That's an unusually big Kölsch you got there... the reason for the small glasses is that it turns stale quicker than other types. Glad you enjoyed it. Prost!

2:50 Cologne is modern, but well ... because it was bombed out by the allied forces during WW2 and it had to be rebuild quickly during the 1950s and 60s. Cologne city is a living memorial of how war can literally change the face of a whole culture, since this city has completely changed due to that event. The cathedral is one of the most famous landmarks in Germany, also because against all odds it survived the bombings with every building destroyed around it; it became a symbol for surviving such a traumatic event and going on strong.

if you claim Einstein we claim Nalf!

Albert Einstein ,,one of the smartest Americans of all time'' -----...... YES because he is German :-D

You actually got a (big -sorry ) large Kölsch - regular, traditional is 0,2l

,, If my relativity theory proves wrong, the Germans will say I was Jewish, the French will say I was German and the Americans will say that I was European. But if my relativity theory proves correct, the Germans will say I was German, the French will say that I am European, and the Americans will say that I am Jewish“ (Albert Einstein)

Regarding the Kölsch: It's so small because as soon as you finish it or even when there is a tiny bit left in it, they'll just bring you a new one. The way to stop them is by placing the coaster on top of the glass.

i do love the fact that you are “Landei“ and appreciate little things in life. i think thats the reason why i follow you here..you are def something else.

Nalf, based on your taste so far, I recommend Münster and Lübeck. They both have a lively old town, but are more Northern Germany. In the South Tübingen Is worth a visit

You really should do something about all your bubbles. The Schwäbisch Hall bubble, the American football bubble, the American expats bubble. You will be surprised.

Going to a concert alone: I did that exactly four times - right after I moved to another city, so I didn't know anyone to come along. Every single time I met the same guy. We are now married and have three children 😅. So, I can totally recommend doing that.

Haha, awesome, Nalf getting out of his "small town bubble" 😂⛪ You really should travel more! 👍 7:14 "scheeeeeiße" 😂😂😂😂

Nice to see someone visiting my hometown for the first time :) The traditional Kölsch size is actually 0.2l because it is meant to be fresh when you drink it. The "Köbes" (word for waiter in Cologne) will just bring you another Kölsch when you're finished if you don't tell them to stop. I think that's even better than a big glass. PS: If you're in Cologne again, eat a Döner on the Venloer Straße!

They say, when finnish working on the dome in cologne the world will end. So, actually they can't stop working on it

Haha, you should leave your Southern German bubble more often! Germany is so diverse & hopefully you discover different regions in the future. It's worth it.

Ulm, Germany, not only has the tallest Church Tower in the world (Lincoln UK 2nd, Cologne only 4th), but it also has Einstein's Birthplace. ;)

I live in cologne for 30 years now, and I am still impressed coming to the Dom. So lucky to live here, where they say "cologne is the most northern city of Italia". So good to see you liked it here. And you're right: kölsch is awesome!!!

The thing with "Uber" is that Germany has strict regulations on who is and isn't allowed to commercially transport people. If you want to become a taxi driver, for example, you have to get a special permit. Uber did not adhere to these laws and as it is de facto a Taxi-service, it was forbidden from operating in Germany for a few years. Now they are coming back with a more traditional German transport-model, from what I know, since the law itself of course didn't change.

From 1880 to 1884 the Cologne Cathedral was the tallest building in the world. After the Ulm Cathedral and the Cathedral Notre-Dame-de-la-Paix de Yamoussoukro it is the third tallest church in the world.

Hey Nalf, good to see you in Cologne. Sure, in this short time period it´s impossible to explore the fourth biggest city of germany in full. And it´s absolutely clear that our Cologne is not the nicest city in germany, but there must be several reasons that make Cologne so popular to live in for many people from all over the country. Cologne is not known for its nice houses, but it´s famous for his peoples mentality, which is completely different to the rest of the country. Cologne is easy, the big easy. The city´s flair is made by the people. You can only catch this when you´re here for some days longer. It´s also the carnival City of Western Europe with one of the Top 5 biggest Carnivals worldwide. Also the whole city is fully crowded with roman history, nearly on every corner in the city. And its also the second oldest city in germany. Cologne is different to the rest of germany in many many ways, but nowhere in the country than in Cologne is that the people are the real city, not the buildings. Take yourself the time to rest here for some days, walk through the evenig streets, pop in some typical old bars or brewery houses and seek the conversation with the Cologners, then you will love this city. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/qrujrMZ3lbmddpc.html

Love your approach to solo city trips... just wandering around freely, getting lost. I also love to do that. That's how you discover the best things imo and meet fun people. :)

In my experience: every mayor west European city feels "american" if you're in the center: there are always the same shops, eateries, crowds ... the character of a city tends to be outside of the center, or hidden in little corners. And it's so much fun to discover it!

