Business contacts
Car hire Avis car rentals via www.avis.com. Office rental Oficenter on 81 00 81, or visit www.jsp.de; Pedus Office on 160 25-0 or email pedus-officekoeln@dussmann.de; Regus on 56940.

Secretarial services Pedus Office on 160 250 or email pedus-officekoeln@dussmann.de.

Weather and climate
Be prepared for rain – even in the summer. The winter months are generally mild and damp, snow seldom settles for any length of time but you can experience cold snaps so bring plenty of warm and waterproof clothing. Between March and June you can expect mild-but-wet weather and during the summer months you may be blessed with the occasional heat-wave – or mild temperatures of between 17C and 25C.

Local press
The main newspaper in Cologne is the Kölner Stadt Anzeiger, which – if you can read German – will give you a general idea of what’s going on around the area. Prinz and Stadt Revue also produce good guides (again only in German). If you don’t speak German, there is only one magazine in English that will help you get around. Rhine Magazine is a bi-monthly publication that covers Cologne and nearby Düsseldorf and Bonn. It will help you find out what’s on in and around Cologne, and also give you insight into life as a foreigner living in Germany (www. rhinemagazine.com).

Tourist traps
The most popular visitor attraction in Cologne is the Kölner Dom, or Cologne Cathedral. A huge pile of gothic architecture, the twin towers of the cathedral can be seen from just about everywhere in the city. Many fl ats and houses are advertised as having a ‘Domblick’ (view of the cathedral) as an incentive to rent or buy. Legend has it that the bones of the ‘Three Kings’ are held in a golden casket in the cathedral, carbon dating has so far not been able to prove the legend wrong. And if you can handle climbing the 509 steps, you’ll be rewarded with a breathtaking view across the city.

Tipping etiquette
Service is rarely included in restaurants and bars, and 10% is the expected gratuity. When you pay for your meal you may be asked ‘getrennt oder zusammen?’ (separate or together?) This means you can pay for your individual meal or for everyone’s. If you choose to pay separately, your waiter or waitress will work his or her way around the table adding up everyone’s bill separately – a tip is expected.

Internet cafés
You’ll find small independent internet cafés dotted around the Altstadt and in the city’s many quarters, but the main shopping area, around Schildergasse and Hohe Strasse, does not offer many of these facilities. The easiest options are the Voice Store on Bahnhofsvorplatz 1 (Tel: 470 45 40), or Tron on Aachener Strasse 13 near Rudolfplatz (Tel: 0700 876 62 255).

Gifts to buy
Cologne is famous for 4711 Eau de Cologne, which the French brought here in the 18th century when they occupied the city. You may not be overwhelmed by the smell, but it’s the perfect souvenir to bring back home. The main 4711 Eau de Cologne shop is right next to the Opera House, on Glockengasse 4711. Another typical souvenir is a miniature Dom or cathedral, which you can pick up in most souvenir shops and stalls. However a nice alternative is a chocolate Dom, which you can buy at the Stollwerck Chocolate Museum shop on Rheinauhafen 1a. For the young and trendy you shouldn’t miss out on T-shirts and tracksuit tops emblazoned with the name of the city, they’re the hottest thing to wear at the moment – try Studio 59 on Ehrenstrasse.