A Day Trip to Bonn + Cologne Germany
Who Went?
Our little family of three. Jon, Myself, and our 16 year old son Colby. No small children or dogs, although both would be very easy to take along for the mini-getaway.
When Did We Go?
April 12th (Friday) when I knew the Cherry Blossom trees would be in full bloom and Colby was on Spring Break from school.
Where Did We Explore?
Both places in Germany fit into a one day trip; Bonn + Cologne. Easily traveled in 3 to 4 hours one way from where we live.
How Did We Get There?
The Long Haul - By Car. We did Park and Walk Around both Cities.
What Did We Do?…
BONN, GERMANY
Beethoven Home and Observatory
Bonngasse 20
5311 Bonn, DE
Did you know that Beethoven was born in Bonn in 1770 and except for a short stay in Vienna, lived there until the age of 22? The home and observatory are filled with his scores, paintings, a grand piano (his last, in fact), violins, and a few ear trumpets.
Holy Name Church
Bonn, DE
Lunch was at Em Höttche a tavern that Beethoven himself was a regular of. It has been around since the late 14th century and today offers one of the best value lunches in town. The interior is beautiful with hand carvings and rich wood. Something that should not be missed!
Cherry Blossom Avenue, Bonn Germany
Heerstrasse
Located in the Nordstadt neighborhood where the famous Beethoven house is. In 1980 the Japanese cherry blossom trees were planted and to this day bloom in a pop of bright pink every April. The flowers have been known to linger around for two to three weeks.
COLOGNE, GERMANY
Beautiful stained glass
The vaulted ceilings of Dom Cathedral
Dom Cathedral was built to be a tangible expression of God’s Kingdom on Earth as well as to house what are believed to be the relics of the Magi, the three kings who paid homage to the infant Jesus. The dimensions were so immense that construction began in 1248 but was not completed until 1880 after the original plan was rediscovered. At 515 feet high, the two west towers of the cathedral were briefly the tallest structure in the world when they were finished (before being eclipsed by the Washington Monument).
Lindt Chocolate Factory (Schokoladenmuseum) This museum is located alongside the river walk on its own “mini” island. The displays recounts 3,000 years of civilization’s production and enjoyment of chocolate. A real factory, you can taste fresh chocolate warm off the conveyer belt. Create your own Lindt bar by adding your own mix-ins or shop the chocolate museum store. Am Schokoladenmuseum 1A, Rheinufer
The famous Lindt chocolate fountain where a master chocolatier dips wafers for you to eat.
The Museum is full of small “chocolate stores” set up to buy a vintage box of chocolates.
a Lindt Hot Chocolate from the Lindt Cafe
Grab a copy of Fodor’s Travel GERMANY. This guide was a huge help when it came to touring both cities in one day. With so much information we plan to make one more trip back and yet we can still use this book for exploring many other places in Deutchland.
