I was twice in Bonn and Köln this year, the first one in September and the second one in November.
Former capital until 1991, Bonn is a city in western Germany straddling the Rhine river. It’s known for the Beethoven House, its Münster (a church with a Romanesque cloister and Gothic elements), the old city hall and Poppelsdorf Palace. It also houses a UN Campus with 20 organizations ranging from climate change to volunteerism.
Bonn
Back in September, I traveled to Bonn for a training on ‘Building partnerships for sustainable development’ run by the UNSSC (UN System Staff College). Luckily, one of my best friends from DC was living there so I stayed with him for a few days.
While in Bonn, we walked around the city to visit the following: Münsterplatz, Beethoven House, Altstadt including the Universität, the UN campus and castle Haus Carstanjen (where UNSSC colleagues work). We had dinner at Café Blau one evening and grabbed a beer at Biergarten am alten Zoll the last day.
Köln
We also took the train to visit Köln, just 30 mins away. A 2,000-year-old city spanning the Rhine River in western Germany, the city is the region’s cultural hub. A landmark of High Gothic architecture set amid reconstructed old town, the twin-spired Cologne Cathedral is also known for its gilded medieval reliquary and sweeping river views. Don’t forget to have a Schnitzel at the famous Bei Oma Kleinmann in the hipster Köln Süd neighborhood. We tried the Wiener Art Schnitzel as well as the Royal (with Camembert cheese and blackberry sauce), but make sure you go there when you’re really hungry as the Schnitzels are huge!
I visited Bonn and Köln again in November, with my boyfriend, just in time for the German Christmas markets.
In addition to the places I already knew, here were some excellent discoveries:
- Burgerwerk: Toscana and bacon cheese burgers: the portions were huge and very good.
- Old Jacob: for cocktails (we tried the barnaby’s code and the mockster pic). This speakeasy is highly recommended!
- Himalayak: restaurant from Tibet (we loved the atmosphere!)
- Café Von&Zu: good selection of brunch and fully packed on Sundays. Make sure to book yourself a table and to wander around the elegant Südstadt neighborhood before that.
