Family Vacation Ideas Winter

family vacations - family travel deals & family vacation ideas  You are here: About > Travel > Travel with Kids Travel Travel with Kids Essentials Family Vacation Ideas Winter and Spring Break All-Inclusive Resorts Ten Latest Family Travel Deals Family Resorts: top places; photos Articles & Resources Family Travel: What's Hot Top Vacation Spots VT, ME, NH, CT, MA, NY, PA Mexico Family Vacations Caribbean Vacations More Beach Vacations Florida Family Vacations Resorts with Water Park More Family Resorts Fun Places for Kids Disney Vacations Family Cruises Babies;Teens;Single Parents Lots More Destinations Family Travel TIPS, GAMES Buyer's Guide TAKE ALONG: Christmas books Christmas flicks Activity Kits more CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Travel with Kids newsletter! See Online Courses   Search Travel with Kids From Teresa Plowright , Your Guide to Travel with Kids . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! Bunch of family travel deals Latest deals added include a January Travel Special at the one-of-a kind Atlantis Bahamas (with 14-acre "waterscape", shark lagoons, subterranean giant aquariums with Atlantis theme, lazy river, and waterslides-- not to mention spa, dining, and casino.) Also: Alaska Airlines Vacations has announced the return of its Kids Fly Free to Disneyland deal: a great promotion that both Alaska and United Airlines repeat every year for travel after New Year's. Alaska's travel dates extend through most of June. Check out these promotions and more of the Ten Latest Travel Deals : then check back frequently, as new deals get slotted in. Wednesday December 28, 2005 | permalink First Nights! "First Night" events celebrate New Year's with family-friendly festivities-- and as if that weren't good enough, they're low-cost, too. Read more about First Night events , and find celebrations in many cities. Wednesday December 28, 2005 | permalink Top Family Travel Trends in 2005 It's that time of year... to pause the mad dash of daily life, and try to figure out, how the heck did all those months go by so fast, and what the heck did it all mean? Family Travel Trend Number 1: Splish, Splash Our pick for biggest family vacation trend for 2005 is Big Splashes at Family Resorts : a whole bunch of resorts opened private water parks for their guests this year -- such as Nickelodeon Family Suites by Holiday Inn (aka NickHotel), pictured right, in Orlando, which added not one but two water parks. Trend Two: new major players on the family vacation scene In this flurry of water play in 2005, one can see some major new players muscling their way up and out of the local scene. Great Wolf Lodge , for example -- one of the main resorts in waterpark super-town, Wisconsin Dells-- leads the pack in expanding beyond the Dells: its new Great Wolf Poconos resort (left) joins properties in Niagara Falls, Virginia, Sandusky Ohio, and more. Meanwhile, The Atlantis was already a behemoth in the Bahamas, with it's amazing 14-acre "waterscape". Now, it's not only expanding there -- with an upscale new Tower and a major new waterpark area -- its also about to replicate. The Atlantis The Palms Dubai is being built half-way around the globe, with 50-acre waterscape, a Ziggurat Temple with eight waterslides, 2-kilometer river ride, and much more. These brand-building resort openings make one wonder: what about NickHotel ? Can a concept this good be confined to one place? Trend Three: So who's your animated character? NickHotel is a good illustration of another trend, with its celebrity residents SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, the RugRats, and other animated characters from Nickelodeon tv. Animated characters have of course long been a feature at the Disney theme parks,but these days, they're popping up in more and more places. SpongeBob has done guest appearances at a number resorts. Elmo and Cookie Monster hang out at Beaches Resorts , thanks to a multi-year deal with Sesame Street. So will we see bidding wars, among resorts desperate for cartoon mascots? Stay tuned, in 2006... The big(gest) picture There were of course many more Grand Openings etc. in 2005 -- see Family Travel Newsmakers for a few. All the