I'd always thought that Michelangelo's David was a) in Florence and b)
an ivory colour. So, imagine my surprise while walking along the banks
of the Rhine in Cologne when I spied David in all his male chromatic
glory.
His body was pink, with a rather disturbing red tinge
(clearly he was feeling the chill in the air), and it was nice to see
that this David was blonde all over with plenty of work going in to
make sure his pubic hair was the same hue as his head.
Cologne,
Germany's oldest large town, is great for those wanting an ABC (Another
Bloody Cathedral) tour, but you shouldn't right it off as such. Just
when you've squeezed out all your murmurs of approval at the town's
impressive Kölner Dom you'll walk round the corner to find a chocolate
museum, gay pride march (once a year the ColognePride festival entices
a million people to the city), or the uncomfortably life-like
recreation of David.
The city centre is overshadowed by it's cathedral, though, and it's no surprise that it's Cologne's biggest tourist attraction. You'll need a wide-angle lens if you're going to attempt to get the whole structure in the frame. It's huge. In fact, the main facade is the largest of its kind in the world, spanning an area of 7000m_.
Once inside, check out the Sarcophagus of the Magi, reported tp be the resting place of the Three Wise Men's remains. If you're feeling nimble climb the 157 metres to the top of one of the two towers - a total of 509 steps - for an unobstructed view of the city.
Cologne also features the 12 Romanesque Churches, all of which were more or less destroyed in World War II but rebuilt by 1985, as well as another nine churches littered throughout the city's expansive footprint.
A good way to get to grips with all the city has to offer is to take a walking tour. They're €9 for 90 minutes and run every Saturday from April 28 to October 13. If you're heading out alone, start at the Köln Tourismus (right next to the cathedral) and get yourself a Welcome Card at €9 for a day.
It allows reduced entry fees - half price in some cases - at museums like the Römisch-Germanisches Museum (Romano-Germanic Museum), the Wallraf-Richartz Museum, and everyone's favourite, the Chocolate Museum. The card also gets discounts at local restaurants and free transport within the Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Sieg (VRS).
After a couple of days pounding the pavement seeing the weird and the wonderful attractions the city has on offer, you'll be sure to agree that Cologne isn't your average cathedral city.
Stats amazing!
Kölner Dom
Before you go to the Cathedral, stick these in your memory bank and marvel at the pure majesty of the place.
Dimensions
Window surface area: 10,000 m_
Roof surface area: 12,000 m_
Interior volume: 407,000 m_
Height of the towers: 157.38m
Big bells
The Cathedral has 12 church bells and if that isn't enough to make your ears ring, it has the Big Bertha of bells. The St. Petersglocke was cast in 1922 and weighs 24 tons. That makes it the largest free-swinging bell in the world.
• Juris Graney travelled to Cologne with easyJet who fly to Cologne from Gatwick with return fares from £47.98