NH Hotels, the hotel chain leader in Europe, with more than 300 hotels in 20 countries in Europe, Latin America and Africa. Enter into our web site and find the best available tariff at all times
WHY DID WE BOOK THE HOTEL VIKTORIA - COLOGNE?
It all started earlier in the year upon receiving an unexpected wedding invitation - not in Cologne, but in Lubeck, three hundred miles to the north east. Having decided on taking the car, and to make an autumn break of it, we decided that we would split our German holiday in two: three days in Lubeck and a further three in Cologne.
During the last six years we have driven through Cologne over twenty times on our way to or from Poland, but have never stopped to actually see this magnificent city.
We spent several nights on the 'net looking for a suitable hotel, quickly coming to two conclusions: 1) that Cologne is a far from cheap place to stay, and that 2) the actual choice of accommodation in the city is not all that great, especially if, like us, you want to stay in the city ...
Advantages: a great selection of modern art Disadvantages: you have to pay to get in
this is a fantastic gallery/museum for any person with an interest in art. the building in itself is fantastic, spread over several floors, with permanent and visiting exhibitions.
the basement floor is filled with pop art, they have some fantastic warhols, jasper johns, and lichtensteins, for the brits, they also have quite a selection of richard hamilton's work.
on the other floors, there's quite a good picasso section, and a couple of pollocks too. obviously there is a lot of german artists represented, especially in the visiting exhibitions.
its a shame you have to pay to get in, but that does mean they have some high profile pieces.
i found that there was enough range in the works exhibited to please everyone in my party.
its right next to the station, so transport should not be an issue.
a special mention to the restaurant ...
below.
A BUSY WORKING CATHEDRAL
If all that I have written here makes this sound like some kind of ancient museum then I have given a false impression of the place.
Cologne is one of the most "religious" cities in Northern Europe, many aspects of religious life, long since abandoned elsewhere are still strictly adhered to here - most notably Sunday non-trading. The inhabitants of Cologne also, maybe inspired by this great building, attend church in far greater numbers than elsewhere.
Central to this life is St Peter's Cathedral which is, as it always has been, a fully functioning Catholic church. If you are in Cologne and wish to attend mass at the Cathedral, full mass times are published on the excellent Cathedral website (http://www.koelner-dom.de/index.php?id=2&L=1) which is updated daily.
At all other times you are ...