4:09 Kölsch. An interesting side note on beers might be that it is very easy to check whether the mineral water in beers is rich in metals or not. If you take some of the foam and rub it out on your hand, then smell at it, you might notice the smell of coins. The stronger the smell, the higher the metal content in the beer. The first time I tried this during my education towards becoming a beer-sommelier it was with a Kölsch and the smell was quite profound. If I remember correctly mineral rich water is usually preferred for top fermenting beers. The lime-rich soil around Köln is very suitable for producing the preferred mineralisation of the water.

Right out of the "Hauptbahnhof" and you see: our little railway chapel *lol*

You should go see the Aachen Cathedral built by Charlemagne. Remember most German cities were destroyed in the war so of course they look more modern.

Thank you for doing these videos, your curiosity and spirit of exploration are great.

well filmed, nice content, and relaxing as always. you are by far my favourite KZfaq channel for whenever i dont know what else to do, or if i just want to relax after a hard day. plz continue your great work for a long time;)

Kölsch is served in small glasses to ensure the carbohydrate and temperature is always perfect. The waiters in cologne (‚Köbesse‘) usually bring you new glasses automatically until you put the ‚Bierdeckel‘ on it.

If "gern geschehen" in response to "danke" already blows your mind, come to Northern Germany. We'll say "da nich für" to you (which means: you don't have to say thank you for that).

The cologne cathedral is also known as "the eternal construction site". The reason behind this is the stone which this is made of is very vulnerable. Acid rain, air pollution and dove poop make it necessary to constantly renovate the structure and since it's so huge they never get finished with it.

Köln is a fantastic city. As an American, Germany has always been one of my favorite places. So much to see and do. The Cathedral, walking by museums to see Roman ruins 3 stories under street level (wow) the beer is great, crispy pig knuckle, Brauhaus history. Fantastic. We loved Peter’s Brauhaus.

I just found out that you have been to Freiburg already. Awesome! I need to check this out. About the "wrong Kölsch": You should drink it in a Brewery Restaurant ("Brauhaus") where you constantly get the next glass. And of course you need to drink it form the 0.2 litre glasses. 0.3 is quite common throughout Germany. It's the 0.2 size what gives it that weird touch for most of the Germans.

Good job mr nalf with the music and the cathedral! Got goosebumps all over my body

He didnt just claim Einstein as american, i dare you Nalf :D

Jede Stadt und jedes Dorf in Deutschland, hat das beste Bier!

The Cologne Cathedral is "only" the 3rd tallest church in the world. The tallest is the Ulm Minster. The Sagrada Família in Barcelona is planned to become even taller but is still under construction.

Can't believe nobody wanted to join you for the concert. Great that you went anyway 🤙🏻

When you visit again, you have to have more time. And a big one. Köln is king Stadt, et is an jeföhl. Cologne isn´t a city it is the vibes. And to feel these vibes it needs more than a few hours.

The thing about Uber: In Germany you need to get a license for being a taxi driver. I believe among other things you need get a training in first aid. So the license is a cost factor. Tge Government said that Uber is part of the taxi industry and the drivers driving for them need a license . And Uber is arguing that they are not like a taxi business. Right now Uber is very limited because they need to follow that law and can only hire people with that license. (I hope the last sentence is correct, not completely sure.

Yes! Come here again!! And i can recommend visiting Düsseldorf as well! :)

You can't make a check on Colonge after being there for only one or two days. You have to get in touch with the people and then you will get the right feeling about the differences between differend areas in Germany. And the people in Cologne area ARE really different to these ones in SHA. I think it's like the difference between Portland and some small towns in Alabama or Texas.

I live near Koblenz where the Rhine and the Mosel meet and I always go to Cologne for concerts. It's a really nice city and I like going there for a day but I come from a small town which is comfortable and not as big and exhausting.

