These days, it’s recommended to stay home to stay safe. But that doesn‘t mean, you cannot already plan your next city trip for the time after the pandemic! You don’t even need to go far: Close to the Netherlands and the Belgian border lies North Rhine-Westphalia.

Taking a look at the map, you’ll see how the urban areas are stretching from the Ruhr Area via Düsseldorf to Cologne, revealing a banana shape.

Welcome to urbanana

Welcome to urbanana! 

urbanana is rather an attitude than a destination. Instead of focusing on typical sightseeing attractions, urbanana emphasizes on the individual and creative minds that help to shape the urban spaces.

First stop: Cologne

First stop on the route through urbanana: Cologne. The city is especially known for its impressive cathedral and cheerful carnival celebrations. But the metropolis has much more to offer.

Cologne residents affectionately identify themselves with their quarters, also known as “Veedels“. A stroll through the different Veedels reveals the multiple facets of Cologne. Every Veedel is different and has a lot to offer equally for art lovers, bar hoppers and shopping enthusiasts. 

 Source: Joris Felix

Art galleries

The Belgian Quarter is one of Cologne’s places to be when it comes to fashion and design. Creatives and individualists enjoy the multicultural atmosphere in the streets that are full of unique boutiques and appealing bars. At the same time the quarter is home to various art galleries:

• Galerie am Brüsseler Platz
• Christian Lethert
• Popup68

 Source: Georg-Hopp aka Fänger der Zeit

Vintage shops

Another quarter you will love is Ehrenfeld: Bargain hunters and fashionistas from all over the city and beyond come to the district to shop vintage styles in one of the many thrift shops:

• Polyesterschock
• Kleiderei
• Todd

Ehrenfeld is also famous for its urban art. Nowhere else in the city will you find so many artworks, prominently presented at house facades or rather hidden in a side street of the Venloer Straße, the main street of Ehrenfeld. If you want to make sure to see as many artworks as possible, you should take a guided tour.

 Source: Travelvalley

Restaurants and bars

After approaching the streets in an artistic way, the alternative and multi-cultural “Veedel“ invites you to take a break in one of the many international restaurants and bars that are located here. You’ll find everything your culinary heart desires:

• Wallczka
• IMI Winery
• Willie Tanner
• Bumann und Sohn

 Source: Georg-Hopp aka Fänger der Zeit

Co-working spaces

Still too much to do for work? Travelling and working are not mutually exclusive in Cologne due to the excellent infrastructure of co-working spaces, public third spaces and new types of hotel concepts.

• Wertheim
• Cowoki
• The Ship
• Startplatz

Find out more with urbanana

Be inspired by urbanana and its people and become part of the community! Find out more on the urbanana website (English Version) or follow urbanana on social media (@goingurbanana): Twitter and Instagram.

 Source: Travelvalley

 Source: Joris Felix

Thumb: Joris Felix