My ode to the Unsung Cities of the world continues with a short and sweet stroll through one of Germany’s prettiest metropoles.
For the third profile in the series and the first of 2019, I’m crushing on the sweet scented city of Köln (which from here on out I’ll address with the anglicised spelling, Cologne).
Perhaps not as unsung as the first two cities I profiled (Pittsburgh and Cleveland), but as is the case with a number of German cities (that aren’t Berlin or Munich), Cologne is often overlooked and under appreciated by international travellers.
An ancient Roman enclave on the Rhine, Cologne is first and foremost a river town. That’s why the Romans set up shop here and why it grew to prosper during the Middle Ages as a significant hub of Catholicism. Roman ruins remain embedded in the cityscape and Cologne Cathedral towers over the town, celebrated as one of Europe’s best examples of Gothic grandeur.
Roman Around
Mostly what I loved about Cologne was how ideal it was for ambling about. I was there over an early spring weekend travelling on my own and working on a project that had me hoofing all over the city centre in search of urban quirk and local charm. I found plenty of both. Fountains, public art, engaging graffiti, off kilter retail window displays presented a terrain that was unexpectedly fun to explore.
There were ample treats to enjoy along the way as well. I was particularly pleased with a cafe and an ice cream shop I came across.
Cafe Kogi is the retail end of Urwaldkaffee, a company ethically sourcing coffee from Colombia. The cafe’s seating area and small back garden provide a lovely sanctuary for enjoying an exceptionally brewed and delicately flavoured coffee.
The other place for a tasty break was Eiscafe Breda, a bustling ice cream shop with an array of enticing flavours. The Wiener mandle (Viennese almond) was extra yummy.
More at urwaldkaffee.de and at eisbreda.foodpearl.com.
Something in the Air
Yes, Cologne (the city) is the namesake for eau de cologne (the fragrance). The city is home to the oldest fragrance factory in the world, Farina. The Farina brand still exists, its fragrances are well worth a sniff and its original factory is now a museum that’s well worth a snoop.
Details at farina1709.com.
Heart of Germany
As much as I relished my chance to have a flaneur’s forage, I felt kind of lonely staying in Cologne. It’s a romantic city and one that I think that is best discovered as part of a couple.
With its grand cathedral and quaint cafes, scoops of ice cream and wafts of perfumed air – I reckon Cologne would make an ideal destination for Valentine’s Day (which is why I chose it as the Unsung City to feature near the end of January) or a detailed romantic rendevous in April or May when the city sheds its winter coat and blooms in vibrant floral display.
Celebrations Continue
For a more raucous visit, Cologne’s Carnival ranks among the biggest midwinter celebrations in Europe. 2019 Carnival Cologne runs from 28 February to 5 March. For more about Carnival and all sort of other tips on visiting Cologne, go to cologne.de.
Keep an eye out for more posts to come in my series about Unsung Cities.
