Hi -
My family is going to Cologne in May 2007. We%26#39;re taking our two sons (5 and 7). Any suggestions on great kids activities in or near Cologne? Seeing a castle is definitely on our list. Others? Great playgrounds in the city? Festivals in May? Pedestrian-free zones in which the kids might love running around? We%26#39;ll be there for 3-4 days. (And if you can recommend a great, two-star, inexpensive hotel within the city too boot...why that would be groovy too!) Thanks!
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Cologne Zoo
http://www.koelner-zoo.de/index.php?id=293
Cologne cable car
www.koelner-seilbahn.de/english/index.html
(you can combine this easily with a visit of the zoo)
Climbing the South Tower of the Catherdral
http://www.koelner-dom.de/aktuelles.html?%26L=1
Chocolate Museum
http://www.schokoladenmuseum.de/index_e.html
Phantasialand Brühl
www.phantasialand.de/phantasialand.html
There is a KombiTicket which includes public transport (counts as day ticket) and entrance to the Phantasialand. Can be bought at VRS counters (and ticket machines?) in Cologne. Price is the same like the pure entrance ticket to Phantasialand.
For events etc. see
http://www.koeln.de
also useful
www.koeln.nicecity.de/english/index.htm
%26gt; Pedestrian-free zones ...
Autobahns, the Rhine, railway tracks, ...
%26gt; ... in which the kids might love running around.
I very much doubt this. These are rather places ideal if you want to commit suicide.
If you mean pedestrian (or car free) zones:
stadt-koeln.de/imperia/…3.pdf
All streets in purple (or however one may call this color) are pedestrian zones.
1967 the Hohe Straße (= High Street) was transferred to the first pedestrian zone in Germany. Another interesting fact, this is mostlikely the oldest high street in use. The width and lenght of this road are unchanged since it was the high street of the Roman colony Colonia Aggripina. It%26#39;s also the most busy (shoppers per day) high street in Germany.
Can%26#39;t help you with Cologne.
You may check
http://www.hrs.com
You may also consider a family room in one of the youth hostels.
jugendherberge.de/jh/…
jugendherberge.de/jh/…
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Can%26#39;t help you with Cologne HOTELS.
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I don%26#39;t know how many stars it has, but I enjoyed my stay at the Hotel Merian, which is an easy walk from the rail station. I booked through hotel.de and you can check out reviews here or at booking.com .
A great daytrip for kids of all ages is to visit Marksburg castle in Braubach (located just south of Koblenz along the Rhine). It is the only castle along the Rhine that was never taken or destroyed. When I visited a few years ago the tour was only in German, but there was a English language guidebook for a reasonable fee. The guide also makes for a good souvenier.
Take the train from Cologne to some point south of Braubach where there is K-D boat service. You can find the boat schedules by googling %26quot;K-D Line%26quot; . Board the boat for an pleasant sail down the Rhine where you%26#39;ll see castles, small towns, vineyards and passing barges. Depart the boat at Braubach and take the little tram or walk up the hill to the castle.
Inside the castle, you can easily see why the castles were built given their commanding presence over the Rhine.
If time and energy allow, I like to stop in Koblenz and walk from the rail station along the Rhine down to the city center.
The train back to Cologne completes the day.
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While doing research for my next trip I stumbled on something that makes the guidebook unneeded.
Google %26quot;Rick Steves%26quot; and go to his website.
Click on %26quot;Plan your trip%26quot; and then on %26quot;Best Destinations%26quot; .
Select %26quot;Germany%26quot; and then %26quot;Marksburg Castle Tour%26quot; for an
English language list of the castle%26#39;s rooms and contents.
Have fun!
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