above paints a picture of a burgeoning time for family travel. Families are traveling more together, a trend that grew after 9-11. Also, it's so easy to "bring the kids" when virtually every resort has a kids' club, and some take kids' programs to soaring heights. But perhaps the most important travel story of 2005 is an invisible one: no news is good news, as, thankfully, another year of travel has proceeded peacefully with no trauma of terrorist attacks. Yet 2005 did see destruction: the tsunami and hurricane season battered many tourist zones, not only causing immediate damage but reminding everyone how important tourism is for local welfare. So please remember these areas as we open up the old hearts and wallets, in the last days of 2005. See also: Family Travel News-makers in 2005 2005: Big Splashes -- new indoor and outdoor water parks at Family Resorts Sunday December 25, 2005 | permalink Bookmark the NORAD Tracks Santa site! It's not a family trip, but it's certainly a trip that fascinates families... Every year, the official NORAD site gives a bit of magic to millions of kids: they can watch Santa's flight tracked by an official aerospace agency. Make sure you have the website-- and the right plug-ins-- all lined up for the big night. See: Track Santa on Christmas Eve at the NORAD web site . Saturday December 24, 2005 | permalink Christmas at Hershey - & Holiday Season countdown Three hours from NYC, 1.5 hours from Baltimore, "Chocolate Town USA" has several attractions, most notably Hersheypark and a historic hotel. In December, Hersheypark turns into Christmas Candyland. Even better, Hershey PA has a bunch of holiday getaway packages. Read about Christmas at Hershey . And lots more, in the Holiday Season Countdown: Gift ideas for traveling kids : baby gifts, stuffies, Leapfrog Leapster, activity kits, and more Ten Holiday Packages : "Home for the Holidays" package in Vermont with Christmas trimmings, including your own tree to decorate in your room; The Polar Express train in New Hampshire; 12 Days of Christmas at Sea Island... new : Holiday Package in the White Mountains, NH Disney Christmas: special events at Disney World include Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights; Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party; Holidays Around the World and Candlelight Processional... and that's not all. more Holiday Season in Orlando : it's the uber -destination for families, and the fun keeps escalating many more Holiday Season events in many cities Christmas Eve: on the big night, don't forget to track Santa's flight! Every year, the official NORAD site gives a bit of magic to millions of kids: they can watch Santa's flight tracked by an official aerospace agency. Make sure you have the website-- and the right plug-ins-- lined up and ready to go, to Track Santa's Flight on Christmas Eve. Kwanzaa : many cities have Kwanzaa celebrations , from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1 New Year's Eve: finally, wrap up the year with a First Night : family-friendly and affordable New Year's Eve celebrations, staged in many cities. Read more... Saturday December 17, 2005 | permalink 2005: Big Splashes -- new indoor and outdoor water parks at Family Resorts Looking back at the year that was: in 2005 a trend become a tidal wave as multiple family resorts made major splashes with on-site water parks for their guests. For example: Sunset Beach Resort & Spa -- a value-priced all-inclusive in Jamaica-- opened the Pirate's Paradise water-park, above. Click to read about new water parks at Nickelodeon Family Suites by Holiday Inn, Great Wolf Lodge in the Poconos, Six Flags Great Escape Lodge and Indoor Waterpark, Sunset Beach Resort in Jamaica; and a major planned waterpark at the Atlantis Resort. See also: Family Travel Trends in 2005 Family Travel Newsmakers in 2005 Wednesday December 14, 2005 | permalink Visit an Ice Hotel It's like the essence of winter: so ethereally beautiful, so crystal cold, so melted by spring. There are two Ice Hotels, one in Sweden, one in Quebec. Far more people do tours than stay overnight; but those who do stay sleep in warm mummy-bags on top of reindeer skins on top of sculpted-ice beds: is this cool, or what? 