Preparing your trip to Cologne: advices & hints - things to do and to obey
1. Tourists are recommended to purchase WelcomeCard, which gives you the right to get reduced fares in public transport. In addition to this, owners of the card receive a discount when they visit museums, restaurants and shops. It can be purchased in any hotel of the city, but note you should present your card only with ID.
2. Traveling around the city by car is quite difficult. There are not so many parking slots on its territory, and the majority of central streets are available exclusively for residents. Bicycle will become a great alternative to a car in this city.
3. Local motorists are not distinguished by good knowledge of traffic rules. Therefore, you should be especially careful while crossing roads.
4. The local beer houses have very peculiar customer service. As soon as a waiter sees that a mug of beer is empty, he immediately brings a new one to a visitor. In order to stop waiters, you should simply put a little paper holder, which is always present on every table, on your empty glass.
6. Don’t forget to leave a tip in cafes and restaurants of the city. Thus, if the amount of your order was less than 5 euros, round up the total sum to full euro. In case your order exceeds 5 EUR, tips usually estimate 7 - 10%.
7. It is also traditional to leave small cash reward to taxi drivers. 1 - 3 euros will be enough; the amount of tip depends on the distance of your travel.
Discovering the architecture of Cologne from bird's eye view! Cologne Cathedral, Great St. Martin Church, St. Andrew Church, St. Kunibert Church, Colonius, Cologne Tower, all those monuments are defining the image of Cologne … Open
9. Tourists, who want to save money on food, are recommended to visit local pubs. In addition to widest choice of beer they offer high-quality meals at reasonable prices.
Preparing your trip to Cologne: advices & hints - things to do and to obey You can re-publish this content with mandatory attribution: direct and active hyperlink to www.orangesmile.com.
What to visit being in Cologne - unique sights
Kolner Dom
From the series “The Most Iconic Temples in the World”
Check on the map: Distance from Cologne center - 0.1 km.
The well-known architect Gerhard has worked at the Domprojekt. As the legend tells, the devil helped him. This was the only way to explain the construction of such a grand architectural project. Every day, more than 20,000 people visit the Cologne Cathedral, which is to be graced by its magnificent interiors and the golden sarcophagus with its main sanctuary. The latter is a real masterpiece of jeweler art. For the decoration of the sarcophagus thousands of precious stones were used. In the cathedral there are also other sanctuaries - the Gerokreuz and the Milan Madonna, a unique statue from the 13th century. All those who are interested can climb up the Domgipfel and enjoy the panorama of Cologne, for which only 509 steps have to be overcome. …
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Dom Cologne Cathedral
From the series “Gothic Architecture – Magnificent Monuments”
Check on the map: Distance from Cologne center - 0.1 km.
A beautiful sculpture of the Milan Madonna is located in the cathedral. It is also considered an outstanding sculptural creation in the Gothic style. Many beautiful legends are associated with Cologne Cathedral. According to one of them, the devil helped the architect Gerhard make drawings of the unique facade. The architect's wife managed to outwit the devil and save her husband's soul from a terrible fate. Another legend says that the devil was so angry at the deception that he predicted the end of the world on the day when the cathedral will be completed. Perhaps this is why one of the most beautiful Gothic cathedrals in the world was never completed. …
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Kolner Rathaus
From the series “Famous Buildings of Renaissance Architecture”
Check on the map: Distance from Cologne center - 0.3 km.
During the reconstruction of the basement there were found ruins of the ancient Roman buildings. Today all rebuilt elements of the historical buildings are open for everyone. Another peculiarity of the Kolner Rathaus is the musical instrument that makes wonderful melodies with the toll. It has appeared in the town hall in 1958. This construction has 45 bronze bells. A lot of people come to listen to the sound of them. …
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City tours, excursions and tickets in Cologne and surroundings
Photos of Cologne
Services search (pharmacy, police, parking, banks) on Cologne map
Travelling to Cologne - advices and tips. What should be provisioned in advance, the rules you might want to follow, and the things you better avoid doing in Cologne. We help you to make your trip smooth and easy, with no unexpected surprises.