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The Christmas market at Neumarkt is my second favourite Christmas market in Cologne. Why? I think because of the pretty stars in the trees and on the huts. I don't claim that it's the most beautiful - it's though still one of the most beautiful. Nevertheless, the thing about it being the second favourite is an individual thing. In fact, the Christmas market at Neumarkt has a lot to offer. It has a small children's carousel, a very pretty stall presenting Tünnes, Schääl, Peter and Marieche and, of course, food stalls, mulled wine stands and lots of nice presents. Personally, I always buy home-knitted socks here, like a few jewellery stalls and between us the purse stall was three times cheaper than the one at Rudi last year - but of course that can change every year. So please always compare again :D If you're looking for baking pans for biscuits, Neumarkt is the place to go, and I always like to try cinnamon stars there (yummy smiley). In short: you have to go there. But I think I already made that clear :D

In short: a huge park with large lawns and beaches, with a playground, a beach bar (name) that - I have to admit - never been to, and a few barbecue facilities. About the barbecue: officially it's not allowed to barbecue on the grass in the Rheinpark, but the people of Cologne do it anyway. You didn´t get that from me though! ;) (Finger up) The Rheinpark is one of THE parks in Cologne - we have quite a few - and is therefore often quite crowded in summer. It's also a venue for festivals like Jeck im Sunnesching, the Kölner Lichter and other things. Our Rhine Park has cult status. It also leads to the stairs - other post - where lots of people sit and chill in the summer, to the cable car - other post - and the Hohenzollern Bridge - another post. In short: the Rheinpark is definitely one of the must-have-seens. Not at least because from here you can also enjoy really beautiful!!! sunsets with the sun disappearing behind the Dom - really unbelievably beautiful! So you have to go there. One way or  the other :D

Our luxury cinema! Okay, I know how that sounds, but it's really no joke. The seats are wider and in red satin, you can lean back and even put your feet up on a red stool depending on your seat. Food and drink are brought to your table and everyone has a separate mini table to put food and drink on. It's really luxurious. Of course, you pay a bit more in this thing than in other cinemas in Cologne. But! It also has something really special. I don't know any cinema like it. And it's not an ultra-modern cinema or anything like that, but rather a bit like a theatre hall in terms of - not flair, but atmosphere. Really really cool. I've been in about four times now and... Not all the time, but once every few years or when you want to treat yourself for Valentine's Day or your anniversary with your partner or something - there are partner chairs, too, of course ;) - it's quite cool. That's why I would say: it's not necessarily something for tourists - simply because of the lack of time and money. But definitely something for people who have a bit too much time and money and well... just want to have a really nice and somehow chic and extra-class cinema experience :D

Oh my God, the Chocolate Museum! I loooove the chocolate museum. You can trace the history of the cocoa bean, see how chocolate is made at Lindt, see fun, rad and really cool figures made of chocolate aaaaand at the end there's a chocolate fountain where you queue up and then always get a biscuit of pure, liquid, freshly scooped chocolate! It's.... (3x mouth watering). I swear I used to only go in for the chocolate fountain. Everything else was cool too, but this.... If there aren't too many people, you can even queue twice :D:D:D As you can see, I'm decently fond of this museum. But I also simply love chocolate. Normally I would now tell you that you have to go there at all costs, but! Despite my huge love for this chocolate fountain, the figures and the museum.... It once cost 7 euros to get in. 7! Euros!!! Now it costs twice as much... You can imagine that I, as a budget backpacker, find it a teeny tiny bit overpriced. And you will definitely understand the hint when I say I haven't been back since. However, I confess that I have been inside before and I also live in Cologne and...I believe, believe!!! that it would be worth it to me if I knew I wouldn't come back again. But only because I think chocolate is so great and Lindt also makes amazing chocolate. You see, I'm torn. It's actually too expensive, but I love the bloody museum. So here's the deal: If you're at the Rheinauhafen you can also look at the thing from the outside. So I would say chocolate lovers grit your teeth and pay. And the rest... If you don't find something like that cool, I'd really just leave it alone. Simply because I would never go to a museum with a theme I´m not passionate about. So honestly: up to you. But if you love chocolate... Then you really have to go in. It's just really cool. :)

I think I can say that every person in Cologne has been to the Drachenfels in the Siebengebirge. It's just simply super close, the hike itself is absolutely doable - even for children and/or e.g. slightly obese people - because!!! The way is not very steep and also not super long. So it's kind of an excursion place for family day trips. I think I´ve been there with my parents, my school, friends etc.. And it's really nice and pretty and costs nothing except for the train fare. You basically walk up a medium paved way (like a normal street) that leads through sunny and wooded passages and have a great view of the Rhine and Königswinter at the top. Additionally there's fresh air, exercise and a chance to get out of the city. So: as soon as you´re through with the Main Attractions, let's go! :) :D

There is exactly one reason why Metropolis made it onto my blog: I think that the programme is quite cool and the prices are still quite okay in comparison. We still have the Residenz (cinema of the rich) and the Cinedom at Hansaring, for example, where you also pay a lot. In contrast, the Metropolis is a cat that you can make purr by the low level of the prices. apart from that, it has an antique and very cosy flair. The cinema halls are cute, the staff is usually very nice and... I just like the cinema. It's a bit old-fashioned - it still has that old cinema charm - but you feel right at home. I think it only has 4 cinema halls. Means: If you ever want to go to the cinema in Cologne, the Metropolis should be at the top of your "to be checked" list :)

The Flora, officially Zoo Flora, is a “private” park, being during the day accessible to the public. You can take a walk, lie in the sun or admire flowers. There are also some banks where you can sit on and relax. When I was there I came across something like a little pond with frogs croaking loudly :D It was really cute and funny. You probs won´t get that all year long though. I personally don’t think Zoo flora is the coolest or best thing you should do in Cologne, but it’s a nice Add On to the zoo. Means, if you´re done with the main attractions, it’s a chill and sunny day and instead of tourists and crowds you prefer to calmness and a rather special park, Zoo Flora is your place to be. I personally think, that the entrance with the view on this decorative and nicely arranged flower garden with this house in the background, is worth the way. But that´s just my opinion :D

The Christmas market at Rudolfplatz is... I promised to be honest. So, it's not ugly or stupid or anything - not at all. But it is, admittedly, the one I think I like least of the ones I go to every year. The reason is quite simple: it seems to consist more of food stalls than anything else. I should mention that I don't like food stalls because I think they offer completely overpriced food and don't even give out reasonable portions. The rest of the stalls are either bigger somewhere else and therefore have more choice and are better, or what is on offer is not my thing. Apart from that, I find the atmosphere at Rudi quite... uncomfortable and not really Christmassy - which is not because of the decoration. Not at all. To say something nice about this market: the view on the big wooden house and the archway with the Christmas market in front of it is really nice. And it's the only Christmas market where I find leather bracelets that I can then use at home for my own purposes. In fact, the jewellery stall really is the only one I think I stop by every year and take a serious look at the things `:D No, the Christmas market is worth seeing, but! Only if you have time and have already seen my top three (Dom, Neumarkt, Heumarkt/Altermarkt). But then with pleasure :D

Basically, everyone in Cologne knows St. Martin's Church exclusively because it is part of the "skyline" of the old town. At the same time... we also have the cathedral. Why should we be interested in this church? I openly admit that I went inside once exclusively for this blog, in order to be able to give an honest recommendation. My impression: