Cologne Short Breaks Guide

Cologne is one of Germany’s oldest cities, founded by the Roman Emperor Claudius in 50AD as “Colonia” at roughly the same period as London. Before that the location was inhabited by Ubii villagers whose ancestors had moved in some 4500 years before. Under the Romans the city became home for imperial Governors and an important trade centre due to its central location in Europe, and its advantageous position on the banks of the Rhine River. Many traces of Roman rule can be found at the Romano-Germanic Museum.

Cologne then became part of the Franconian empire of Charlemaine in the 8^th century during whose rule the first cathedral was built in the 9^th century. The Archbishops of Cologne were powerful feudal lords who were later overthrown by the townspeople in the 14^th century when the first city university in Europe was founded. The University of Cologne now has 44,000 students.

From the 14^th century onwards, its excellent trade was somewhat diminished by the discovery of America, which remained until the 18^th century when the city walls were pulled down to allow expansion. The subsequent industrial revolution turned Cologne into a hotbed of economic activity again.

Ninety per cent of the old city was destroyed during the war, but miraculously the Cathedral survived. Luckily the Old Town was rebuilt but outside this area the city is characterised by post war architecture.

Cologne and the surrounding conurbation is now the fourth largest German city, with the Cologne rail station in particular acting as one of the most important hubs in Europe. With its rich cultural scene it’s emerging as a popular tourist destination, with most notably the Cologne Karneval providing entertainment of hundreds of thousands of revellers every February. For UK travellers, the main draw is currently the several Christmas markets that take place every year, but in my view the Cathedral itself is a medieval gem that must be experienced. Gary Phillips.

Getting to Cologne
Cologne has its own international airport but Dusseldorf is only 32kms away. Both are served by a number of low cost airlines. There is now a new high speed line between Brussels and Cologne which makes travelling by Eurostar from London a realistic option with a travel time of less than five hours door to door.