For my birthday on Wednesday I wanted to do something I’d wanted to do for a long time – go to Cologne. Just an hour away on the ICE train, and only 40 euros return (sans DM card!) it’s so easy to do!
When going to Cologne, you can’t really go through the day without visiting the cathedral. As soon as you leave the station it’s BAM in your face.
If you want the thighs of Wonder Woman, you may want to climb the tower in the cathedral too. I usually hate things like this but it wasn’t so bad at all. Half way up there is a belfry which is pretty cool.
The only thing is that it’s not for people who don’t like tight spaces – there are VERY tight spaces all the way up and all the way down. But just take your time, look at all the graffiti and then enjoy the view at the top 
The second is pretty morbid but I think it’s something everyone you should – visit EL – DE Haus. It was a prison for the Gestapo but now it is an amazing museum documenting the history of the nazis in Cologne.
It’s full of little bits that bring the whole history to life for you. Like this voting slip from an election. It contains stories and information not just about the Jewish population of Cologne at the time, but also things like the forced sterilisation and euthanasia of people just because they had poor sight, we gay or were “gypsies”.
Down in the basement are the rooms where the prisoners were kept, tortured and killed. Their screams could often be heard from the street next door.
In the basement there is English everywhere, but upstairs there is none, so make sure to buy an audio guide if you decide to make a visit.
We had a full day in Cologne but there are many more things we want to do there so I imagine we’ll be finding ourselves there again pretty soon!
Agree – it’s way too narrow!
