I’m a real ‘KÖlsch MÄdche’, but I’ve travelled a lot before coming back home. I studied in Berlin for four years in fashion management and took a semester in New York City, but eventually I came back to Cologne because it’s always home and my small family live very locally here. I have always had a huge passion for sports. My parents were super active, playing a lot of tennis when I was little. I tried all kinds of sports as a child and my passion for fitness became bigger in New York where I tried out a lot of cool gyms. When I came back to Germany I worked for Decathlon in Berlin, and pivoted to a masters degree in sports economics. I had plans to open my own boutique cycling studio in Cologne but the pandemic crushed that dream, but happily I now work for Urban Sports Club (urbansportsclub.com) here in Cologne as team lead for Partner Acquisitions. For me it’s a combination of a lot of things I’m passionate about. I love Cologne and am a real city mouse. I live very centrally, close to Rudolfplatz, so it’s easy to try out new restaurants, cafes and sports of course. Here’s my top places to explore while you’re in town…
The Gerling Quarter & La Fonda Restaurant
La Fonda is very close to 25hours Hotel The Circle which began life as the Gerling insurance company in the 1950s. My grandpa worked at the building and when the insurance company left, the whole area fell into neglect until 25hours arrived in 2018, and lifted the whole area back up. La Fonda is both chic and relaxed. They have reinterpreted traditional Cologne comfort food including our local blood sausage dish ‘Himmel und Äad’ – meaning ‘heaven and earth’.
Rocycle
I have a second job as an indoor cycling instructor at Rocycle which has really become my happy place. I have a passion for rhythm cycling and I discovered this boutique fitness studio when I lived in New York, so I was really happy that they opened here in Cologne. I take all my fire into this room and motivate so many people to work out and move to the beat. All classes are rhythm based, and because I did ballet as a little girl and always danced, this is a great combination for me. I’m very driven by music. I love to wake up in the morning and have a little dance session for a really nice start to the day. At Rocycle there are 68 bikes, and it’s a great low impact workout for everyone who loves a good party. Sport has always been a big part of my life and love that I can enthuse people to get fit at Rocycle. Classes are for all levels including first timers and it’s a five-minute walk from 25hours Hotel The Circle.
Neptunbad Sports & Spa
This is a perfect wellbeing spot and very central. It’s a traditional old communal swimming area which has been refurbished with a nice spa area for massages and other treatments. You can drop in for a couple of hours or book a full day of sauna and sauna gus. They have indoor and outdoor pools, but it’s all very private. I always feel totally recharged but relaxed afterwards.
Kader 1
Kader 1 was one of the first workout locations in Cologne with a boutique vibe, but the focus is on strength training. Alexandra, the wonderful female owner has created a warm community feeling. I go there for a team workout with my office crew – not just my close colleagues, but everyone from the Urban Sports Club in Cologne! We all go for an active lunch break and some powerlifting. It’s a great desk break.
Cafe Hinz & Kunz
Lindenthal is a quieter area of the city close to many parks where I used to go to school. It has a good vibe with lots of cafes including Hinz & Kunz (a play on a Cologne phrase meaning ‘everyone can go’). My friends and I go for a dog walk in the park, and head back to the café for carrot cake or pancakes.
Hella Good Store
Hella Good Store is a local fashionista pre-loved and concept store with just one location in the super hip Belgian Quarter. It has a combination of vintage clothing, but also very nice small products you don’t need but you always buy! It’s the perfect store for a gift.
1980 Cafe and Banh Mi
I recently moved to an apartment just a stone’s throw away from this Vietnamese restaurant, but I already loved it before! I travelled to Vietnam in 2023 and I adored the food and coffee culture there, especially that combination with the French baguette and Vietnamese banh mi. 1980 is the best place to find this in Cologne. Also the sweet potato fries are irresistible! And they have yummy Vietnamese coffee too. It’s family owned and run, and they also have cute outdoor seating.
Schee Shop
My love of design brings me here! Schee have several locations now but it all began in Cologne. You can spend a lot of money here as everything is so colourful and tempting – ceramics, picture frames, socks, pads of cute paper, framed posters with cool little affirmations and witty cards. I can always buy 10 postcards. If you need a souvenir of Cologne, this is the place to come.
Little Link Bar
My favourite neighbourhood bar is in the trendy Belgian Quarter. Everyone heads there in summer for Aperol Spritz. It’s a lovely combination of locals and international tourists, and is very age diverse. They create very special cocktails with a inventive presentation and flavour combinations such as gin, lavender and blackberry. They also do cocktail making courses and tastings. There’s a cool little basement with a very small dancefloor and outdoor seating, plus they serve very nice homemade drunk food! A bit like a Sloppy Joe brioche bun or a cheese and ham toastie. I recently celebrated a birthday there, and simply reserved two tables for 10 people. We had such a fun get-together.
