Last summer I spent a couple days in Cologne all by myself. You’ve already seen fragments of that trip on the blog and my instagram, but today I wanted to share my favorite spots in this lovely German city. I collected tips from friends and other bloggers beforehand, so in the map at the bottom of this post you’ll find a lot more places than I possibly could try in those three days but would love to explore during another visit to Cologne!
It’s no secret that I’m rather fond of botanical gardens, so it shouldn’t surprise you that when I planned to visit Cologne, the first thing I looked up was if the city had a botanical garden. Wandering through the lush gardens, exploring its stunning greenhouses and reading while enjoying these exotic vies turned out to be a perfect way to spend my afternoon. What can I say, I just never get tired of botanical gardens! So here are a few fragments of Cologne’s most peaceful hideaway, hopefully this dose of greenery brightens your Sunday!
Ever since I set foot in Cologne’s Kolumba museum five years ago, I’ve been in awe with this architectural masterpiece by Peter Zumthor. When I planned to spend a couple of days in Cologne this summer, the first thing that popped into my mind was that I’d be able to revisit the Kolumba, which I still remembered as one of the most impressive buildings I’ve visited. Curious whether or not it’d live up to my memories, I couldn’t wait to pay this museum for religious art a second visit. Built on the ruins of a gothic church, the building forms a stunning play on the contrast between old and new, light and dark, matte and reflective surfaces. Needless to say, I was not disappointed by my second visit at all.
This summer, I felt the need to escape our little country on my own for a few days. When choosing my destination, I was looking for something not too far away so I could easily reach it with blablacar, not too expensive, not too touristic and preferably not in France, as I already planned to go there a few days later. Keeping all of this in mind and considering tips from friends, I decided on Cologne. I had already been there five years ago during a school trip, to visit what has become one of my favorite buildings, but didn’t really remember the city itself. Cologne turned out to be wonderful and exactly what I needed. (Would you like to see a city guide?) I enjoyed the sun (36 degrees!), sipped on iced lattes, wandered the beautiful green streets of the city, caught up on my reading, admired that favorite building for the second time (I’ll show you the photos in a blogpost soon) and visited the most beautiful musea Cologne had to offer. One of those was the Skulpturenpark, a parc that hosts biennial series of sculpture exhibitions. The current exhibition, KölnSkulptur #8 will be on show until June 2017 and made quite the impression on me. With works by Dan Graham and Sou Fujimotto among others, it’s no surprise that I shot nearly a whole roll of film here. I hope these fragments of my visit give you an accurate impression of the hours I’ve spent enjoying this beautiful parc.
It’s been over half a year since I’ve visited this city, but I still have one last place I wanted to share with you and that’s Silo Coffee in Berlin. Blending brick walls and concrete lampshades with rough wooden furniture, Silo Coffee perfected that industrial feel. Add some coffee from those famous German roasters The Barn and a delicious breakfast menu in the mix, and you instantly know why this place is so popular!
Silo coffee, Gabriel-Max-Strasse 4, 10245 Berlin - facebook - instagram
While we were in Berlin, my friend Pieter and I were wandering through the Prenzlauer Berg with its overload of coffee bars, vintage shops and record stores, when we came across Kapitalist. The beautiful terrace, bathing in that typical Berlin atmosphere, convinced us to sit down for a beer and gave us a little hint of the café’s interior. Inside, there are lots of cozy nooks and corners where you can enjoy a coffee or a cocktail and a good conversation with your friends. Located in the calmer part of the hip Oderberger Strasse, I’d recommend Kapitalist for a relaxed break from exploring this lively neighborhood.
Das Kapitalist, Oderberger Strasse 2, 10435 Berlin - facebook
With the weather getting colder and work taking over these past few weeks, I can’t help but reminisce about past holidays during warmer times. One of those trips that I haven’t shared yet, was this summer’s stay in Berlin. After spending some time in Leipzig and exploring Melt! festival, I figured it was about time I’d make it to Berlin. Together with one of my best friends, I finally headed to the city that had been on the top of my to do list for quite some time. We spent our stay there wandering the streets of different neighborhoods, sipping coffee, riding our bikes, exploring architectural gems, sleeping on a boat(!) and drinking beers. After the intense experience of Melt! festival, these few laid back days were exactly what we needed before getting back to Belgium. I did fulfill my blogger duties though and photographed a few places that I discovered. Maybe you already saw one of them in a previous blogpost, but I’ll share the others with you soon. For now, these photos bring up lovely summer memories while I’m already looking forward to my next trip. Curious where I’m going? Here‘s a tip.
