A weekend in Koln (Günter Albers - Adobe Stock)
As one of the top 10 largest and most popular cities in Germany, I knew that I would have plenty to see and do in Köln (Cologne), but what to do with only 48 hours? As a self-proclaimed history buff and overall nerd, I wanted to see what I could squeeze into a weekend.
As my spouse and I were sharing a schnitzel and “Halve Hahn” (a giant block of gouda cheese and rye roll) and sipping on one of Köln’s famous “Kölsch” beers, we noticed an enormous building across the street with the word “Museum” painted on it. Of course, we had to check it out. As we purchased our tickets, the woman behind the counter asked if we wanted to purchase admission to one or both museums. What a nice surprise, two museums in one building!
Musuem Schnutgen (Anne Czichos - Adobe Stock)
Museum Schnütgen has a vast collection of medieval art, including some beautiful stained glass pieces, in one of the oldest churches in Köln. Once we saw all the medieval art we could imagine, we headed back to the center of the building and walked over to the entrance of the Rautenstrauch-Joest Museum, where we were greeted by a seven-and-half-meter-high rice granary. It was there we began our exploration of around 65,000 objects highlighting global human culture gathered by travelers in the 18th and 19th centuries and covering a variety of themes, from religion to history and artifacts.
Romisch Germanisches Museum (EWY Media - Adobe Stock)
Directly across from our two-in-one museum surprise was the Roemisch Germanisches (Roman German) Museum at the Belgisches Haus (Belgium house), which has two floors of exhibits and artifacts. As a huge fan of ancient history, this was my spouse’s number one “thing to do.” I learned about the important role the Rhine River played for the Roman Empire and gazed in awe at the ancient artifacts, glass and jewelry on display.
Next to the Belgian house was a retail shop known as Games Workshops, which makes the popular miniature wargame “Warhammer.” For those unfamiliar with Warhammer, it can be played in many formats: as a video game, online, as an app or, in its “IRL” (in real life) form, as a strategy tabletop game where you get crafty by assembling and painting your miniature figures before dueling it out with others. As we entered the shop, we were greeted by the nicest guy behind the counter, who spoke to us in English. Little did we know we had just stumbled upon the largest Warhammer store outside of the United Kingdom. We didn’t have time to sit in for a full game, but it is good to know the store is there for when we do.
Schokoladen Museum (Diego Grandi - Adobe Stock)
History nerds like chocolate too, especially when we get to learn about it while trying some. I mistakenly assumed that the Schokoladen Museum would be primarily about tasting and not learning. Don’t get me wrong, the museum offered plenty of opportunities to consume chocolate in many different forms, but you also get to learn so much about it touring three floors worth of chocolate facts, exhibits and the factory floor. At the beginning of the tour, we were handed a hollow bunny to eat at our leisure. We looked at chocolate-making machinery from the 1800s and classic molds, not only learning about the history of chocolate, but also the modern-day methods of ethically making chocolate. Across one floor, we walked through the multi-step process of creating chocolate, like melting the sugar, mixing the ingredients and molding the treats. I got to eat a tiny square of chocolate fresh out of the machine!
On the next level, there were chocolatiers molding the chocolate into some of our favorite shapes. There was also a fountain cascading with chocolate, and I got to behold the astounding view of the sun blazing on the Rhine River as I ate a waffle stick dipped in chocolate straight from the fountain. It’s also possible to order a custom-made chocolate bar that will be ready in 45 minutes (about the amount of time it takes to finish exploring the exhibits) for around six euros. At the museum exit, there is one last chance to score some free chocolate from a bowl of individual chocolate pieces. There is even a cafe on-site, where I drank hot liquid Lindt chocolate smothered in whipped cream.
With only a short time to spend in Köln, make sure to quickly get a picture of the Dom. It cannot be missed in the city center and is the third-largest Gothic-style cathedral in the world. On our short trip, we didn’t account for the time needed to tour the inside, but still appreciated marveling at the exterior.
There is so much to do in Köln. It’s also worth checking out the Hard Rock Café, seeing the Botanical Garden, strolling or taking a boat cruise along the Rhine, seeing a football game, checking out the Fragrance Museum or the Zoo or, for more history, visit the former headquarters of the Gestapo. No matter what you are into, Köln has something for a weekend getaway.
