They say that once you visit your first German city, you’ll be hooked—and I’m here to confirm: it’s true. One glimpse at the mix of centuries-old architecture, war-era scars, and modern glass-and-steel giants, and your curiosity gets greedy. It wants more. And more. And more.

We started our adventure with a weekend visit to Frechen, a small, sleepy town just 12 kilometers south of Cologne. From there, we took the S-Bahn—Germany’s über-punctual suburban train system—into the heart of the action. The ride? A quick 18 minutes. The entertainment? Unexpectedly fabulous. Our fellow passengers were dressed for Karneval: feathers, glitter, painted faces, and wigs that would make Lady Gaga proud. Cologne’s “Crazy Days” were about to begin, and it was clear we had arrived just in time for the pre-party.
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