TOP 5 attractions in Cologne (Köln)

Hello world!
We are in Cologne (Köln), Germany! We didn’t have time to explore it all, so this time we are breaking down only TOP 5 attractions in this 2,000 year old city.

1. Cologne Cathedral

Grand Gothic cathedral with twin spires is  the “face” of Cologne city and also the most visited landmark in Germany, which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage in 1996.
We cannot decide if it is more glorious from outside or inside?

2. Groß St. Martin

Second part of Cologne skyline is the tower of “The great St.Martin’s church”. We loved how the church merged with colorful Cologne old town houses. It is the most perfect Instagram location. We only wish we had more sun there. So, if you are looking for a perfect photo location, plan better than us :).

3. Hohenzollern Bridge

It is a pedestrian and rail bridge that connects Cologne Cathedral with Rheinboulevard. On the walking path to the other side you will find “love padlocks” on the bridge fences. If you are in love and into things like this, buy the padlock, write your names and throw away the key into the river Rhein so your love can last forever.
From the other side of the bridge, on Rheinboulevard, you will get the most perfect view of the city, a specially in sunset. Get a beer (wine, juice, water, whatever you prefer) and chill on the boulevard steps while enjoying the most glorious sunset.

4. KölnTriangle skyscraper

This is a second sunset spot, but also observation deck. Top floor offers the panoramic view of the city, including the Cathedral.
Entrance fee is 3€ per person and you can find working hours on their website.

5. Museums 

Cologne has over 30 museums and we, unfortunately, didn’t have time to see any. The top of our wish list is Chocolate Museum, but if you plan to visit Cologne you can also explore: Museum Ludwig, Wallraf-Richartz-Museum, Fondation Corboud, Romano-Germanic Museum, Museum of Applied Art design, Museum Schnütgen and Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum.

The main reason why we didn’t have any museum time is shopping and food, which is also the big part of this lovely city.

We got the feeling like shopping and shoppers are everywhere in this city! This could easily be the most popular activity for tourists. I’ve found that the most popular shopping streets are Schildergasse and Hohe Straße, but you can also have a peak in Ehrenstraße and Mittelstraße.

Food is the second tourist activity and you should definitely indulge in gourmet food that city offers, sweet and sour.

To conclude, we are most definitely coming back to this city. With open mind (to visit some museums) with empty bags (to do more shopping) and empty stomach (to try more local food). Who is with us?

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Where to stay in Berlin?

Hello World!
If you have been following our Instagram stories, you already know we visited Berlin, Germany. If you have Instagram account, you can follow our adventures here-> @dianomaya. Look for the stories in “Highlights”!

Let’s begin our Berlin story with some basics, our accommodation! So where did we stay in Berlin? We were invited for a complimentary stay at “The Amstel House Hostel Berlin”, the friendliest hostel in Berlin. We learned they have been elected the best hostel staff in Europe two times, so we were keen to try that special hospitality.

CHECK IN / OUT

We were convinced how friendly they are right from the start. Upon our arrival we were welcomed by two lovely male receptionist and given instructions about the room, keys, breakfast and the bar. They were also so kind to give us complimentary backpack, with personalized note. I don’t know about you, but we love when accommodations take their time to make you special. Also, I can’t wait for spring to come, to take my new backpack out!

Amstel House Hostel has 24/7 reception, so if we ever needed to ask about Berlin, transport, bike rent, museums or similar, we definitely used that perk. You can find free maps at the reception, along with coupons for Berlin attractions. They also have electronic devices which you can borrow, towels you can rent and hygiene products you can buy. What else do you need?

ROOM

Oh, yes, you need a room! They offer a different room types and beds, such as private, single, double, twin, dormitories, family rooms, etc. Some rooms have private bathroom, some are with shared ones. We got a private twin room with shared bathroom. Shared shower and toilet was just door to ours, so it made life easier. We also had little sink in our room, which is a very nice add on. Our beds were so cozy, it was hard to leave them in the morning 🙂

BREAKFAST

We always include breakfast in our room booking, partial because I am obsessed with buffet breakfast (there is something very special about other people making breakfast for you) and secondly because it is easier to explore the “big city life” on a full stomach. What is special about Amstel House breakfast is their vegetarian and vegan selection, which I noticed right away, as I don’t eat meat.

BAR

The heart of the Amstel House is their 24/7Bar. We would come to Hostel after dinner and to avoid feeling like we missed the night in the city, by staying in our room, we went down to the bar to hang out. Hanging out at the bars is always the best. You get to met Hotel staff, ask about what to do in the city and meet new interesting travelers, which has always been our luck! Do you have a story from the Hotel bar’s?

It is safe to say we liked the bar area the best. We would hang out and relax with our cold beers, after the long walks in the city.
One thing we, unfortunately, didn’t get to use was their cool game room. It sure looks like a lot of fun, so maybe next time 🙂

LOCATION AND TRANSPORT

Amstel House is located in Moabit, in the district of Mitte, which is very well connected by public transportation. S-Bahn and bus stop is 5 min walk from the Hostel and with TLX fast bus, you are only a few minutes from the historical center. We bought a day ticket from local store (right at the bus stop) which gave us access to all public transport.

That sums up our accommodation experience. If you decide to book a stay with them, hope you will have as much fun in Amstel House Hostel as we did.

You can find them here:
Facebook: Amstel House
Instagram: Amstel House

And for Amstel House Hostel team, if you are reading this, thank you for your hospitality, you are really the best!

In our next blog -> “Top things to see in Berlin”. Talk to you then 🙂

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