28 degrees cool... read about the Ice Hotel in Sweden and Quebec take a photo tour of a past Ice Hotel in Quebec Note : check out a Happy Frosty Holidays promotion at the Quebec Ice Hotel Saturday December 10, 2005 | permalink Family Vacation Idea: Marien Coral by Hilton Coral by Hilton is a brand of the giant Hilton chain that should pique the interest of families: these four resorts in the Dominican Republic are all-inclusive, have kids clubs and are family-friendly, and offer a good price point. See photos of the Marien Coral by Hilton , and a profile for families , too. See more resorts in the Dominican Republic See also these other recent resort profiles: NEW: Natura Park Eco-Resort , DR: in Punta Cana, Bavara Beach area Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman : Ambassadors of the Environment Kids Program created by jean-Michel Cousteau Great Wolf Poconos : brand new; rustic chic and indoor waterpark Six Flags Great Escape Lodge and Indoor Waterpark : also brand new, and the first hotel with indoor waterpark in NY state Hilton Los Cabos : sheltered cove for swimming (a plus in Los Cabos) Riu Ocho Rios : brand-new all-inclusive in Jamaica Dreams Los Cabos : all-inclusive in the popular Los Cabos area in Baja, western Mexico Grace Bay Club : luxury resort in Turks & Caicos; suites, kids program Monday December 05, 2005 | permalink Family Vacation Idea: Ski Utah Think Utah's out of the way? Think again: hop a direct flight (on an economy airline like Southwest) to Salt Lake City. Just an hour after you land you can be airborne again: on a ski lift. Solitude has a "village" that's great for families, with outdoor pools, game room, mini-movie theater. And there's six other resorts less than an hour from the airport. Click above for Solitude, or read about Alta terrific skiers-only ski resort , or other Salt Lake City skiing . More Ski Resorts: Colorado, Vermont, etc. Saturday December 03, 2005 | permalink "Snowland" at Great Wolf Lodge Great Wolf Lodge is one of the top resorts with indoor waterparks in that top town for indoor waterworks, Wisconsin Dells; and Great Wolf Lodge is leading the pack in building new properties in other states. Latest opening is in the Great Wolf Lodge Poconos , pictured right: with great-looking rustic chic, all-suite guestrooms, and a 78,000 sq. ft waterpark. As if the waterpark wasn't enough fun, Great Wolf Lodge has launched a new holiday tradition: from Dec. 2 to Dec. 31, "Snowland" will transform the resort's Grand Lobby with snowflakes, icicles, and indoor snow (though guests can still sit by the fire and sip hot choc.) Snowland also means many themed holiday events... Other Great Wolf Lodges -- in Sandusky OH, Wisconsin Dells, and more-- have Snowland too. Read more... Monday November 28, 2005 | permalink Display Latest Headlines | | | Read Archives powered by Movable Type Advertisement Most Popular Charades -How To Play Charades Family Vacation Spots The Atlantis Resort Great Places to See Santa Disney Christmas Magic Kingdom What's Hot Grand Floridian Chinese New Year - 2006 Poconos Great Wolf Lodge photo Dog Friendly Hotels, inns, lodges -- find dog-friendly vacat... Kwanzaa Related Topics Florida for Visitors New England for Visitors Theme Parks Hotels / Resorts / Inns Parenting of K-6 Children        Topic Index | Email to a Friend Our Story | Be a Guide | Advertising Info | Work at About | Site Map | Icons | Help User Agreement | Ethics Policy | Patent Info. | Privacy Policy | Kids' Privacy Policy ©2005 About, Inc., A part of the New York Times Company . All rights reserved. Around About New Video iPod - Review POLL: Must-Have Gadgets VIDEO: Portable Gaming VIDEO: Choosing a TV Hugh Hefner's Life What's Hot Grand Floridian Chinese New Year - 2006 Poconos Great Wolf Lodge photo Dog Friendly Hotels, inns, lodges -- find dog-friendly vacat... Kwanzaa Headlines Bunch of family travel deals Latest deals added include a January Travel Special at the... First Nights! "First Night" events celebrate New Year's with family-friendly festivities-- and... Top Family Travel Trends in 2005 It's that time of year... to pause the mad dash... Bookmark the NORAD Tracks Santa site! It's not a family trip, but it's certainly a trip...

