A Gothic giant on the Rhine
Cologne Cathedral took more than six centuries to finish and remains one of the largest Gothic churches in the world, its twin spires dominating the Rhine skyline. Climb the south tower for the view. The city was founded by the Romans, and the Römisch-Germanisches Museum and the Museum Ludwig, with its modern art, are nearby. Cologne's brewhouses serve Kölsch in small glasses that keep coming until you put a beer mat on top. Carnival, from November and peaking before Lent, is one of Europe's biggest.