It is so interesting to me that you described the vibe being specifically similar to the one you get from Manchester. I'm from Cologne, not currently living there tho, and that one time that I got to see Manchester I felt immediatlly at home. Manchester is a little more artsy ( and smaller I think?) but the people seem to be as down to earth as Kölner.

Hi Really cool video..!! My Wife & i are going to Cologne in December also this is our first visit to Germany. We have heard so many goods things about Cologne so can't wait to visit.

You asked for the reason for the small Kölsch glasses. That's because of the brewing style. The foam on a Kölsch is very delicate and doesn't last long. That's why you need small glasses and fast delivery systems. As for the "wrong Kölsch" Gaffel is fine. It is however a little closer to Pils as other Kölsch. A little more on the bitter side. But it is still a traditional Kölsch. If you're interested: I think that Schreckenskammer Kölsch is the best, but it is mainly served at their Pub. You were inm the Altstadt, there are a few Päffgen-Pubs. That is a beer that isn't sold bottled and is almost exclusive to their Brauhäuser and pubs. It's a little less cabonated than other beer. The most popular Kölsch you can buy everywhere is Reissdorf. Another good choice. And yes, Cologne is very different from the rest of Germany in many ways. That's why we jokingly call ouselves the most northern city of Italy. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else but I can understand why you wouldn't want to live here. Freiburg is a small town and Munich is way prettier. Unlike those two Cologne was bombed heavily during WWII and many of the beautiful buildings were destroyed. Cologne isn't pretty, although it has improved significantly over the last years. There are beautiful buildings, but you have to look for them. But the thing that sets Cologne apart from other cities is the way of life. That also takes time to experience and it might not be for everyone. Anyway, sorry for the bad weather, but you seemed to have enjoyed yourself anyway.

I live in a Cologne for 15 years and I love this City🌞 We drink beer in small glasses because it tastes best when it is fresh and Cold 🍺 I Think 2 Days is not enough to see the Cologne 😊 I still Hope you like it ☺ Liebe Grüße Aga 😁

Great videos!!! Well done! All the best from Karlsruhe. 😉

The tallest church in the world is the Ulmer Münster in Ulm. It should be an easy day-trip from Schwäbisch Hall. The Cologne Cathedral *was* however the "highest building in the world" for a hot minute

Cologne is dope, Nalf! I went there to college and it`s by far the coolest city in Germany, called the most northern italian city in Europe! People are chill here.

The bridge at 3:03 is "Hohenzollernbrücke", the busiest railway bridge in Germany and one of the main reasons for delays on the ICE network.

😂 “It looks like they’re still working on it.” 😂 I love your vids so much!!

Yeah, Nalf, please come back here for another time someday soon. There is deffo more to see and experience at Cologne. Anyway you should bring a few days time with you and use Cologne as the starting point for some trips in the local area. Rounds up the picture and shows you again the German vibes like you used to know. Cologne is more just city vibes.

you should check out frankfurt, its a different world too. lots of big banks (skyscrapers) . but also lots of dirt and poor people. nice video ! Greetings from ffm :)

If you prefer smaller towns, I recommend a visit to Weimar in Thuringia. I was there during a cross country bicycling tour with my family. We started in Eisenach (where Luther translated the bible to German) then biked along the "Rennsteig" through the Thuringian Forest, cruised the a couple of other towns and interesting sights and also stayed a few days in Weimar. Like Freiburg it is a lively university town, has interesting history (Goethe, Schiller, Liszt, Bauhaus, Weimar Republic), and is extremely picturesque.

You could visit Aachen, it's kinda modern I guess but also has an older charm to it, plus it was one of germanies first capitals and it's Cathedral is charlesmanges burial.

