Every year, Cologne attracts millions of visitors to Germany who are fascinated to see the famous Dom - Cologne Cathedral. There are plenty of things to see and do in this small city, especially during December when Christmas approaches. To improve the experiences for travelers when exploring Cologne, the locals have come up with the idea of a free walking tour called ‘Can You Handle It’.
This is a brilliant way to learn about the historical and artistic beauty of the popular German city. Let us guide you through the most famous attractions in town, starting from Rudolfplatz. This is where you will meet with your tour guide. Available every morning at 11AM, or afternoon at 4PM, make sure you don’t miss it!
Zulpicher street - 40 student bars street
After starting the tour at Rudolfplatz and the Boulevard of Stars, the guide will take you to Zulpicher street - one of the most vibrant areas for nightlife in Cologne, besides the Old Town. Cologne is a young and active city when the night comes, as the German and international citizens love to drink the local Kolsch beer, even during weekdays. Kolsch beer is often light in flavour and served in smaller glasses than usual.
The area for hipsters and artists - Belgian Quarter
Lying just a few blocks away from Zulpicher street is the Belgian Quarter, which is full of streets named after the cities in Belgium. There is a lot of graffiti, paintings, and other forms of street art in this area that make the city seem so much more alive and colourful during the daytime.
Cologne & its history
A couple of the most historically important buildings in Cologne, shown in this tour, include the old Roman Towers, Friesenplatz, and the Memorial to all of those who were opposed to the Nazi regime. During the Roman time, the city was bombed and destroyed significantly, though Cologne Cathedral remained safe as it is nowadays.
Cologne Cathedral, also known as the Kölner Dom, is probably the most famous tourist attraction, the highest, and oldest building in the city. There are about 6 million visits to the Dom annually, making it the most visited cathedral in Germany. Due to time limit, the guide would not take the group to the Dom, but recommend that you take a closer look later inside the cathedral the end of the tour.
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City Hall - Rathaus
Another important spot of this tour is the City Hall, one of the most complex buildings in the city, with its Gothic tower decorated by more than a hundred sculptures. After being totally destroyed during the 2nd World War, the City Hall was rebuilt between 1970 and 1975. If you take a closer look at one corner of the building, there’s a statue of a small guy showing his bottom. This little detail has been told through different stories over time, and explained from different perspectives by the locals.
Old Town - Alter Markt & Fish Market
Continuing the tour to Cologne’s Old Town, the guide will take you to the Alter Markt - a historic market place that is popular for many cafés with outdoor terraces, and popular carnivals throughout the city are celebrated here. The tour ends at the Fish Market by the bank of Rhein River, where you can get a spectacular view of the Hohenzollern Bridge - the ‘Love Lock Bridge’ of Cologne.
And there's so much more to see!
The tour lasts for about 2 to 2.5 hours in total. There’s a small break in between, and you are free to either ask questions or propose suggestions, for example, to enter a favourite church of yours. Several outstanding museums stated during the tour are 4711 Museum & Farina Museum (fragrance museum), City Museum, Gestapo Museum, Ludwig Museum (art museum), etc. Similar tours are also operated in other cities, such as Bruges and Gent in Belgium.
History
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