Rhine, loads of decent towns on the way such as Bonn, Koblenz, Osterspai

 

[brighton_girl87]

Cheers guys! The carnival sounds a bit mental, particularly the first day - Cologne Women Carnival Day (Weiberfastnacht) | Cologne (Kln) | Germany | CarniFest Online

 

[brighton_girl87]

which weekend in february?

is very important ... especially if its carnival! 16.-22nd Feb

if not i can recommend a trip to see 1. FC Köln ---
great atmosphere, they will probably be fighting a relegation battle again by then but wont change much in the stadium!
11th feb home to hamburrg
and 25th feb home to leverkusen (local derby)
dates might get changed for tv though

pubs: recommend the big breweries if never been before
eg near the cathedral (dom)
Cölner Hofbräu Früh - Das ist Früh

but loads of choice ... irish pub in the "altstadt" for english football

Yep we are going for the Carnival. I would have liked to have seen some football out there but they FC Koln are away that weekend, presumably because of the carnival?

 

[Giraffe]

I echo the gothic cathedral sentiment but be careful near the bell tower. If they clang when you're there it is bloody scary!!!

 

[Lady Whistledown]

The Altstadt (old town) is nice, lots of old style brauhauses in which to sit & drink kölsch (local brew) & watch the world go by. The cathedral is pretty epic. As someone else has said, it's easy to jump on a train to one of the towns further down the Rhine, like Koblenz. The line runs mostly down the side of the river so it's quite scenic.

 

[bhaexpress]

Don't wear the cheap stuff, it's very chavy.