Cologne City Breaks: An Excellent Place For Great Chocolate And Superb Sites

Cologne city breaks are an excellent way to take in the amazing scenery of one of the most memorable cities in Germany. The annual Christmas Market alone draws quite the crowd in December. Besides this, there are ancient cathedrals, museums, and architectural wonders galore. The Cologne Cathedral is one of the most awe inspiring sites in Cologne, reaching over 515 feet above the city with its dramatically soaring spires; some of the tallest in Europe. There are 519 steps to the top of these spires.

The Gothic cathedral took 700 years to finish, but there is still a constant team of craftsmen working on the cathedral today. Inside the church is a large array of religious artifacts and relics, among which is a jewel and gold encrusted shrine of Mary and Jesus that is 900 years old.

This magnificent cathedral is the first landmark visitors see upon entering Cologne and most of the sites revolve around its existence. There are two museums near the cathedral that are largely visited by tourists.

Altstadt, or Old Town, is right beside the river Rhine, which is an excellent spot for relaxing in the sun on a warm day. By following the river for a 10 to 15 minute walk, the Imhoff-Stollwerck chocolate museum can be found.

This is a wonderful way to spend the afternoon; touring the machinery where the chocolate is produced, sampling the gooey chocolate, and making purchases at the fantastic souvenir shop. There is also a beautiful botanical garden inside where live cocoa trees can be seen.

Art buffs and the average tourist will both enjoy the Museum Ludwig. It is filled with modern art from 20th century icons; Andy Warhol, Dali, Roy Liechtenstein, Pablo Picasso, and Rene Magritte. Many of the works by Picasso are the less well-known pieces, while the Andy Warhol art is super famous. La Gare de Perpignan created by Dali in 1965 is an amazing oil painting that is a "must see" within this museum. The Wallraff-Richartz Museum boasts an excellent collection of art from 1300s to the 1800s.

Impressionism is alive and well in this museum, with many of the greats being found here. Art by Monet, Gaugun, Manet, van Gogh, Rembrandt, and Renoir, just to name a few, are among these fabulous works. If the 12 churches and fantastic museums aren't enough, there is always the Colognes Zoo and Flora Gardens to view via cable car during your lovely Cologne city breaks.