Nick so happy you visited city and church. Back in 1980 I took the train up there and visited that wonderful city and yes exiting the station is definitely a WOW moment. You must try in during the fall a wine cruse from Cologne down to Frankfurt. Those German wines are simply terrific. You also mentioned Freiburg once again. I agree with you. I was also stationed in Giessen and had a lover in Freiburg - That actually became my second home, off the military base. The castle there is awesome - and painting of the deer heads looking at you is magnificent. I envy you Nick - often looking back I think of how close I came to staying there after my military service ended. To be honest I think I should have. Oh FYI - once you decide to come back to the U.S., Germany has become part of your DNA - that's right - as the Fatherland and its Folk have adopted you. And you will always yearn to return.

hey Nalf, have you considered visiting northern Germany? Like coming here to Kiel, visiting Kieler Woche 22.06 - 30.06 (biggest sailingevent in the world paired with the biggest summerfestival in northern europe), maybe talking to players of Kiel Baltic Hurricanes to get a american impression of northern germany.

i live near Aachen, it`s right next to Köln. But i drive to Heidelberg and Schwäbisch Hall next week^^ I wanna see Schwäbisch Hall just because of your videos.

Kudos for going alone. I have some of the best memories of trips I went on by myself. Especially when I lived in the US (I am German). Had I waited for my friends to tag along, I would've missed 75% of the places I visited. And I agree, you HAVE to go back to Cologne. Maybe make it a combined trip and visit Bonn as well. Bonn used to be the German capital up until the reunification.

Nalf, I think if you don't want to go somewhere alone, you could always just say "I'm going there. Who of my viewers wants to join me?" and then You'll never be alone anywhere

Next time try Mühlen Kölsch! The brewery "Brauerei zur Malzmühle" was just around the corner i think ;)

The small beer has the advantage of not getting "schal"(dull) like bigger ones since you finish it faster before ordering the next.

Bucket list for Cologne: Visit Köln Ehrenfeld for a good vibe, pick Reissdorf Kölsch, definitely go inside Kölner Dom. If you are below 30, go to the latin quarter, it is infested with students. Cologne has not only one city centre, every part of the city has its own pubs and shopping street and every part has its own flair. During Karneval, its crowded and something totally different. You need a plan or a guide to the shopping/pub streets to each center. And dont go by uber, rent a bike, much better for stopping at an interesting place/shop that you discover.

Köln is schietig schön. What my city makes so special are the people. Coming from Münster wich is THE bice town I have to admit that here the people are so open.... love it.

If you like more the village you should have gone to Monschau... look it up. it is not FAR away from Cologne. But its cold there in Winter.

yes Nick, the reason Cologne is so modern *cough cough* is cause it was extensivly "remodeled" with British "help" *cough* in 1944. and the Cathedral is so huge before you finish building it you have to start over at the other end

2:40 I'm telling ya! You should really visit Hamburg and Berlin !! As somebody from 040 I gotta say Hamburg's the most beautiful and Berlin the most multicultural city. Love 'em both!!

Well, Cologne is not as pretty as those southern german towns, but it is famous for open minded, tolerant and friendly people. And after what was seen in your video you mainly saw the "old town" of Cologne, which isn't the real Cologne. Cologne also isn't really a big city. It's just a large village :p.

Missed cologne . Great video mate 👍

The Dome is absolutely beautyfull, whenever I enter it, it does feel like entering a whole city instead of a building. Absolutely worth to visit!!!

Hi Nalf, the most interesting part of Cologne is under ground level. It seems as one can dig anywhere to find ruines from the Romans. Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium was the Roman colony in the Rhineland from which the German city of Cologne developed. If you cut the name sjort, you get cologne. The part above ground was mainly whiped out. Ut was bombed in 262 separate air raids by the Allies during World War II, all by the Royal Air Force (RAF) but for a single failed post-capture test of a guided missile by the United States Army Air Forces. A total of 34,711 long tons of bombs were dropped on the city by the RAF. 20,000 people died during the war in Cologne due to aerial bombardments.

I've been to many concerts alone in the past and it's ALWAYS a good time! 😂

You have to visit Munich and Hamburg. 😜

I’m seeing Dermot Kennedy in June and can not wait! His voice is beautiful! Love that you went by yourself!

I visited Cologne a several times and wouldn't want to live there. You will like Freiburg as I used to live there when I attended the deaf school there. Munich is definitely the best since you have close access to the mountains and gorgeous lakes. Not to mention Austria!

I‘m from cologne, I can give u a city tour if u want. Beautiful city, and the mentality is unique. Cologne is really german, really traditional.

I see that you're on Oregon brand with that hat. Also, great beer drinking form with the pinky out!

