Cologne Old Town

Cologne’s Old Town (Altstadt) lines the Rhine with pastel townhouses, narrow lanes, and Romanesque churches, anchored by the towering Cologne Cathedral nearby. Rebuilt after WWII, it mixes historic character with a lived-in city feel: riverside promenades, Brauhäuser serving Kölsch and hearty Rhineland dishes, and small museums like the Roman-Germanic Museum. Highlights include Groß St. Martin, the Alter Markt and Heumarkt squares, and boat trips from the Schokoladenmuseum area. It’s ideal for strolling, casual dining, and architecture spotting rather than grand museum-hopping, offering a compact snapshot of Cologne’s history, river life, and convivial pub culture.