6 Hours in Koln, Cologne, Germany

During our stay in Belgium, we decided to make a day trip to Köln. There are regular train services connecting Bruxelles-Midi / Brussel-Zuid to Köln. And if you have more time to spare – it might be a good idea to stay the night – before continuing towards Düsseldorf, Berlin & Hamburg. We skipped the train and opted to drive (with family) to Köln. The distance between the two cities is 225 km and according to Google maps, it should take roughly 2 hours. However, it’s a wise idea to carry along your GPS and a route map. I don’t remember much from the drive, maybe because we had to pay attention to the route. But I do remember, the route gives you a sneak peek of the countryside – showcasing picturesque houses, dense forests (occasionally) and vast open spaces.

We reached shortly before lunch. After briefly marvelling the Dom architecture, we chose a cafe (opposite) to satiate our hunger pangs. Although, there are many cafes to choose from, it might be best to come before peak lunch hour. We were lucky to get a cool spot with a direct view of the Dom. We ordered a schnitzel, chicken in white sauce, and pasta. Although it was a sunny day, we enjoyed our meal in the cool shade and the perfect view in the front of us. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).