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Traveling through Europe can always be a very good option, especially when you have only a few days. This continent, the second smallest in the world and the third most populated, offers us many destinations, such as Cologne or also known as Köln, the fourth largest city in Germany.
If you only have 4 days, you can settle in Cologne as a base camp and discover and get to know other nearby cities such as Düsseldorf, Bonn and Aachen.
You will not even need to rent a vehicle, if you have not traveled with your own, you have the option of traveling by train, with a wide range of times, comfortably from the central station.
A must-see is the Cologne Cathedral, declared a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1996. Its imposing Gothic-style construction reserves some peculiarities such as that it took more than 600 years to be built and until the Washington Monument was built, it was the tallest building in the world at 157 meters high.
Inside, the stained glass windows will captivate you with all their details, letting you be carried away by the stories that these old women tell. The atmosphere is enlivened by the music that plays through the two organs that the temple has.
The Hohenzollern Bridge is another essential part of the city, with a space to be crossed by pedestrians, and loaded with love, due to the multitude of exposed locks, each one of them with a romantic or dramatic story.
If you follow the path to the other side, you will have a good panoramic view of the cathedral and the bridge, both buildings, completely complemented.
Strolling through its historic center, you will immediately notice its medieval charm, despite the consequences of the Second World War.
Düsseldorf is to be enjoyed at a leisurely pace, the city invites you to stroll along the banks of its canal, or change from one side to the other on the bridges that cross it. The picture improves when you see the trees reflected in the water, the most endearing ducks and swans, or the bicycles chained to the railings on its banks.
In the heart of the city we find the historical part, where there is the old town hall with its striking blue doors, the tower and its clock. As if attracted by the force of the Rhine, we will walk towards it, to find the Rhine Tower with the city in the background. Other highlights are the green spaces that the city offers, as well as the modern style buildings.
We all know Ludwig van Beethoven, perhaps more unnoticed than he was born in Bonn. In his hometown, we can visit his house-museum and learn in more detail about the fortunes and misfortunes of his life as a composer, conductor, pianist and teacher. We can also enter the cathedral and see the cloister that is housed there.
During your visit you may be able to enjoy a street food market in the town hall square, where you can taste typical dishes at a good price such as currywurst, cooked pork sausage, cut into slices and accompanied by tomato sauce or ketchup combined with curry. dust and chips.
Don’t leave the place without visiting the Haribo store, the name was formed from the first two letters of the creator, Hans Riegel, and the bo from Bonn, where the first factory was installed. For older visitors it is like returning to the past, to childhood, with its smell of sugar. Adults and children alike cannot succumb to the temptation of buying any of their products. If you are in Bonn it will be very easy for you to visit the castle Shloss Drachenburg, located Marktplatz Königswinter.
This castle was built between 1882 and 1884, being one of the most important of the late 19th century in Germany. The combination of nature and culture, with extraordinary architecture and splendid views of the Rhine and the Siebengebirge area.
Its gardens, its stained glass windows of great figures in history such as Columbus, rooms decorated in detail, a visit that if you are in the area you should not miss.
And the last destination to visit on this getaway is Aachen, or known by them as Aachen. It is a city with a lot of history, where you can visit the treasure of Aachen Cathedral.
There are real ecclesiastical treasures, this place houses the most important collections of works of art from medieval churches in Europe.
In 1978 the cathedral treasury collection was included in the list of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. Some pieces are impressive, such as the gold face of Charlemagne.
A very short distance away is the cathedral. The temple is impressive, it is a combination of styles, with its arches, marble, mosaics and domes in gold and blue tones. This cathedral is considered the oldest in northern Europe. Emperor Charlemagne ordered it to be built at the end of the 8th century.
In later times the building was transformed, embracing various styles and forms. Initially the chapel was the private church of Emperor Charlemagne. Here is the tomb of the emperor, who died in 814 and is often considered the father of medieval Europe.
You can also visit the town hall, whose foundations sit on the ruins of Charlemagne’s palace. Gothic and baroque in style, its exterior is impressive, and you can see statues representing German kings on its façade.
