Calling on Cologne

Medieval meets ultra modern head-on in Cologne, the fourth-largest city in Germany, where haughty glass-and-steel skyscrapers vie with the historic twin-spired gothic cathedral. Post-war gloom? Nein, reports Doug O’Neill

Chocolate lovers must make a stop at Schokoladenmuseum Köln.

See & Do

Home of the world’s oldest art fair, Cologne’s also ready for shopaholics and chocoholics

SHOPPING IN THE BELGIAN QUARTER

The best shopping in Cologne is found in the Belgian Quarter. Magasin Populaire carries trendy Scandinavian brands for women such as Sessùn and mbyM, while right around the corner Monsieur Courbet stocks fine casual wear and trendy Euro fashions for men. magasinpopularie.com; monsieurcourbet.de

ANOTHER WAVE OF WARHOL

You won’t find 19th-century German romantic landscapes at MAKK Kunst & Design, the Museum of Applied Arts Cologne. Rembrandt makes an appearance in a show running November 1 to March 2020, plus there are rooms of ceramics, glass, furniture, jewellery and textiles. museenkoeln.de

SCENTS AND SENSIBILITY

Cologne doesn’t come by its name accidentally. House of Fragrances 4711 (at Glockengasse No. 4711) has been making world-famous colognes since 1792. It’s now an all-in-one exhibition, museum and convention space where visitors can learn all about fragrances, and gets a hands-on lesson on how to make their own fragrance. 4711.com

SPA IN THE PARK

At the heart of the 18-hectare Rhinepark is a Roman-styled public bath, Claudius Therme, where guests can rejuvenate and loll about in their choice of indoor and outdoor thermal pools. Swimwear is optional in most parts of the spa. Why be shy? claudius-therme.de

PICTURE THIS!

Photography buffs, especially fans of Diane Arbus, August Sander, Boris Becker and the like, easily lose themselves at Museum Ludwig, where art-lovers will also find lots of modernist art from 1945 to 1970. museum-ludwig.de

CHANNELLING WILLY WONKA

Aspiring chocolatiers create their own signature chocolate at Chocolate Museum Cologne, or purchase treats ready-made by the pros. This sweet venue is reportedly the most popular cultural institution in Cologne, receiving as many as 600,000 visitors a year. schokoladenmuseum.de

Putting the final touch on the plate at Ox und Klee.

Eat

Balance heavier traditional foods with lighter, modern dishes

FEEL LIKE SHARING A METRE-LONG BRATWURST?

Many come for the famously huge bratwurst, but often end up chowing down on pork knuckles at Haxenhaus, a tried-and-true beer hall where fastfooted waiters practically dance between tables of locals and hungry students. haxenhaus.de

FOR THE MODERN DINER

Food-lovers who like contemporary cuisine (liberal use of foam) and artful touches (pretty buttons of avocado) on their plates will enjoy Ox und Klee, which draws a moneyed fashion-forward crowd, especially Friday and Saturday nights. Closed Sunday and Monday. oxundklee.de

THE FRENCH CONNECTION

The double Michelin-starred Le Moissonnier, which just turned 40, has all the feels of a Paris bistro, including the small tables spaced so closely together diners can sample duck breast off their neighbour’s plate. lemoissonnier.de

FUNKY & FUN

Its proximity to the WDR broadcast centre guarantees a sprinkling of journalists crowding the tables during the day at Funkhaus, an upscale cafeteria-bar-restaurant that truly comes alive at night. Reservations aren’t accepted. funkhaus-koeln.de

Drink

Kölsch beer is best consumed in a traditional beer hall, but cocktails are taken seriously too

CHUG WITH THE LOCALS

No other German city has as many pubs per capita as Cologne, the birthplace of Kölsch beer. Three on our list: Petere’s Brauhaus, known for its painted glass ceilings, mahogany furniture and the friendliest servers in the city; the 150-year-old Brauerei zur Malzmühle, run by the fifth generation of the uber-friendly Schwartz family; and Brauhaus Früham Dom, where tourists and locals get rowdy together on the popular terrace. peters-brauhaus.de; brauereizurmalzmuehle.de; frueh-am-dom.de

SCHMITZ, SCHMITZ & SCHMITZ

It gets confusing but here goes: The Schmitz “empire” is spread over three rowhouses on Aachener Strasse. For nighttime drinks, skip Bar Schmitz (which actually is more about the food) and take a pass on Metzgerei Schmitz (unless you want incredible pastries). For that boozy nighttime bevvy, pop into Salon Schmitz. salonschmitz.com

SMART COCKTAILS

The chic, 35-seat Ona Mor bar stays faithful to its slogan, “Die Kunst der feinen Getränke.” Translation: “The art of fine drinks.” Very un-beer-hall-like ambience, more reminiscent of a speakeasy. onamor.de

LAST CALL

For a quiet nightcap without a lot of fuss, check out Legends Bar in the Hyatt Regency, where straight-up German drinks include Bavarian whisky, Rhineland gin and craft beer from Hesse. In summer, grab a spot on the terrace. hyatt.com

The Schälsick Bar at the Hyatt Regency.

The Excelsior Hotel Ernst has some show-stopping décor.

Stay

Elegant or avant-garde, Cologne caters to travellers of all tastes

A READER-FRIENDLY BOUTIQUE HOTEL

Michael Kaune, the proprietor of the arty QVEST magazine, parlayed his love of modern design and contemporary photography into the 34-room boutique hotel, The Qvest Hideaway, where TV sets have been eschewed in favour of bed-side mini libraries of art and design books. It’s a hit with designer-savvy clientele who firmly believe, “Print is not dead.” qvest-hotel.com

OLD WORLD OPULENCE

Indisputably the classiest hotel in Cologne, the five-star Excelsior Hotel Ernst, built in 1863, is right next to the cathedral. There’s a time-honoured elegance at every turn: Gold bannisters, wood-panelled rooms and marble columns. The refined décor extends to the hotel’s Hans Stuber restaurant, which is popular with the business lunch crowd. Come for dinner when it’s more subdued. excelsiorhotelernst.com

DOWN BY THE RIVERSIDE

Spend the night on the right bank of the River Rhine with excellent views of the old city. The six-storey Hyatt Regency Cologne has a comfortable vibe. The sushi bar in the hotel’s Glashaus restaurant is one of the freshest in town. hyatt.com

PERFECT FOR BUSINESS TRAVELLERS

The Pullman Cologne is an upscale business hotel (275 superior and deluxe rooms and 11 suites). The VDR certification “Certified Conference Hotel” means business travellers are spoiled, and what’s wrong with that? accorhotels.com