I had heard of the love lock bridge in Paris, so I was pleasantly surprised to discover that…read moreCologne has its own when I was doing research prior to my trip. Hohenzollernbrucke, or love lock bridge, is one of the top attractions in Cologne on TripAdvisor. Here's what you should do to make the most of the experience. Make sure to buy a lock before you arrive. You can buy a lock in the area, but you're going to pay a premium for it. Located in the heart of the city, part of the experience is just walking the bridge and seeing the endless number of love locks that couples have placed on the bridge over the years. It's a beautiful sight to behold. From there, it's time for you to find a spot for yours. As you would expect, pictures happen and a kiss also happens. It's a cool, little romantic experience. Love is in the air! Even if you're not stopping by with your significant other (or you don't have one), it's still a nice attraction to check out where you can snap some photos. And a quick one at that.

There is some website that states there is estimated to be 25,000 locks on this bridge, but I don't…read morebelieve that! It's got to be at least 100,000! There are many bridges that have lots of locks on this, but this one may be the most impressive I've ever seen. Lots of great photos can be taken at/on/near this bridge. This place is definitely worth a visit if you're in Cologne. If you took the train in or out of this beautiful city, you've likely crossed this bridge.

Seeing Cologne Cathedral, it is impossible to not be impressed. The exterior is so intricate &…read moredecorative. I could see this structure at one time being the tallest in all of Europe. I walked into the cathedral with the flow of crowds to stand in the perimeter while listening to parts of the Christmas Day church service. Later in the day, I returned to walk through the church. It's huge inside. There are many triptychs, beautiful stained glass windows and ornate pieces. This church is a must see on a trip to Germany! Visiting Cologne at Christmas time also has the bonus of holiday markets!

First visited the cathedral on May 24, 2024 during our Basel to Amsterdam Viking River Cruise. Had…read moreonly a few hours in the city, and it was cold and rainy. Came back on June 22, 2025 during our Grand European Viking River Cruise. Wife and I went in briefly, wearing long pants, to meet the dress code requirements. This despite temperatures in the 90s during the great heat wave of 2025. In my younger days I would have tried taking the 533 steps to the top of the Cathedral tower, but wife was in no shape to do that. Our boat docked about 1.5 miles north of the Cathedral. We got a new vantage point to view the Cathedral at night from the river. Sailed past the lighted Hohenzollern bridge at 10:20pm with the Cathedral in the background. The new lighting done to save energy barely could be seen, compared to the old lighting which lit up the sky. Undoubtably I was the only person wearing a Hawaii hat visiting the cathedral that day.

Groß St Martin is a lovely church from the 1200s. While it is much more basic than the cathedral,…read moreit is still quite nice and is well worth stopping by as you walk through the old town. The church itself is pretty, but the really impressive part is the excavation Roman ruins in the basement. They aren't huge, but it is a unique experience, and they are well signed and maintained. The church is free, but there is a ,50-cent fee to walk down into the excavation (they have laminated descriptions in four languages, but the signs are in German). Definitely worth the ,50 cents to see the ruins!

Romantic thing to do. Such a neat bridge. Very busy so keep an eye open for bikes! There are locks…read moreon both sides.

The Hohenzollernbrücke bridge across the Rhine in Cologne boasts one of the most impressive love…read morelocks display in the world. Well over 40,000 padlocks inscribed with love messages, dates, names are affixed to the bridge, and the lovers throw the keys into the water. This practice started in 2008 in Cologne, and while quaint, charming (so many different styles, colors), the concerns about the extra weight are valid.