It seems like a lifetime ago when I packed my bags and left Luxembourg. 12 years ago I was a budding student and left my hometown to go to university in Cologne. It was my first taste of living abroad and I totally loved it. I did all the things a good student should: I cut my hair and dyed it bright orange, then black with a green fringe (yes!), I stayed out all night and woke up in party-stained flats, I decorated the walls of my tiny flat with 100s of photos of friends from home, I ate whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted (Haribo-fuelled days!).

But foremost, I revelled in the joys of discovering a new city. Cologne had quickly become my adopted home, with its Kölsch, its multicultural neighbourhoods (I lived in Turkish Ehrenfeld) and its innumerable student haunts and cafés. I thoroughly loved living in Cologne.

So, for a year I called this German city my home. Things at university didn’t end up working out for me, so I packed my bags and moved to the UK – to pursue other studies and discover my new adopted home – England.

Even though I’ve spent the past 11 years in the UK, I still hold a fond place in my heart for Cologne. So, when I returned to Cologne for the first time this year – I revisited all my favourite old places, and I’ve listed a few of them here.

Do you have any insider tips for Cologne? Please leave a comment below if you can point me towards any other great places! Thanks!

You can find all my favourite Cologne places here on the website and on my Pinterest Map.