Private Tours
before and after Fusion 2008
(Suggestions)
Schumann and Beethoven’s Bonn
Discover the lives of two leading figures in the history of classical music. Beethoven was born and spent his youth in the Beethovenhaus (http://www.beethoven-haus-bonn.de/) in Bonn. It is now turned into a museum with many of his letters, books, and instruments. Robert Schumann also spent the last years of his life here in Bonn, and the place he lived in is now known as the Schumannhaus. (http://www.schumannhaus-bonn.de/index2.htm)The Alter Friedhof cemetery, where Schumann and his wife Clara lie buried, and the Beethoven Monument on the Münsterplatz are also places of interest.
Rhine RiverTour
http://www.k-d.com/englisch/index.html
Discover the beauties of the Rhine valley from the deck of a cruise ship, or even a historic paddle steamer like the MS Goethe. Make a day trip and enjoy the idyllic scenery filled with picturesque towns and castles as you glide upstream, or watch the sun go down over the river as you drink a glass of wine. A round trip from Koblenz to Rudesheim would be strongly recommended, especially if the weather is good. Commented tours are available if you are particularly interested in the medieval castles along the Rhine, for example.
Aachen
http://www.aachen.de/EN/ts/Current_information/index.html
The ancient seat of the Emperor Charlemagne’s reign, Aachen is a cultural gem with its marvellous Gothic cathedral where Charlemagne is buried and where his throne can be seen, its 14th century Rathaus (town hall) built on the site of Charlemagne’s palace, its medieval old town, and its hundreds of pubs and restaurants. Try the local specialty, a kind of gingerbread called Printen.
Aachen will be hosting the World Equestrian Festival from June 27th to July 6th. Saturday, June 28th with the “Horse and Symphony” evening show, or the free June 29th “Soers Sunday” would both be interesting events. Details can be found here: http://www.chioaachen.de/default_e.asp.
Aachen can be reached by car or by train (recommended method) in about an hour from Cologne. If you go by car, be prepared to park and walk, since some large downtown areas are closed to cars.
Trier
http://redaktion.trier.de/praefectus/trier?tourist_en
Located on the Mosel River about two hours’ drive from Cologne, lying in a valley between low vine-covered hills of ruddy sandstone, Trier is the oldest city in Germany. It contains some amazingly well-preserved Roman buildings, including the Emperor Constantine’s palace, the Imperial Baths, and an amphitheatre. Its cathedral also dates from Roman times.
In the village of Konz, just outside of Trier, the Roscheider Hof Open Air Museum can be found, devoted to the rural cultural history of the region. It features among other things a reconstructed village, several beautiful gardens, and a toy museum. See the website for details. http://www.roscheiderhof.de/home/index.php5
Bruges
Bruges, the capital of West Flanders, is known as the “Venice of the North”. It is rich in art of all kinds and has even claimed the title of “Cultural Centre of Europe”. Its historic town centre has been certified as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Most of its medieval architecture is still perfectly preserved, and a day spent wandering about among the canals and medieval houses in the city centre would be very pleasant. Bruges’s chocolate is also not to be missed out on! Chocolate and lace are considered to be the local specialties.
Bruges is about a 3-hour drive from Köln, so it would make a good long day trip. Suggestions for excursions by boat, by horse carriage, and even with rented bikes can be found at the following link. http://www.aboutbruges.com/uk/what-to-do-bruges/tourist-attractions-places-of-interest.html
For information on public transport, please visit
http://www.vrsinfo.de (buses and regional transportation)
http://www.bahn.de/p/view/index.shtml (the German train website).
Both sites are available in English.