Hotel Travel

lastminute.com - flights, holidays, hotels, travel, entertainment, gifts, experiences, sport, restaurants Homepage Winter sun Weekend ideas Exotic holidays Travel Car hire Ferry tickets Flights Charter flights Flight + Hotel Holidays Sun holidays More sun Ski holidays Far & away Short breaks Hotels Holiday cottages Insurance City guides Lifestyle Experiences Gifts Restaurants Sport Theatre Music DVD rental Casino Poker Help/FAQs My details About us Be a supplier Look busy Your Details Sign In Help Our other sites SEARCH TRAVEL SEARCH LIFESTYLE Flight+Hotel-SAVE 's Holidays Flights Hotels Car hire Gifts   Restaurants Entertainment Stressed? Discover Spain with www.spain.info   Gifts Erotic rabbit - as seen in Company magazine from £20.00EUR 30.10 Click Here Gifts Save 20% on this Christmas mixed case from EUR 118.99 Click Here Gifts Send someone into orbit - name a star, 50% discount from £20.00EUR 30.10 Click Here Gifts Chocolicious hamper from EUR 44.95 Click Here Sign up to our Irish email newsletter and be the first to hear about our very best deals. For a sneak preview, click here . Top short breaks 1. 3 night two centre city break to Helsinki and Tallinn (EUR 575.00) Dublin hotel deals 1. Jurys Ballsbridge Hotel - 4* in Dublin (EUR 126.00) 2. The Parliament Hotel - 3* in Dublin (EUR 80.00) 3. Fantastic Rates at 5* Deluxe hotel in Dublin (EUR 130.00) 4. Clarion Hotel Dublin IFSC - 4* (EUR 120.00) 5. The Fitzwilliam - 5* Dublin (EUR 180.00) Part of the lastminute.com group plc. lastminute.com , holidayautos.co.uk , Holidays Hotels Flight + hotel Gifts Experiences Lifestyle Flights Terms & Conditions Investor relations How your contract is formed with lastminute.com Help us to improve your lastminute.com - email bugs and technical problems . (Please note: we will not reply to emails sent to this address) Travel UK | Voyage FR | Reise DE | Viaggio IT | Viaje ES | Reis NL | Resa SE | Travel ZA | Travel AU | Travel NZ | Travel JAP | Voyage BE --

golf vacation planning a

Golf Vacations - Golf Packages - Tee Times - Golf Courses .:GolfZoo.com:. Home | Trip Quote | Destinations | Hot Deals | Testimonials | About Us | Affiliates | Login Golf Destinations Travel Agents must click here to log on first Golf Zoo Vacation Packages Explore more than 25 of the best golf resorts in the US, Canada, & Mexico. Golf Zoo has information on lodging and golf courses that feature photos, descriptions and prices as well as course layouts & scorecards to make your golf vacation planning a breeze. You can create your own discount golf package using our interactive website. Have a question or just need help ? Click the Live Help Button at the top right of every page or call us at 800-929-7300 to speak to one of our travel specialists located in Arizona, South Carolina, Florida, California and Maryland . Click here or sign up below to get first notification of our Hot Deals via e-mail! Featured Hot Deals Phoenix/Scottsdale "Big 3" Special - Estate + Eagle/SunRidge/Wekopa 199.95 Phoenix/Scottsdale "Oldtown Rocks!" - "The Stay" and play Oldtown Scottsdale! 149.95 San Diego JC Resorts - 4 Nights, 3 rounds + Daily Breakfast! 669.95 Orlando Private 4 Bedroom Pool Home + Awesome golf! 149.95 Myrtle Beach Barefoot Stay and Play - Best of Myrtle Beach! 79.95 Williamsburg Luxury 3 Bedroom Condo + Willy's Best Tracks! 99.95 More Hot Deals Subscribe to eNewsletter: Golf Vacation Packages Phoenix/Scottsdale Golf Vacations Palm Springs Golf Vacation San Diego Golf Vacations Fort Lauderdale Golf Vacations Jacksonville Golf Vacations Miami Golf Vacation Orlando Golf Vacation West Palm / Boca Raton Golf Vacations Tampa / St Petersburg Golf Vacation Williamsburg Golf Vacations Ocean City / DE Shore Golf Vacation Las Vegas Golf Package Hilton Head Golf Packages Myrtle Beach Golf Package Asheville Golf Packages Brunswick Islands Golf Package Charlotte Golf Packages Fayetteville Golf Package Pinehurst Golf Packages Raleigh Golf Package Cabo San Lucas Golf Package Robert Trent Jones Trail Golf Packages Banff Golf Package Tremblant Golf Package Whistler Golf Package Deep Creek Lake Golf Packages Jekyll Island, GA Golf Packages tour operator online reservation software 2001-2005 Golf Zoo has our own Blog ! You will find the latest on specials, destinations, reviews, comics, press releases & more! View the Latest Posts to Golf Zoo's Blog- Click Here! Latest Golf News : View the Latest News from USA Today Home | Trip Quote | Destinations | Hot Deals | Testimonials | Newsletter | Travel Insurance | Affiliates | Featured Sites | Help | Privacy Policy | Sitemap Golf Zoo | 1-800-929-7300 | info@golfzoo.com

