The fourth biggest city in Germany, with over one million inhabitants, Cologne (Köln in German) began life as a Roman colony or colonia (hence its name). Its location on the Rhine, at the heart of Germania, was key to its status as capital of the province. The city became a centre for worship, famous for the legend and cult of Santa Ursula, and built several splendid Romanesque churches, which survive today.

By the Middle Ages, Cologne was one of the most important cities in the Holy Roman Empire and in 1248 work began on its mighty cathedral, designed to house the relics of the Three Wise Men. Known as the Dom (pronounced dome), it was once the world’s tallest building and is arguably still the world’s greatest Gothic edifice, attracting pilgrims from all over Europe, even though it was not to be completed for another six centuries. It is still Germany’s most visited attraction.

The city suffered terribly in WWII, losing most of its historic centre, and only a small proportion of the Altstadt, right by the river, survives, or has been reconstructed in its original form.

Modern day pilgrims come not only to the awe-inspiring Dom and Romanesque churches, but to the city’s fine museums (featuring rich Roman remains and an important artistic heritage) and to sample the city’s famous hospitality in its brewhouses (Cologne boasts more breweries than any other European city). Despite its strong religious background, Cologne has a reputation as a goodtime town and its Carnival is one of the biggest in Europe.