Germany

Dec 29, 2024 - Jan 1, 2025
AC843 YYZ-FRA, AC843 FRA-YYZ

For our annual New Year’s trip, I had originally found some very reasonable aeroplan points tickets to Zurich. Zurich would have been fun, but as is often the case, I adjust things later in the year. When we planned a trip to Berlin in the spring, it proved more valuable to switch the trip around and to nest our Berlin flights inside an Aeroplan ticket to Germany. So, we headed to Frankfurt for a similar number of points, and kicked off our new year with a paid ticket to Toronto on New Year’s Day and back to Berlin in May.

Dec 29

To get a reasonable ticket, we had booked the 4:30pm flight, which is not great for sleeping. Luckily, there were seats available on the later flight, and we are to change at check-in. This gave us plenty of time to get to the airport to take maximum advantage of our visit to the Signature Suite in Toronto. Because we had paid a few extra airline points for a flexible ticket we were able to access the Signature Suite, Air Canada’s best lounge and one of the best business class lounge experiences in North America, before our 9:00pm flight.

Enjoying the Signature’s premium champagne before the New Year

I moved on to the Palma, one of the lounge signature cocktails, with some run, Aperol, lime and pineapple juice

After cocktails, we were ready for the first of three courses

Having had a full dinner in the lounge, we were more than ready to sleep when we finally got onto our delayed flight to Frankfurt.

Dec 30

I slept for the entire journey, and woke up after the breakfast service and just before landing. We arrived around noon after the morning bank of flights, so it was a pretty easy pass through immigration and customs. We then navigated the train system and made it to our nearby hotel to check in and refresh, before heading into Frankfurt for the afternoon and early evening.

Starting our walking tour at Frankfurt’s main railway station

The Gallusanlage portion of the Wallanlagen park occupying the former city walls

Schiller Monument - depicting the German poet Friedrich Schiller

Frankfurter Treppe Mosaik depicting important people in Frankfurt’s history in the foyer of Main Tower

Alte Oper - concert hall and former opera house

Liegende, Recumbent Woman, statue on Große Bockenheimer Straße pedestrian street

Cheeky sign continues on the busy commercial street

The 1730 Hauptwache building is the focal point for the square

David and Goliath statue outside the massive MyZeil shopping mall

The MyZeil structure has very architectural elements, made even more interesting with the Christmas adornments

Massive tree dominates the main atrium of the mall

The glass tunnels cutting through the atrium

Trying to capture the scale of the massive escalator from the top of the mall

1980s-era fountain sculpture carved from a marble block is central feature of Brockhaus-Brunnen square

Birds eye view of Kleinmarkthalle historic market hall

More perspective on the size and scope of the indoor market

Some of the tasty wares on display

14th-16th century, Liebfrauenkirche Gothic-style Catholic parish church

St. Paul’s Church (1789-1833) former church now used as exhibition hall

Wall painting in St. Paul’s depicting the procession of leaders

Frankfurt City Hall in Paulsplatz historic square

Romerberg market square

Goddess of Justice statue in centre of Romerberg square

Christmas tree in front of the Town Hall

St. Bartholomew’s Cathedral

Cathedral interior decorated for the holidays

Large cathedral organ

After completing the tour, we headed back to the hotel, where we had a light dinner before conking out for the night.

Dec 31

With a full day in Germany and having spent enough time around Frankfurt, we decided the best option would be to get a little further afield. We had last visited Cologne (Köln) on our very first trip to Germany in 2002, and were curious to see how much it had changed and how much we would remember. It did not disappoint, and the high speed train from the airport was a joy, getting us there in under an hour.

Outside the Cologne train station, the Excelsior Hotel decked out for the holidays

Towering over the train station is the imposing Gothic Cologne Cathedral; after starting in the 13th century, it was finally finished in 1880

140ft tall ceilings of the main altar, inaugurated in 1322.

A perspective on the cathedral’s massive scale

Looking the length of the cathedral to the main altar

Impressive stained glass. lit up despite the overcast day

The Gero-Crucifix in the temple of the cross was carved in the 970s

Massive nativity scene at the church entrance commemorating the Christmas season

Exploring the exterior adornments

Another perspective on the intricate Gothic exterior and carvings

A bronze cast nativity scene, outside the cathedral

A broader view of the south side of the cathedral

The terrace sits above the Cologne Philharmonic and unfortunately transmits sounds that would disrupt rehearsal, so guards are posted to prevent pedestrian traffic overtop

Network of tracks leading into Cologne’s central train station

Hohenzollern Bridge provides pedestrian and railway crossing over the Rhine, which leads back to Frankfurt

The trend of love locks seems to live all over Europe

Statue of Kaiser Wilhelm II guards the bridge

Romanesque Great Saint Martin Church from the river walk below the city

More perspective on the bridge and statue

Imhoff Chocolate Museum - now owned by and operated by Lindt

Cacao plant in the museum greenhouse

Chocolate square small production line, creating souvenirs

Cacao beans

Chocolate fountain with a view of the Rhine

Additional tourist infrastructure outside the museum

Malakoffturm fortification tower along the Rhine

St. Maria in the Capitol Catholic Church, 11th century Romanesque church

Cologne City Hall

Christmas train making its way through the city centre

Ruins of a bombed-out Gothic church

Kolumba Diocesan Museum built over the church ruins

4711 Fragrance Shop, one of the cologne shops officially numbered in 1796

Glockenspiel adorns the roof of the perfume shop

Antique shop shutting down early for New Year’s Eve

Back at Cologne Cathedral - The Shrine of the Three Kings

Ludwig Museum

Cathedral getting ready for the New Year celebration

Main Hohe Strasse still lit up for the season

After a full day in Cologne, after dinner, we headed back on the highspeed train to Frankfurt. Unfortunately, we arrived just after they had ended the normal commuter rail service between the airport and our hotel. Although there wasn’t much help available, and only confusing German-language announcements, we eventually found our way to a bus service that got us next to the side of the highway and walking distance to our hotel. After a full day we weren’t up for much celebration, but did manage to stay up until midnight.

Jan 1

After the challenges navigating the train the previous evening, Tom decided he’d rather just have a relaxing morning at the hotel before heading to the airport to fly home. Wanting to get some steps in and explore a little, after a workout and breakfast, I headed back in to Frankfurt on the train. The weather was still hovering around freezing, but we did have some nice skies for a change.

Bust of Johann Nepomuk Zwerger a German Sculpture and Professor with Deutsche Bank towers in the background 

Apparently the winds and ice were too much to open the outdoor observation deck at the Main Tower, so I caught a glimpse of a view from the interior space

Looking back at the financial district from across the Main River

Continuing my walk along the Main

Beethoven monument at the Taunusanlage park with some newer skyscrapers under development

With my walk done, I headed back to the commuter train and was a little concerned when I saw no scheduled trains back to the hotel station. Thankfully, there were trains, but the frequency was just very poor, so I did get back to the hotel with a bit of time to spare before we needed to check out of the hotel and head to the airport for our flight home.