On a long night in Cologne, before going to an EDM concert, I stopped by Papa Joe's for a drink on…read morea Saturday night. Located in a really cool area of Cologne, surrounded by bars, restaurants, and good vibes, what originally attracted me to Papa Joe's is that it's a jazz bar. I love me some jazz. Ambiance (4/5): When I think of a jazz club, I have a picture in my head. An upscale experience, dimly lit, with comfortable seating. Papa Joe's is not that at all. Think of it as a casual New Orleans bar. The stage is at the end of the bar close to the bathroom. The ground level is pretty narrow, with some seating and a long bar. Upstairs, there's some seating overlooking the ground floor. This is where I sat and it was a nice vantage point to watch the festivities. They have live music almost every day of the week with different bands performing. Unfortunately, the one playing when I attended wasn't jazz at all. It was funk. Not what I was expecting, and overall, the band wasn't great. Despite the music being a miss on this evening, I do like the vibes at Papa Joe's. Service (4.5/5): My waiter did a great job greeting me upstairs, taking my order promptly, and offering recommendations. Friendly and efficient---exactly what I look for in a service experience. No complaints. Food (N/A): I had dinner prior so I was on a liquid diet. Drinks (4/5): Papa Joe's has a long list of cocktails, including New Orleans classics like the hurricane. Mine packed a punch, which I always appreciate. Most of the cocktails are on the tropical/fruity side. Nice selection overall. Plus beer and everything else you would expect at a full bar. The menu tells you the history behind Papa Joe's which is pretty cool. An interesting spot for sure in Germany, and one that I enjoyed, although it was much different than what I expected.

Started off at 12:30; we were a party of 8. Beers came out quickly. I ordered a goulash. The wife…read moreordered a pork knuckle. The goulash was awesome a bit more like a stew. The one in Hungary was more soupier. The meat was a bit tough but good with paprika, potatoes and peppers The pork knuckle was soft and tender. It was well cooked. The sauerkraut was good. We both would order the pork again, but I would try a different soup not the goulash, but the pea soup. This place was worth visiting. We were going to eat at Peter Brauhaus first but glad we came here.

Guys, I think I may have found my favorite German Christmas market. The Weihnachtsmarkt is what…read moreyou're looking for if you want the holy trifecta of atmosphere, charm, and legit awesomeness. Located in Cologne, this market is one of the best in the world, and I will die on that hill. With a twee gnome theme, the market has mugs that will drive collectors wild. There's a series of a dozen DIFFERENT GNOME THEMED MUGS that you can collect by ordering gluewein. Don't cheat and buy them outright: just keep ordering spiced, mulled wine and see which random one you're afforded! Not only are the mugs so much fun, but the food booths are absolutely top-notch in every way! There's melty cheese, pretzels, chocolates, potatoes, and more, and there's something for everyone here (foodies are going to LOVE this market). Admittedly, you won't find a lot of the more unusual food offerings, but there are lots of options here that will please everyone in your party. The market has a charming ice skating rink, and it's something I'd consider a must-do. Skating under twinkling lights in the most beautiful country (especially at Christmastime) is a once-in-a-lifetime memory that you simply have to do. The crafts and shopping didn't excite me much, as it's mostly the same old stuff that you find at any random Christmas market across Europe. I only saw a few truly unique artisan booths, which was a little disappointing. But don't let that keep you away from the market! It's touristy, yes, but much less so than the main market located next to the Cologne cathedral. Take a bit of a trek to go here, you won't regret it.

The market can be overwhelmingly crowded, so it is good to go mid week if possible, but it's…read morecrowded for a reason, great booths with wonderful crafts and decorations to buy for the holidays and as gifts, great food, and the gnome theme is adorable. If you book way in advance, you can do curling. Ice skating is also possible.

I had the privilege of attending two concerts here, both around Christmas, and this hall is…read moreprobably one of my favorites. DB is 5 minutes walk from the hall and your ticket includes train fare so that you can leisurely ride in to the concert. The walk to and from DB passes by the Cologne Cathedral, which is even more striking at night by the way it is illuminated. There are multiple coat check stations to avoid the bottleneck after the concert as well as multiple bars that serve your drinks in actual glasses, not the flimsy plastic cups served at too many theaters in the states. You can move your seat with five minutes to curtain time. I was able to sit right above the orchestra and the close proximity to the musicians was simply wonderful. But the best thing about this concert hall is the manners of the audience. It is so irksome when audience members cough and whisper among themselves during the performance because the noise and movement detracts from the full experience. The audience here knows to hold it in and show reverence to the musicians as well as to other patrons. A true appreciation of music.

This is a really great concert hall. The acoustic is amazing, and the people are really…read moreenthusiastic. I played here with an orchestra from the Netherlands, and we had a great time. I would definitely recommend a trip to a concert here.

One of the best christmas markets from my trip. I don't think anything can compare to its beauty…read moreand wonder. 10/10 pleaseeee come to this market.

This is the largest Christmas market in Köln. It is located right beside Kölner Dom and almost as…read moresoon as you exit the train station. Your first stop at any Christmas market should be for some gluhwein or hot chocolate in a souvenir mug. I always keep my mugs, although you can get a deposit back if you return it. I recommend swapping it for a clean one at the counter before you leave. The market has so many stalls and a huge variety of items to buy. It is a BIG and BUSY market so after awhile, the stalls are repetitive. The market has several sections, so if you plan to visit multiple markets, don't feel like you should visit every section of this one. The gluhwein stalls are everywhere. This is the only market in Köln where I saw raclette cheese, so I recommend trying that.

From time to time they have really great artists in concert there. I saw Goetz Widmann a couple of…read moretimes there. Nice people and good drinks. The also have a normal bar with a nice garden you can sit in. The service is really nice.