{"id":3053,"date":"2011-04-05T23:47:13","date_gmt":"2011-04-06T06:47:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/?page_id=3053"},"modified":"2021-05-03T21:43:37","modified_gmt":"2021-05-04T01:43:37","slug":"cologne-germany","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/city-guide\/europe-city-guides\/germany-city-guides\/cologne-germany\/","title":{"rendered":"Cologne, Germany"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cruising through Cologne<\/strong><\/h1>\n
\"Crystal

Crystal Bach docked in Cologne, Germany. \u00a9 2019 Ralph Grizzle<\/p><\/div>\n

History<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The German city of Cologne is home to just under 1 million citizens.\u00a0 Located along both sides of the spectacular Rhine river, it is also one of the oldest cities in Germany, having first been settled around 38 BC.<\/p>\n

Before the outbreak of World War I, Cologne had grown into a major center for trade and commerce and encompassed roughly 700,000 citizens.\u00a0 After the Second World War, Cologne was in ruins and almost all of its former population had either fled or been victims of the air raids.<\/p>\n

Like many European cities decimated by World War II, Cologne rose once again from the ashes.\u00a0 Work on rebuilding and restoring the city continued well into the 1990s, and by 1960 the town had reached its pre-war population again.<\/p>\n

Today, Cologne is a modern city that plays host to the headquarters of many prestigious organizations, notably art-book publisher Taschen, automotive manufacturer Ford Europe and national German airline Lufthansa and its subsidiary, Lufthansa CityLine.<\/p>\n

Your River Cruise Ship Docks\u2026<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Cologne Cathedral. \u00a9 2016 Ralph Grizzle<\/p><\/div>\n

River cruise ships in Cologne dock right in the heart of Cologne.\u00a0 This beautiful city is just steps away, and areas further out are easily accessible by public transportation.<\/p>\n

When in Cologne\u2026<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Cologne offers a pleasant array of notable sights, rich history and unique experiences.\u00a0 Many major attractions are located in the city centre and are easily within walking distance of each other.<\/p>\n

Among the best ways to spend your day:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • River cruisers staying late in the evening may wish to take part in one of the most fascinating dining experiences you\u2019re likely to have.\u00a0 At Unsichtbar<\/strong> (Invisible)<\/em>, diners choose their meals from a gallery beforehand and are then led into a completely darkened dining room by a personal butler, who is blind.\u00a0 Your butler will assist you in everything, from pouring wine to locating your food \u2013 all in total darkness. \u00a0Rather than being a negative, the focus here is on textures, tastes and smells and arguably heightens the culinary experience, while at the same time giving recognition to the world that the visually impaired live in every day.\u00a0 It\u2019s also incredibly popular \u2013 those wishing to dine here on weekends usually have to make reservations between two and three months in advance.<\/li>\n
  • In keeping with German culture, Spa and Sauna<\/strong> experiences are an incredibly popular way to relax and unwind.\u00a0 One of the largest is the popular Claudius Theme<\/strong>, which includes several saunas, cold plunge pools, and both indoor and outdoor swimming pools. North American cruisers should note that most saunas are co-ed, and bathing suits are banned for hygienic reasons.<\/li>\n
  • K\u00f6lner Dom <\/em><\/strong>is easily one of the city\u2019s most recognizable sights. Admission to this imposing cathedral is by donation, and for an extra \u20ac2.50 you can gain entry to the cathedral\u2019s 509-stair south tower.\u00a0 Definitely plan to be in good shape if you intend to climb the tower; the view however is worth the effort.<\/li>\n
  • Cologne is known for its beer, called K\u00f6lsch<\/strong>.\u00a0 If you\u2019re a fan of the pint, it\u2019s tough to go wrong with a lunchtime visit to a traditional pub, many of which offer up local specialties as well as time-tested favorites.\u00a0 The city center is littered with unique pubs and restaurants and accordingly, you\u2019re sure to find something that fits the bill.<\/li>\n
  • Schokoladenmuseum K\u00f6ln GmbH<\/em><\/strong>: if you know a bit of German, you read that correctly \u2013 it\u2019s a Chocolate museum.\u00a0 Worth checking out if you have the time.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    River Cruisers Should Know!<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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    • German and English are widely spoken throughout Cologne.\u00a0 For English-speaking tourists, it still pays to know some basic German phrases.\u00a0 The locals will appreciate your efforts!<\/li>\n
    • Announcements and notices in many places, like Cologne\u2019s main train station, are made in German, English and French.<\/li>\n
    • River cruisers venturing into the city center of Cologne shouldn\u2019t encounter any problems crime-wise, but it still pays to exercise the normal level of alertness you would in any major city.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Cruising through Cologne History The German city of Cologne is home to just under 1 million citizens.\u00a0 Located along both sides of the spectacular Rhine river, it is also one of the oldest cities in Germany, having first been settled around 38 BC. Before the outbreak of World War I, Cologne had grown into a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":39639,"parent":5670,"menu_order":5,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3053"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3053"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3053\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5670"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39639"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3053"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}