City Love Companions

Tourists often dismiss Germany as a travel destination, unless we’re talking about history buffs, who often have this country on their bucket list. I think it’s because of the wide range of things to see and do. As a consequence it’s hard to pick one thing or place to visit in Germany. There’s beautiful nature, the medieval towns, and the Oktoberfest. The seaside is nothing to scoff at either. Which city captures the essence of Deutschland and scratches all the right spots? That would be Cologne (Köln in German), hands down. Cologne is one of the oldest and largest German cities. Yet it somehow achieves the fragile balance between a busy beehive metropolis and a small village vibe. Ancient battlements implanted with steel beams and glass panels like architectural cyborgs. The Kran...

Düsseldorf is to my opinion the most artsy and colourful city in Germany. It doesn’t get as much hype as the nearby and rival city Cologne but I believe it is a far more interesting and fun travel destination. No wonder the Federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia took it as its capital city. Düsseldorf’s location is impeccable; it’s a short ride away from the Netherlands and Belgium. You can even see Cologne from atop of the Rhine Tower. It’s an impressive viewing platform overlooking the city and the Rhine River. You can even take a cruise to along its banks and the lively riverside promenade. Nearby is also the Medienhafen (Media Port), an old inner harbour that was transformed into a working area for the city’s creatives and hangout of the local hipsters. Here you can find s...

Frankfurt am Main, as the official full name goes, and distinguishing it from the other, smaller Frankfurt an der Oder near the Polish border, has a population of around 750,000 people. It’s the fifth-largest city of Germany, one of the worlds’ most important financial centres and also home to the head seat of the European Central Bank (ECB). Locals call it “Mainhattan”, comparing it to Manhattan in a way. You can experience that NY vibe on Zeil Street, the premium shopping area in town. All those yuppies and their healthy lifestyles, that waking up at 4 in the morning to jog around parks and the riverbank, lines to café’s where baristas know your name, because you’re a minimalist and there’s no room for a coffee machine in your minimalist household, you catch my drift? All ...

Hamburg, located in Northern Germany is one of the world’s most famous port cities and the harbour is the second busiest in Europe. The rich and beautiful move away from the capital and praise this city for its multicultural community, easy-going vibes and it’s openness to everything new and interesting. It was one the main cities belonging to the famous medieval Hanseatic League, a commercial and defensive alliance of merchant guilds and trade cities in North-West and Central Europe. It paved the path of Hamburg’s reputation of a liberal and tolerant city. It was always a magnet for artists, musicians and all kinds of laid-back individuals and even the Beatles moved here in the early 60s to make their first steps to worldwide fame. Nowadays it’s even better, the city is experienci...

The Bavarian capital Munich (München in German) is best described by one word: “folklore”. München is deeply rooted in tradition and has this old, medieval tone to it. That’s the city centre; the further you get from that ground zero, the more city-like it gets, for better or worse. It is the so-called “secret capital” of Germany and in many international comparative studies the city is ranked as the one of the most desirable place to live. It is a clean and wealthy, with good public transport and other facilities, which make life in a big city more comfortable and pleasant. It is also a remarkable green city with many lush parks; amongst them is the Englisher Garten. It’s huge: the park stretches from the city centre all the way to the Northeast. It is not only by far the la...

Long time ago I always thought about Berlin as a particularly unpleasant city, Moscow Lite, so to say. Everything big, intimidating, towering architecture, victory arches around every corner and military marches every weekend with Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana playing from speakers. Tall, blonde people with blue eyes and heads held up high, looking down on everyone else. Don’t blame me: I was young and naïve. When I first visited Berlin I was baffled, it felt like this beautiful, huge garden was seemingly growing out of grey concrete. Germany’s capital became a wondrous place on earth for all kinds of people and an economic powerhouse. There are a few things you just need to check off when being in Berlin; the Holocaust Memorial, the Brandenburg Gate, and the Reichstag. In case you don...