There are many ways to get to Cologne, Germany. Either by train, plane, bicycle, automobile, or as I did, by riverboat on the Rhine River, you undoubtedly find yourself next to Cologne’s gothic cathedral downtown. There, you marvel at the tallest cathedral in northern Europe. It is hard to miss the twin towering steeples that are visible from most anywhere in this lively city.
Indeed, the Cologne Cathedral is the very heart of the place. Shops and businesses, (like the original Eau de Cologne fragrance maker,) have grown up around it on all sides. Residential housing spirals up from street fronts; (note that building fronts are narrow but stretch back quite aways from the street, and address numbers are vertically placed [built this way to reduce curbside property taxes!]) If you arrive around Christmas time, you will see the outdoor Christmas markets and enjoy hot mulled wine as you stroll around this very-walkable city. They will never be too far from the Cathedral center.
Cologne was beautiful in the winter, as it assuredly is in the summer, spring or fall. The Cathedral is a must-see historical structure. No matter how you get there, be sure to visit.