Hi my partner and I are looking at spending the Xmas period in Cologne (23Dec -26 Dec). It will be our first Xmas in the cold! We’ll be arriving early on the 23rd so planning on checking out the Christmas market that day as I believe it’s still open. Not sure what else to do/will be open for the rest of the time. I have heard that the cathedral and chocolate museum are must sees – not sure what else. Normally we’d do a backpacker/budget traveller walking/bike tour in a city so I don’t know if there is that option given the timing Xmas/winter.
Basically any suggestions on how to spend our time would be greatly appreciated as I suspect many options might be out given the holiday period. If anyone has information on Xmas mass in the cathedral and what would be good to do on Xmas day that would be great!
Also just how cold is it to be walking around outside? We’re heading to Egypt next so I’m trying not to over pack!
Thanks
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i went to cologne last year at christmas , to be honest i wasnt that impressed.
the cathedral is impressive and the xmas markets run until a couple of days after xmas. there are river trips available up the rhine .
the weather wasn%26#39;t to bad last year although berlin was freezing a couple of days later .
the city seemed to shut down on xmas eve and then pretty much everything was open on xmas day
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Cologne is beautiful at Christmas time! I would go there every year if I could! There are 6 Christmas markets and a festive atmosphere. On weekends, the markets grow frighteningly crowded, however.
The times for mass are always posted right outside the front door of the Cologne Cathedral on a little board, so you can find out once you get there. There also may be a very special Christmas mass with music; the acoustics will send a chill up your spine. Read the bulletin boards at the Cathedral, and check the website closer to the time,
www.koelner-dom.de/index.php?id=19167%26L=1
There also could be an organ concert, maybe in mid day. Info should be at the website or at the cathedral on the large bulletin board, just inside the front doors. Wear warm shoes, though, it gets really cold in there! (If worse comes to worse maybe you can take a blanket from your hotel along.) The cathedral will have a special nativity scene and will be crowded, because the reliquiary of what is traditionally the mortal remains of the three kings (of orient) is there. It is a phenominal art and sacred object. Take a tour in the cathedral, just arrange it at the time; show up 10 minutes early and buy the ticket. It is just a few Euro. Times will be posted inside the front doors. Also, the Gero cross is there, a very precious ancient crucifix; google it to learn more, and they will teach you about it on the tour. You can also climb up to the top of the cathedral for a great sight. This web pages show the Gero cross, the reliquiry and the music there displays the acoustics http://www.koelner-dom.de/.
You can also see the treasury of the cathedral which is on the side of the cathedral nearest to the train station, which is right next door. If open, the main Christmas market of Cologne is to the right of the main door; you can eat there or go to one of the old brew houses in the nearby streets. If budgeting is an object, you can also eat in the train station. The pizza I got there is better than most anything I ever had in Italy, and the local travellers can%26#39;t get enough sausage at the Meister Boch, which is very cheap and delicious (Did I mention the curry wurst?). Other places in the station are are fine, too, surprisingly enough.
Cologne is a great walking city, no need to take a tour, but don%26#39;t forget your camera! You might want to go down to the Rhine and take a short boat ride on the Rhine with the KD Lines; they have several short cruises and you also could buy dinner on board. It%26#39;s likely Santa Claus will show up. You will have to buy your ticket in advance, maybe even a day in advance or more, so go to their ticket office very early in the trip. The price is affordable. You might like the Chocolate Museum; you can walk there from the cathedral. There is a medieval Christmas market outside the Chocolate Museum which is amusing.
Don%26#39;t forget to go to the German-Roman Museum which is right around the corner from the cathedral. There is a lot of stuff really worth seeing there, from bronze age posts, to Pompeii-style walls and mosaic floors, to tons of centuries old glass and pottery and toes and everyday goods, to amazing jewelry, to ancient pocket-goddesses.
There are also other museums, and you could head to the Galeria Kaufhof department store, which is within walking distance of the Cathedral if you are cold. It is always boiling over there. They have the famous Kolsch beer on tap there and you could get a meal, too. They have the usual stuff that department stores have.
If the weather is nice, head for the zoo. There is a very famous elephant area there. Fast, inexpensive trips also can be taken to Aachen, Bonn, and Dusseldorf via the train. There is a lot of info about all of this on these forums and on the internet in general. Germany has a huge internet presence, so look around and keep your eye out for the flag of England on the web page which will indicate English content.
I can%26#39;t comment on how cold it is because I have no idea where you live. If you can buy a very cheap hat, gloves, and scarf before arriving, they can do a lot to warm you up and you could throw them away when you reach Egypt. I live in Chicago and it usually seems pretty warm in Cologne to me, but if you go for a concert or a long mass in the Cathedral it can get bitterly cold, so bundle up!!
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