Hey Guys,
We are in Cologne for a couple days then off the Belgium. Are there any small towns around there that we can take a day trip to that have lots of small town German character? Rick's book doesn't have much on the area.
Try Stolberg, Siegen, Monschau and Jülich.
Consider this area, though, on the spectrum of continuation from the Low Countries. Parts of it look for more like Belgium and the Netherlands than the stereotypical "German" image.
Hi,
From Cologne to see a small town, I would recommend Bonn and Bad Godesberg.
You could also take a train down to the middle Rhine valley. The strech between Koblenz and Bingen is particularly scenic, with castles and towns with half timbered houses gallore, but there are also some nice towns south of Bonn, such as Linz am Rhein.
The zoo in Koeln is super cool.
There's a lot to see in the city before your "couple days" get eaten up by trips beyond.
The Chocolate Museum is rather fun.
Morten, this train through the Rhine valley--I can catch it in Cologne and take a day-trip? I will be in Cologne for 3 days this December and Im looking for a nice day trip to see some castles.