Apart from a layover in Frankfurt and a memorable trip in a long-distance lorry many years ago, I’d never truly been to Germany. Despite German being my third language, I’d never had the chance to practice it with native speakers—until recently. This year, we decided to celebrate Christmas Eve not in Latvia or Belgium, but in a country where German is spoken. We chose a city accessible by train, a city with a magnificent cathedral right next to the train station: Cologne.
We arrived in Cologne around midday on December 24th. Expecting a quiet journey, we were surprised to find the train nearly full. Fortunately, most travelers seemed to prefer sitting close to the dining car, so we easily found empty seats. With the German high-speed train, the trip from Brussels to Cologne takes just 1 hour and 50 minutes. The Siemens-manufactured train was comfortable, featuring a digital check-in system, and the café served delicious coffee at a reasonable price. For the journey, I brought along The World Ahead 2025, an excellent read to accompany an excellent trip.
The weather in Cologne mirrored that of Brussels—rainy, gloomy, and windy. Despite this, the city’s streets were bustling, much to our surprise. The train station is conveniently located next to the iconic Cologne Cathedral. Later, my wife discovered that December 24th isn’t a public holiday in Germany, explaining why shops, cafés, and restaurants were open and why the city was teeming with activity.
Our decision to visit Cologne wasn’t driven by a desire to escape Christmas traditions but rather by a wish to do something different. Instead of indulging in pierogi and mashed potatoes, we craved sausage and cabbage. While we didn’t manage to find exactly that, we stumbled upon a fantastic German restaurant that served an authentic Wiener Schnitzel. I opted for the classic veal schnitzel, while my wife chose the hunter’s schnitzel made with pork. Accompanied by two German beers, it was the perfect lunch-slash-dinner. We also ordered apple strudel, though it didn’t leave much of an impression.
For the evening, we brought along a bottle of Pinot Noir. Back at the hotel, we settled in, poured ourselves some wine, shuffled a deck of cards, and turned on the TV to the comforting chaos of Home Alone. It was a cozy end to a delightful day.
The next morning, after breakfast and check-out, we took a brief stroll to the Rhine. It was the first time either of us had seen the famous river. Even on Christmas Day, the streets were alive with people, and the train station was buzzing. As for the Rhine, it was both grand and somewhat murky. A boat tour, like the one we enjoyed on the Thames in London, would have been a treat—next time, perhaps. After all, Cologne isn’t the only city the Rhine flows through.
And that was it—our first short trip to Germany. A Christmas Eve spent in Cologne, savoring schnitzels and exploring the city.
Cheers!
Olaaf