ITALY Travel Guide Overview

VirtualTourist.com - Italy Travel Guide - Pictures, Tips and Reviews Italy Travel Guide. Tips, Reviews & Photos plus Hotels, Restaurants, Activities & More in Italy member log in | join for free! | help Home Travel Guides Hotels Flights Deals NEW! Members Meetings & Events Do It Yourself Guides Forums ITALY Travel Guide Overview | Hotels | Forum | Things To Do | Top Member Pages | Deals | Members | Meetings & Events Home » Travel Guides » Europe » Italy Destinations Members Keywords Sponsored Links for Italy Marriott Hotels Enjoy stylish luxury hotels with Marriott's new rooms. Book now. Costa Rica Vacation $995 10 Day Escorted Tour, All Inclusive 53 Years. Smart Shoppers Compare. Hotels Compare Prices, View Photos & More! Low Rates Guaranteed - Book Now Vacation In Paradise Visit Atlantis, Paradise Island for the vacation of a lifetime. Cheap Hotels at Expedia Expedia Special Rates Means We Guarantee Our Low Rates on Rooms. Italy Hotel Rates City: Check-In Date: Check-Out Date: Guests: 1 2 3 4 Hotels by OneTime.com Italy Forum Join a Discussion Travelling from Florence to Venice (1 replies, 7:53 PM Dec. 26, 2005) Need traveler to Italy for school project (1 replies, 12:25 PM Dec. 22, 2005) Italian wine (21 replies, 6:32 AM Dec. 23, 2005) Be the first to reply to these questions Accommodation in Pesaro and other cities on the Adriatic coast (no replies yet) Anyone with advice on Perugia (no replies yet) Accomodations near Milan airport or bus station? (no replies yet) » All Italy Discussions » Post a Italy Discussion Travel Resources Car Rental Cruises Vacations Luggage NEW! Italy Deals Holiday fares for flights to and within Italy starting 39 euros! (2 comments, 12:17 PM Dec. 26, 2005) Train travel in Italy for as little as 10 euro (2 comments, 8:49 AM Dec. 19, 2005) 20% Rail Discount for Non-Italians (0 comments, 8:10 PM Nov. 7, 2005) » All Italy Deals » Post a Italy Deal FREE VT Deals Newsletter great deals, inside tips & no spam Popular Italy Hotels In: Rome Venice Florence Milan Verona Pisa Italy Flight Rates From: To: Departure Date: Anytime Morning Afternoon Evening Midnight 01:00 AM 02:00 AM 03:00 AM 04:00 AM 05:00 AM 06:00 AM 07:00 AM 08:00 AM 09:00 AM 10:00 AM 11:00 AM Noon 01:00 PM 02:00 PM 03:00 PM 04:00 PM 05:00 PM 06:00 PM 07:00 PM 08:00 PM 09:00 PM 10:00 PM 11:00 PM Return Date: Anytime Morning Afternoon Evening Midnight 01:00 AM 02:00 AM 03:00 AM 04:00 AM 05:00 AM 06:00 AM 07:00 AM 08:00 AM 09:00 AM 10:00 AM 11:00 AM Noon 01:00 PM 02:00 PM 03:00 PM 04:00 PM 05:00 PM 06:00 PM 07:00 PM 08:00 PM 09:00 PM 10:00 PM 11:00 PM Passengers: 1 2 3 4 Flights by OneTime.com Italy Local time: 11:43 pm Wednesday, December 28, 2005. TravelPro Sale - LuggageGuru.com Great hotels from $53/pp. Hotels in Italy Flights to Italy Map NEW! Members living here: 4,950 Member tips: 56,654 Member pictures: 93,018 Popular Destinations in Italy Rome Venice Florence Milan Verona Pisa Valeggio sul Mincio Naples Pompeii Trieste Genoa Bologna Siena Torino Bergamo Padova Lucca Palermo Sorrento Lago di Garda San Gimignano Catania Bolzano Ravenna Positano » More Destinations in Italy Regions in Italy Abruzzo Basilicata Calabria Campania Emilia-Romagna Friuli-Venezia Giulia Lazio Liguria Lombardy Marche Molise Piemonte Puglia Sardegna Sicilia Trentino-Alto Adige Tuscany Umbria Valle d'Aosta Veneto Top Pages About Italy 1. Italia Nel Cuore by croisbeauty 117 Tips 375 Pictures 2. Italia - Prego! by iandsmith 133 Tips 154 Pictures 3. The Many Faces Of Italy by deecat 88 Tips 103 Pictures 4. Beautiful Italy by sim1 84 Tips 89 