Day trip from. Cologne

That's a one-hour train trip each way, not bad, and Linz is an attractive old-world town, but there's not all that much to do there and he should have time for something else that day as well. Before returning to Cologne, he may want to continue to Koblenz, 40 minutes further, to visit Ehrenbreitstein Fortress and a few other sights in Koblenz. Or instead, he may want to return to Cologne with a stopover at the Bonn-Beuel station for a visit to the former capital of West Germany, Bonn.

Aachen is another worthwhile day-trip destination and doable by train.

Have him check these places out on Tripadvisor or other online sources to see if he finds them interesting.

Thanks Russ. Son leaves tonight as last minute trip so we didn't have time to plan anything so this does help.

I think maybe you mean Linz am Rhein? It's a gorgeous town with half-timbered houses that date back to the 1500's, as I recall. It is worth a visit, but I agree with Russ that there is not enough there to fill much more than perhaps a few hours (and that includes eating a meal there!). If your son likes WWII history, there is a ferry that runs from Linz am Rhein across the river to Remagen (actually, to Kripp, just south of Remagen). There is a Peace Museum at Remagen in the support towers of the former Lundendorff Bridge, the "bridge at Remagen" that US troops used to cross the Rhine toward the end of WWII. The museum explores the area's experience of WWII, details the crossing there, and deals more generally with the horrors of war. Also at Remagen is the Peace Chapel Black Madonna, which honors the 250,000 German POWs held at the nearby "Golden Mile" camp. I filled a day at Remagen and Linz am Rhein as a day trip from the Upper Middle Rhine Valley (walking from the Remagen train station to the TI to the museum to the chapel to Kripp and then taking the ferry to Linz).

As for Aachen? A great place to see. It's a university town, so lots of young people. It's also a history buff's town. It was Charlemagne's seat of power and the site of the coronation of Holy Roman emperors from 936 to 1531 (31 kings!). The Dom is amazing. I would strongly encourage buying a ticket for the English tour, which allows entrants to see "Charlemagne's throne," which may or may not have been Charlemagne's throne but was the throne on which the Holy Roman emperors were crowned. A two story building led from the Dom to the Rathaus (part of the two-story structure is now partially replaced by modern architecture after this connecting building was hit by a bomb during WWII). The Coronation Hall, site of the post-coronation dinner/festivities, is located in the Rathaus. A separate ticket for entry into the Rathaus allows visitors to see this grand hall.

I would second (or rather "third") the recommendation for Aachen. It's a very short 30 minute train ride from Cologne. Aachen is very walkable and easy to get around in and I loved it! Its cathedral is quite beautiful (especially the interior, which is drop-dead gorgeous) and houses the remains of Charlemagne, leader of the Holy Roman Empire. It's in a gold reliquary that hangs towards the back of the altar.

The town is also very charming and has a lovely vibe to it, with some wonderful cafes and nice restaurants. It's smaller than Cologne and he could easily spend some time just walking around and enjoying the sites. If he goes, tell him not to miss the Granus tower, which is next to the Rathaus (town hall) and is one of the few pieces remaining from Charlemagne’s palace. It dates back to the 8th century, making it over 1200 years old.

Yes I am corrected, thanks for the help. Wonderful information. I am passing along this website so he can catch up when he gets to Germany later this week.