I dont understand How nalf isnt yet a KZfaq Star in Germany, one of my favourite youtubers! And his videos are something else, in therms of the content, so many small things, the things you show to us even when its almost not mentionable🤣 Keep it up Nalf! I hope you make it to the Southern palatinate, its the german "toscana"😁

concert sounded great. Were you in the Arena? I too am an American living 15 years in the Aachen Köln area

God I love that cathedral, I love Gothic architecture so much, they look so gorgeous

DERMOT KENNEDY IS SOOO AMAZING!! So jealous you got to see him live

I do really like your cheeky sense of humour. My hometown is Manchester and it’s not really comparable to Cologne. There’s no enormous world famous cathedral or an actual Altstadt in Manchester. Although it was an original Roman fort town 2000 years ago, Manchester only became wealthy during the industrial revolution so the beautiful historic buildings only date from 1800’s (such as the Town Hall, John Rylands and Central libraries). However it has great vibes because of the enormous student population so lots of live music venues, comedy clubs, bars and restaurants. It’s a creative city (like Liverpool) with lots of energy for young artists, and is a tv and film media hub away from expensive London. Having lived in France, Germany, Singapore and Hong Kong because of work, I do rather miss my hometown.

Nalf should open a patreon account. His Community can spend money so Nalf can visit different parts in Germany

Dude come to Mainz, it’s a beautiful small university city by the Rhine in an amazing Wine region.

You have to visit Lüdenscheid during the " Stadtfest " on the begin of September ;)

And your next destinations are? Suggest you drive to Münster in North Rhine-Westphalia or a small coastal town like Emden in NDS Or you visit the Grafschaft Bentheim, the only region in Germany that may call itself county (Grafschaft). There is a castle and there are villages in the county has oldest Gothic churches in Germany.And all in spitting distance to the Netherlands. Here speak German and Dutch the same regional language Plaat. This is very interesting because that connects both in the border region and yet there are differences. Is worth a visit I find.

Hi Nalf😍Love your videos

It's crazy that I see this 3 year old video because I am visiting cologne in a few months on a Europe trip that ends in Ireland where I am ALSO SEEING DERMOT KENNEDY haha

Just for your information the beer in Cologne or the kölsch in generel is in so small glasses because its a bit carbonated i guess and in those 0.2 glasses the flavour of the beer is the best, because in bigger glasses like 0,5 the flavour gets a bit lost towards the end of the beer ( It gets Schal / dont know the translation for it) So thats why its in so small glasses ^^

Saw the Kellys with the dad on the Eurocity Stadtfest for free in Münster. Give it a try. May be for the next Eurocity Stadtfest ore the next chritmess markets wich is one of the bigest.

I would recomend the city of Aachen to you to travel. It is not a a huge city like cologne or Düsseldorf. But it is not a small village either. Just something in between. I love it. Keep up the good videos

Totally feel you on Cologne not being where I would want to live. Munich is my faaaavvvv.

hey man i really like your channel it is refreshing to see germany from your perspective. and you are right bigger citys have a completely different vibe and i also don't like it..as a german. i probably should have written german :D schönen tag noch !

Kölsch is in small classes so it is always fresh when you drink it. if you are in a bar you normally get a new one without being asked.

But i can also show u Düsseldorf, which is the capital of northrhein westphalia and comparable with cologne because its completely different in every kind. It has its own beer “Alt bier” which means “old beer”. And the mentality is completely different to the cologne one, also the style and the vibe of the city. (I went to school in Düsseldorf)

Yes, I’ve only been to London in the UK, and when I first visited Cologne, it felt like a little London. It has more city feel than old European cities.

The Kölsch needs to be served in a small glass (usually 0.2 litre) because it contains less carbon dioxide than a regular beer (e.g. Pils). Hence you need to drink it fast and in small portions so that it stays fresh until you finish your beer.

Funny my boyfriend went to the same concert. And he would love to hear u came to our hometown cologne. :-)

Time to get up here in the north to Hamburg! Would be a good candidate for a city to live/stay in.

About the beer: You even got a 'big' one woth 0.3, usually it is served in 0.2. Cologne got a very unique pub-culture, where the size of the glass doesnt realy matter, because the bartender ("Köbes" in cologne dialect) usually makes sure you never sit there with an empty glas. Additionaly, with a smaler glas your beer wont become warm or loose the bubbles, because usualy you get it finished way before that