Köln Trip Overview
Cologne is one of the oldest cities in Germany, founded by the Romans in AD 50, when it was called “Colonia Claudia Ara Aggrippinensium”. Rome’s imperial governor lived here and the city was quickly considered one of the empire’s most important trade and manufacturing centres north of the Alps. Thereafter it was occupied by the Franks and was made an archbishopric (the office of an archbishop) by Charlemagne. It survived World War II and it is today considered a major cultural centre with museums ranking among the best in the world.
Additional Info
Duration: 2 hours
Starts: Köln, Germany
Trip Category: Private & Custom Tours >> Private Sightseeing Tours
Explore Köln Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Köln, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Cologne is one of the oldest cities in Germany, founded by the Romans in AD 50, when it was called “Colonia Claudia Ara Aggrippinensium”. Rome’s imperial governor lived here and the city was quickly considered one of the empire’s most important trade and manufacturing centres north of the Alps. Thereafter it was occupied by the Franks and was made an archbishopric (the office of an archbishop) by Charlemagne. It survived World War II and it is today considered a major cultural centre with museums ranking among the best in the world.
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Pass By: Cologne Cathedral, Domkloster 4, 50667 Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia Germany
Your first touristic landmark will be Cologne Cathedral, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture and one of the main tourist attractions in the city . Walk around the cathedral and learn about its legends and mysteries that propelled it on the list of UNESCO’s World Heritage.
Continue to Cologne’s Old Town. There we will stop in one of its famous breweries, such as Peters Brauhaus, to try one of Cologne’s treasures: the Kölsch beer (on your own, the drink is not included). Walk in the narrow alleyways and take pictures of the colourful and traditional houses.
Reach the Alter Markt, where in the Middle Ages it was the place of executions. If you get lucky, you might get a chance to enjoy the weekly market. Proceed to Heumarkt, where – in the past – the trading of cheese, meat and salt took place. Nowadays both areas are major attractions for tourists and for locals as well and are full of restaurants and cafés.
Move on to the City Hall, Germany’s oldest city hall, a building composed of many different architectural styles, with a Gothic tower and a Renaissance style loggia and cloister. It is one of the most typical buildings of the Renaissance era. Next to the Town Hall stop by the Archeological zone of the Jewish Quarter. Learn about the long history of the Jews living in Köln and learn about the 17-metre-deep shaft of the Mikveh, the Jewish ritual bath, that was excavated in the area. Even today, the level of the Rhine can be read at the bottom of the Mikveh.
Next and final stop will be the Romanesque Catholic church of Great Saint Martin. With its foundation built around 960 AD, but recently restored after it was destroyed during the World War II, it’s one of the highlights of the Old Town.
