First 5 Things to See and Do in Cologne, Germany

Cologne or Koln is one of Germany’s oldest cities on the banks of the River Rhine. On quite a few occasions in the past I had transited through Cologne but somehow never had a chance to explore it. However in April this year on my trip to Germany I spent 2 days here and discovered quite a few of its interesting facets. I felt this city has a lot of opposites interspersed really well with each other that lent a unique character and vibe to it. There is a lot of ancient to complement the modern, loads of traditional breweries coexisting with Michelin star restaurants, quaint contrasting with trendy, Romanesque Churches alongside modern creativity, cultural and artistic etc etc. But even more than the city per se, it’s the people of Cologne with their friendly greetings and openness for everyone that left a lasting impression on me.

The beautiful city of Cologne, Germany

My Own Top 7 Must See’s and Do’s in Heidelberg

Heidelberg – a picture perfect, old German town, on the River Neckar, in the valley of Odenwald.

Heidelberg, Germany

With a majestic Heidelberg castle overlooking the city, the River Neckar flowing through its Old Town, old colorful buildings and beautiful hills all around; Heidelberg has all the elements to make anyone fall in love with it at first sight. I recently spent a couple of days here and loved every minute of my visit. Though there is not much to do here that can be classified as “non-touristy”, I still managed to find some different things and I’m sharing the same with you all below –

Staying in “Malolo” at the Hip Hotel in Heidelberg

Will you believe me if I tell you that that I stayed in a room by the beach with sand under my feet and sound of waves to keep me company while I was in Heidelberg (a landlocked town in Germany)? Well I kid you not, courtesy the Hip Hotel, I actually stayed in a room in Malolo with a view of the beach, sand and palms and the sounds of waves without even stepping foot in Malolo.

My room with a beach view – Malolo at the Hip Hotel in Heidelberg

The Majestic Ruins of the Heidelberg Castle

Originally my Heidelberg trip was to start with a walking tour of the town, for which I had actually taken an earlier train from Frankfurt. I reached my hotel alright and then got badly lost and missed the walking tour. I am sure anyone who has been to Heidelberg will wonder how I managed such an impressive feat in such a small town! Well in my defense I was holding the map upside down. #Faceplam I know. So once I missed my walking tour, I decided to start my trip with a visit to the most imposing structure in Heidelberg – The Heidelberg Castle.

The Heidelberg Castle, Heidelberg

A Unique Museum in Heidelberg – A Studentkazer or Student Prison

Growing up is a stage in life where we are all up-to one mischief or the other. While the disciplinary action can vary depending upon the gravity of the mischief committed and the damage done, have you ever heard about a prison sentence for such crimes? Well if you were a student at the Heidelberg University in the early 19th century, then going to prison for misdemeanors was a realty.

Inside the Student Prison, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany

On my recent visit to Heidelberg with Germany Tourism, I asked the Heidelberg tourism office for their must see suggestion in the city, apart from the famous Heidelberg castle, and they all recommended the “Student Prison and the Great Hall”. I have seen India police stations and even stayed in a prison converted to a hostel (in Ljubljana), but a student prison was something I had never seen or heard of before. Intrigued I decided to visit.

Reviews of my stay Grandhotel Hessischer Hof

I am a budget traveler and so my choice of stays during any trip normally includes hostels, B&Bs or homestays. While I love such places to stay in, every once in a while I do like to stay in a nice luxurious property and enjoy the comforts that these properties have to offer. And on my recent stay to Frankfurt, I stayed in one such luxurious hotel – the Grandhotel Hessischer Hof Hotel.

Grandhotel Hessischer Hof. Pic courtesy – hotel website

Watching “Disgraced” at the English Theatre in Frankfurt

My recent trip to Frankfurt with Germany Tourism came with many new experiences and dispelled many preconceived notions about this city. It’s always said to be just a big city with nothing to see – however I found numerous unique things to see and do and will write a detailed post on it soon. I wanted to start the series on Frankfurt with my first experience of watching an international play at The English Theatre. This was recommended to me by Frankfurt Tourism and I instantly agreed as I love plays, theatre, musicals etc (more than movies) but I was pleasantly surprised that a German city has a theater dedicated to just English plays.

The English Theatre, Frankfurt

A Short Tryst with Germany this Spring

Germany or Deutschland – just the mention of this name is enough to conjure images of grand castles and palaces, the mysterious Black Forest region, world-class museums, the famous Oktoberfest, ancient art and traditions, amazing Autobahns, classical music, cars (Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche etc), numerous varieties of beer, the famous Rivers of Rhine and Danube, beautiful green covers and scenic beauty, carnivals and festivals, and so so much more. I have had an opportunity to briefly explore this country during my previous Europe trips (I have been to Munich and Neuschwanstein Castle in South Germany and to Aachen and Vogelsang in West Germany) and my curiosity and excitement to explore it further has only grown. But Germany has so many facets with unlimited things to see and experience that no matter how many times you visit, you will always be left with a craving to see more. Luckily I got a chance to explore this country with Germany National Tourism for a 5 day solo and unstructured trip.

Heidelberg, Germany

It’s Germany Calling

2016 has been a busy year so far with several important work and personal commitments. On the personal front, I moved into my own new house and am looking forward to decorating it with all my travel memorabilia and books. This obviously has resulted in my staying in Mumbai and I have not been able to explore new places which was making me quite restlessness. But finally it’s time to pack my backpack, wear my walking shoes and hit the road again!! Yay!!  🙂

The Römerberg – Frankfurt’s Old Town Center – Pic Courtesy – http://www.planetware.com/tourist-attractions-/frankfurt-d-hs-fra.htm

Photo Essay – Walking through High Fens – Eifel Nature Park

Europe – a dream destination for all of us (especially its famous cities) and on our first trip we tend to fill our itinerary with as many cities as we can possibly cramp in. After all it’s an expensive destination and who knows when we might be able to save this kind of money again. But over my many trips here and traveling on some with my local friends P and J, I have realized that Europe’s beauty is not in its cities. Don’t get me wrong – the cities are beautiful but Europe’s true beauty is in its small towns, villages and nature parks.

Eifel National Park