As I have done more reading, I now feel like I have allocated too much time for Cologne and feel the need to do a day trip (I can no longer change my train tickets so sticking with it). Which of the 2 is recommended? This will be in June
Thanks.
Posted by
Bend, Oregon
2802 posts
What time of year?
Posted by
OP
USA
43 posts
Sorry, in June. I thought I had that included in my original post.
Posted by
Germany
281 posts
Königswinter and Drachenfels plus a boatrip on the Rhine from Cologne might be nice.
Depends of what you prefer another city trip or more small town and relaxed boattrip and a great view from Drachenfels
Posted by
Schwerin
3906 posts
Vote for Königswinter.
Posted by
Bend, Oregon
2802 posts
We visited Cologne for 3 nights in the winter for the Christmas markets, which were fabulous. It wouldn’t be my choice along the Rhine for general sightseeing. The city was heavily bombed, and not much old-world charm remains, except the cathedral. The city is modern and bustling. Aachen would be an easy day trip to a smaller town with more charm.
I much prefer the area from Koblenz to Bacharach in the summer. Boppard is a great base. Tons of charming towns along the Rhine, tons of castles. I would not allow train tickets to dictate where you spend your time, given the significant investment in getting there.
Posted by
Bellingham, WA
1012 posts
Just stumbled across this video of a day trip to Konigswinter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJ7EtIBxMSw
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
8367 posts
June 1, 2025 will be the monthly "Fishmarket" along the Rhine in Dusseldorf. Trust me, wine, beer, sausages and Oma's Quarkbollen are more important than fish! I really enjoyed one, some years ago.
https://www.rheinlust.de/veranstaltungen-2/dusseldorf/
Dusseldorf is particularly a place to see modern and contemporary art, especially because of the world-influencing Kunstakademie Dusseldorf. But there is at least one nice museum of ... dead artists there. And an incredible number of brewery restaurants. It's a long U-Bahn ride, but I enjoyed the large Botanical Garden.
I presume you considered Monschau and Wuppertal as well.
Posted by
Munich
849 posts
I don't think you can compare them at all. A larger city vs. a smaller, cozy one. I would probably take the boat from Cologne to Koenigswinter. Duesseldorf is worth a trip in itself, as there's so much to see and do.
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
8367 posts
Posted by
Sacramento, California U.S.A.
11013 posts
I spent a week in Unkel with my cousins who live in Cologne. One day we took a KD boat from Unkel to Konigswinter, and from there we went up to Drachenfels. We returned to Unkel by train. It was a very nice day. Dusseldorf is much larger, so I guess it depends on what you’re looking for.