Built by Wilhelm Vernukken, during 1569-1573, the loggia in the town hall of Cologne is a sight to behold. Its façade has a marked Renaissance characteristic and most historians consider its loggia a most typical Renaissance building. Its architecture is appreciated by all as are the sculptures and carvings present.

The town hall was originally built to serve as a connection between the city council and citizenry. Often morning addresses were held here by the council. However today, this link has become very informal. It even has an open façade where fans can boost their idols with their cheering.

A unique sculpture displaying a struggle between the mayor Gryn and the lion adorns the upper floor parapet. It signifies the legend that speaks of a great fight between the locals and the church for the controls of the city.

The town hall tower stands tall with its height of almost 61 metres! It depicts the church’s authority over the state. It was constructed by the guild after their victory over the nobility in 1396. Its construction style like the entire building is late gothic. It has three tetragonal lower floors and two octagonal upper floor boasts. “Platzjabbeck”, is an extremely famous wooden sculpture which takes out its tongue when the clock tower strikes the hour. Though the workmanship on this statue is remarkable, its sight is pretty pathetic. However there are a number of other stone statues present and they are a sight to behold.

The “Piazetta”, a 900 sqm large, 12.60 meter high open space is the centre of the town hall. It features not only a fantastic view of the enormous tower but also another monument by the name of “Wolke” by Hann Trier. The southern area has the administrative wing. The lion courtyard or “Löwenhof” another part of the town hall lies to its north as does the tower. The Hanseatic League hall or “Hansasaal” lies to its west while to its east lie the office rooms and reception hall.

The Hansasaal is one of the oldest rooms in the town hall. It got its name because it used to be used by the Hanseatic League for its meetings. Later the council started using it as a reception hall. The war ravaged much of its beauty however it was later restored to its original gothic design. “Neun guten Helden” or the sculpture of the nine good horses adorns its south wall and is a sight to behold. Other significant artworks present in the room are the eight prophet figures, the impressive council chairs by Melchior von Reidt and the wooden inlay of the doorways.

Remains of the Roman praetorium have also been discovered at this site. Though in an astonishing condition earlier it has now been restored to its previous glory and can be visited.

Phantasialand, an out of the world theme park, is located in Bruhl, Germany, and is very close to Cologne. It provides a once in a lifetime experience and is beyond everything you can ever imagine.  Men and women of all ages will enjoy themselves immensely. Its various rides will make you catch your breath, while the adrenaline rush will leave you speechless.

You can get there by the ICE International which makes 7 runs a day to Cologne. From Cologne you have to change trains in from track 6 to track 9. The total time for this is 3 hours. Purchase a shuttle bus return ticket and travel to and from the Bruhl station. Once you reach Phantasialand the entry is just € 1.50 per person.

Out of the large number of varied and imaginative rides present here, Tolocan, is one of the best. it is a recent addition and thus is much more thrilling than the others. However, it is not recommended for those weak at heart for it involves special effects with dangerous turns that leave you hanging upside down!

The River Quest is another fascinating ride and features wet rides with steep waterfalls too! It is extremely refreshing on hot summer days.

Another ride worth visiting is Black Mamba. Almost everyone visits this park mainly because of this ride. It is by far the most thrilling roller coaster of the world and features high speed with loops in the track!

For those who won’t be able to bear this intense thrill, there are several shows and presentations which may interest you. One of these is the ‘On Ice Show’ which features a lot of dancing that involve many smooth moves on the ice!

On the whole, Phantasialand is a place where anyone can spend the entire day and say that the time flew by in seconds! Not only this, if you feel that a day is not enough for you, then there are several hotels situated in the vicinity where you can spend the night and rejoin the joys of this theme park the next morning.

The timings of Phantasialand vary from time to time so you might want to check the official website. A day-ticket for adults costs € 47.50, while the price of a day-ticket for children from 4 – 12 years is 17. A ticket for seniors over 60 years of age costs € 17.50.

Cologne is blessed with many green spaces, especially public parks and landscaped gardens. Cologne has 2 park areas encircling the city and nearly the entire town, respectively, which were set aside as public recreation areas after World War I. Most notably are Volksgarten, Rheinpark, Hiroshima-Nagasaki and Stadtgarten parks where thousands of people come together to enjoy the sun, play and barbecue when the weather is fine. All these parks have an associated beer garden. Here are some of the famous parks of Cologne:

City Garden (Stadtgarten) at Venloer Strasse 40, Belgisches Viertel, Cologne, D-50672, Germany, DE

This park dates back to almost 200 years and hosts a number of recreational activities, events and concerts, especially during the summer months. It is open daily from dawn to dusk and the entry is free of charge.

Botanic Gardens at Amsterdamer Strasse 34, Riehl, Cologne, D-50735, Germany, DE

The gardens stretch to an area of about 25 acres and hosts many important and rare plant collections. Dating back to the middle of the 19th century, the gardens also have a number of glasshouses filled with exotic plants, ponds, fountains, colourful flower borders and a nearby cable car ride. It is open daily from 8 am in the morning to dusk and the entry is free of charge.

Japanese Gardens at Düsseldorfer Strasse, Teil des Carl-Duisberg-Parks, Leverkusen, Cologne, D-51061, Germany, DE

Located at the outskirts of Cologne, the Japanese gardens showcase a array of Japanese features like clipped trees, a teahouse, stone Buddhas and lanterns, ponds, and several brightly coloured bridges. Springs witness blossoming of cherry tress while autumn is beautiful when the maple leaves quickly change to dramatic, fiery colours. It is open daily from dawn to dusk and the entry is free of cost.

City Forest at Dürener Strasse, Lindenthal, Cologne, D-50931, Germany, DE

Cologne’s Stadtwald, lies on the outskirts and encloses a vast area of over 150 acres / 61 hectares. The cite takes pride in its variety of plant species, a boating pond, wildlife reserve and summer beer gardens.

Christmas is all joy, fun and festivities for Cologne as the city basks in the magic of the festivities organized in the seven Christmas markets which start on the last Monday before Advent. The main Christmas markets in Cologne are Alter Markt, Cathedral X-Mas Market, Harbour Christmas market, Neumarkt, Rudolfplatz and X-mas Market on the rhine.

The celebrations attract millions of tourists during this time who come lured by the items sold at the quaintly designed huts (or “Buden”), christmas music, arts and crafts, toys, mesmerizing decorations and the mouth watering Christmas bakeries.

The Christmas markets charm the kids with the performances of pewter pourers, wreath binders and glassblowers. The aroma of various delicacies like mulled wine, hot chestnuts and gingerbread, cinnamon stars, baked apples and roasted almonds fill your nose. Santa’s visit and the sight of nostalgic roundabouts are a major attraction for children who are also lured by the magic acts, jugglery, medieval musicians, Christmas cribs and intricately decorated trees.

More than 160 stalls offer a large scale of traditional goods and handcrafted gifts. Besides shopping at the Christmas markets, the city also offers an extensive programme including exhibitions, shows, musicals, operas or concerts.

The markets are a great opportunity for indulgence into the typical German culinary delights like the famous “Christstollen” yeast cakes, “Lebkuchen” soft gingerbread cookies and Marzipan almond confections, not to forget the mandatory “Glühwein” a hot spiced wine in mugs to warm chilly hands.

It is advisable to book the Cologne hotels in advance as they get packed during this season of the year. Just in time for Advent, the Cologne Tourist Board publishes a leaflet providing information on all the Christmas markets and their opening times. You can also look for packages including overnight accommodation.