Pictures 5. The Best Time To Be In Italy by Ciambella 52 Tips 69 Pictures » View all rated pages (413) » View newest pages » Build your own Italy page Tips and Photos about Italy in General Overview General Tips Tips: 1,094 - Pictures: 862 Restaurants Tips: 290 - Pictures: 161 Hotels and Accommodations Tips: 342 - Pictures: 211 Things To Do Tips: 1,647 - Pictures: 1,480 Nightlife Tips: 97 - Pictures: 58 Off the Beaten Path Tips: 496 - Pictures: 435 Tourist Traps Tips: 123 - Pictures: 63 Warnings or Dangers Tips: 228 - Pictures: 92 Transportation Tips: 324 - Pictures: 188 Local Customs Tips: 334 - Pictures: 243 Packing Lists Tips: 96 - Pictures: 48 Shopping Tips: 60 - Pictures: 40 Sports Travel Tips: 21 - Pictures: 17 » See tips about a specific place in Italy More Sponsored Links for Italy Visit the New Delta.com Low fares to Italy & other destinations. Low Change Fees! Italy Hotels View photos, maps, reviews, rates and book: pay only on check out ! Italy Villas For Rent View a comprehensive collection in the country and on the coast. Find: Destinations Members Keywords Matching: Advanced About VT | Contact Us | Site Tour | Advertising | Local Merchant Login | Travel Tools | VT Chat | VT Gear | Help User Agreement | Privacy Statement Virtual Tourist® ©1994-2005 VirtualTourist.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Germany Travel > Cologne

Cologne Germany Travel Essentials - Cologne Profile  You are here: About > Travel > Europe for Visitors > Germany Austria Switzerland > Germany Travel > Cologne Germany Travel Essentials - Cologne Profile Travel Go Europe Essentials European Vacation Planning Map Europe Travel 101 - Before you Go European Distances The Best of Europe European Photo Gallery Articles & Resources Europe Travel Planning What to do In Europe Lodging - Hotels and More European Travel Maps Sex and Nudism Travel Photography Transportation Benelux Countries France Germany Austria Switzerland Greece Italy and Malta Travel Info Scandinavian Travel Spain and Portugal United Kingdom and Ireland Buyer's Guide Before You Buy Top Picks Italy Travel Guidebooks Europe Travel Guidebooks German Travel Guidebooks Product Reviews Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Europe for Visitors newsletter! See Online Courses   Search Europe for Visitors Map showing the location of Cologne, Germany. James Martin Stay up to date! Map showing the location of Cologne, Germany. James Martin Email to a friend Print this page Cologne and Germany on this site Germany Map and Travel Essentials German Rail Map Cologne Travel Links Cologne Essentials Cologne-Bonn Airport Cologne Map (1.6 mb pdf) Cologne Public Library Cologne Highlights Cologne Events, Music and Fairs Cologne Carnival Cologne Live! Most Popular Europe Map - Distances Between Cities in Western Europe Europe's Best Nudist Beaches Europe Picture Galleries Italy Pictures Europe Travel 101 - Before You Travel to Europe for the Firs... What's Hot Power Adapters Noord-Holland - Delights of North Holland Travel Visiting Pompeii Italy Guidebooks Naples - Getting There Related Topics France for Visitors Greece for Visitors United Kingdom / Ireland for Visitors Eastern Europe for Visitors Italy for Visitors Cologne Germany Travel Essentials Cologne (Köln) City Profile From James Martin , Your Guide to Europe for Visitors . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! Cologne Location:  Cologne is located in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, along the Rhine river between Dusseldorf and Bonn. Founded by Romans, Cologne is one of Germany's oldest cities. Cologne Population:  The fourth largest city in Germany, Cologne has over 1.8 million people. Cologne Tourist Office:  The Tourist Office is located at Unter Fettenhennen 19, just southwest of the train station. It's open 9 am to 10 pm in summer, and 9 am to 9 pm in winter, except for Sundays and public holidays, when it's open 10 am to 6 pm. They will help you make same-day hotel reservations. Phone: +49(0)221-30400. Cologne Airport:  Called the "Köln Bonn Airport" both Cologne and Bonn are served from the airport