Cologne

Cologne (Koln) is the Rhineland's warm-hearted, wisecracking capital, a 2,000-year-old Roman city rebuilt around the twin black spires of its colossal Gothic cathedral. Approach it as a sociable, walkable place best drunk in slowly, ideally over glasses of Kolsch, the pale local beer served in slim 0.2-litre glasses that a blue-aproned Kobes waiter keeps replacing until you lay your beermat on top. Start under the Dom, wander the pastel-painted Altstadt alleys down to the Rhine promenade, and cross the Hohenzollern Bridge draped in thousands of love padlocks. The city wears its history lightly: Roman ruins sit beneath modern squares, twelve Romanesque churches ring the old core, and world-class art fills the Museum Ludwig. Time a visit for Karneval in February if you love a party, or for a mellow riverside summer evening otherwise. Cologne rewards curiosity and a relaxed pace, so pull up a stool in a traditional brewhouse, order the pork knuckle and let the locals fold you into the conversation.