When my friend and I walked by Bitte! during our stay in Berlin, I immediately fell for the cute sign outside (which I sadly forgot to photograph but you already caught an impression of the logo if you’re following me on instagram) but we already made plans for the day and decided to put this tiny coffee bar on the to do list for another day. The next morning we went back to indulge in their delicious coffee and greek inspired breakfast (Bitte! offers a small menu of greek specialties) and see their cute interior up close. The adorable logo outside already predicted good things for this café’s interior and we were not disappointed! Dressed in a nautical theme, Bitte! is filled with more cute illustrations and a good atmosphere. Bitte still be there when I return to Berlin, Bitte! I’d love to stop by again and try the rest of the menu …
Bitte!, Glogauer Strasse 6, 10999 Berlin
When I spent one – very hot – day in Leipzig, I wasn’t very well prepared as to what I wanted to see in this German city. Luckily my travel companion and fellow architecture enthusiast Enya did her homework and she guided us to the city’s Museum der Bildenden Künsten, the MDBK. While the collection wasn’t our cup of tea (we both prefer modern art, which was only a tiny part of the collection), the building by architects Hufnagel / Pütz / Rafaelian did leave a big impression on us. With its impressive terraces and courtyards, the MDBK offers views to its surroundings that look like pieces of art themselves. A must-see for every architecture lover who visits Leipzig!
Museum der Bildenden Künsten, Katharinenstraße 10, 04109 Leipzig - website
We only spent half a day in Leipzig, so I wouldn’t exactly call myself an expert on this German city. However, Leipzig didn’t leave us disappointed. Someone told me in advance that he absolutely loved Leipzig and felt that it was “the new Berlin”, where you could still feel the remnants of former Eastern Germany. A few days later I set foot in Berlin for the first time, so it’s not that easy to compare, but I certainly recognized the contrast between beautiful lanes on the one hand and their grungier side streets on the other. I didn’t take that many pictures, so I’m only sharing a few fragments of our one day stay here. They give you a peek into the Karl Liebknechtstrasse, located in the upcoming Südvorstadt neighborhood. With its colorful facades housing a mix of vintage shops, boutiques, restaurants, bars and clubs, it’s impossible that you’ll ever be bored here. And if you have explored everything ‘Karli’ has to offer: coffee bar Mein liebes Frollein, which I’ve blogged about before, is located in one of the sidestreets, and so is the Leipziger Hafenbar. Running into their beautiful garden was a surprising sight in the city, and thus we enjoyed a refreshing drink there. We didn’t take any pictures though, so you’ll have to experience this one for yourself!
So, did I convince you yet to visit Leipzig? Personally, I wouldn’t mind to spend a few more days in this city and explore more of what Leipzig has to offer!
Strolling through the streets of Leipzig, Enya and I were quite surprised when we came across this beautiful St. Trinitatis Catholic parish church. Intrigued, we entered this building by Schulz und Schulz and discovered its clean lines and wonderful light. The perfect place for a fan of abstract architectural photography like myself. You can find my photos below and for more information about the architecture, you can take a look at the Schulz und Schulz website here.
We only spent one day in Leipzig (while on our way to Melt! festival), but we spent it well thanks to my travel companion Enya. This girl did her research and guided us towards Mein liebes Frollein (among other things). This place was supposed to be a beautiful coffee bar and it didn’t disappoint at all. We spent some time sipping on our delicious iced lattes and enjoying the sun at their lovely terrace. The weather was too good to spend time inside, but we couldn’t resist admiring the interior of this place anyway: filled with cute details and gorgeous furniture, Mein liebes Frollein made us feel right at home in the city of Leipzig. Next time we’re back in town, we’ll definitely stop by again to put their food to the test (they offer breakfast, lunch and sweets), but as far as the coffee (and the interior!) goes, we fully approve. See you next time, Mein liebes Frollein!
Mein liebes Frollein, Fichtestrasse 15, 04275 Leipzig - website - facebook - instagram
Kapelle St. Bruder-Klaus by Peter Zumthor, located in the middle of nowhere, inbetween fields.
The breathtaking interior of Zumthor’s chapel. I didn’t know what to expect from the interior, but it certainly wasn’t this. A must-see.
Kunstmuseul Bonn by Shultes Frank architects.
Deutsches Architekturmuseum in Frankfurt.
Siedlung Westhausen and Siedlung Römerstadt from Das Neue Frankfurt. I enjoyed walking in between the small houses and big trees with their pretty shadows.
all pictures taken by me
Recently I took a little roadtrip along with 50 other architecture students to Frankfurt. I will show you all of the pictures soon, but this building diserves a post of it’s own. On our way to Frankfurt, we stopped by the most beautiful museum I’ve ever been to. Seriously,if you ever get the chance, please visit the Kolumba Art museum of the Archoiocese of Cologne. It’s designed by Peter Zumthor and the architecture is mindblowing, all of us walked around in awe and totally forgot about what time we had to be back at the bus and where we would find a meal before we got there.
all pictures taken by me