that sits between the two cities. A taxi ride at the time of writing (see the airport site for current rates) to Central Cologne costs around 25 Euros. The distance is 17 kms and it should take around 15 minutes. There is bus service to the main train station in Cologne every 15 minutes. Cologne Central Station - Köln Hbf:  The huge central train station is one of the key rail hubs in Europe. It is centrally located near pedestrian shopping streets and the Cathedral. For travellers using Germany's excelent rail system, Germany Rail Passes (buy direct) offer discounted travel around Germany and to neighboring countries. Cologne Map:  The Cologne Tourist Office offers a fine, full color tourist map you can download and print on a legal size page. See the box in the upper right for the link. (1.6 mb download) Cologne - When to Go:  Cologne has moderate, mild winters. It seldom snows. Summers can be humid (but seldom blazingly hot). Fall is considered idea; hotels lower prices in September-October and raise them when the carnival season starts on November 11. Cologne - Library and Internet Access:  Free internet access is available at the Cologne Public Library (StadtBibliothek Köln), one of the biggest in Germany. There is a wireless LAN there, as well as international newspapers. Cologne Carnival:  Although carnival season in Cologne starts on November 11, the main event called the "three mad days" is held around easter time (opens the Thursday before the beginning of Lent) and attracts over a million revelers. See our links on the upper right for more. Cologne Attractions:   The Cologne Cathederal - Cologne's Gothic Cathederal is one of its top attractions. It took over 600 years to build and is a UNESCO world heritage site. Conveniently located right next to the train station. In 2000, the Cathederal treasures were placed in a historic vaulted chamber so folks could view them easier. If you can climb 509 steps you'll get a good view of Cologne on the observation platform. Open 6am to 7:30 pm for viewing, except during mass. Bring a wide-angle lens if you want to get it all in the picture, or you'll end up with an impressionistic shot like this picture of the Cologne Cathederal and its soaring spires. Rhine Boat Trips - lots of day trips and longer excursions are available. Ask at the tourist office. Visit the house of 4711, the Original Eau-de-Cologne - Wilhelm Mulhens marketed a concoction called Aqua Mirabilis on the basis of its stimulating and refreshing effect (splash it on or drink it, it didn't matter). It later got to be know as the first Eau de Cologne when French Revolutionary troops sent it home for gifts to the family. Glockengasse, in the city centre between the cathedral and Neumarkt, opposite the opera house. Have a brew and a bite to eat in the Altstadt (old town) - Cologne is definately a beer city with their own beer styly called Kölcsh, a pale top fermented beer that must be brewed in the Cologne metoopolitan area. While most of the breweries in the city center are gone, you can still enjoy a beer with other tourists at a pub in the Altstadt. Visit the Roman-German Museum (Romisch-Germanisches Museum) - See Roman antiquities from the first through fourth centuries--and the 230 foot long mosaic showing Dionysus, the Roman god of wine. Highly recommended. Cologne Pictures Take a virtual tour with our Cologne Germany Pictures . Around Cologne Strasbourg and Colmar , France, and Baden-Baden are interesting nearby destinations. A fast drive around the Nurburgring should get your blood flowing nicely.        Topic Index | Email to a Friend Our Story | Be a Guide | Advertising Info | Work at About | Site Map | Icons | Help User Agreement | Ethics Policy | Patent Info. | Privacy Policy | Kids' Privacy Policy ©2005 About, Inc., A part of the New York Times Company . All rights reserved. Around About New Video iPod - Review POLL: Must-Have Gadgets VIDEO: Portable Gaming VIDEO: Choosing a TV Hugh Hefner's Life What's Hot Power Adapters Noord-Holland - Delights of North Holland Travel Visiting Pompeii Italy Guidebooks Naples - Getting There