2014 Germany Trip - 1 Day Trip to Worms (with itinerary)

Location: Worms, Germany

Itinerary and full experience of my visit to Germany can be accessed through the link below:

List of all 2014 Germany Trip | Worms places I went to

The name of the city is as intriguing as it is funny to the English speaker. Who would name their own city to associate with critters of Earth? A little digging around the Net revealed that its original name was from the Latin "Vormatia" - "settlement in a watery area". It was originally a village founded by Celts before it evolved into a larger settlement later. Due to the German way of pronouncing "V" in the same manner as the English "W", the name somehow turn out to become the current one that we knew of.

Overlooking Worms rail tracks that brought me into the city

2014 Germany Trip - Worms' Old Synagogue (Alte Synagogue)

Location: Worms, Germany

Itinerary and full experience of my visit to Germany can be accessed through the link below:

List of all 2014 Germany Trip | Worms places I went to

The city of Worms had little attraction that piqued my interest, so I chose to visit a synagogue, which I never did in my past travels before. A synagogue is a Jewish place of worship and although I came across a few in my travels, I had never entered one.

A modern sculpture for commemorating Rabbi Rashi, the founder of Worms Old Synagogue.

2014 Germany Trip - Luther's Monument (Lutherdenkmal)

Location: Worms, Germany

Itinerary and full experience of my visit to Germany can be accessed through the link below:

List of all 2014 Germany Trip | Worms places I went to

Apart from Worms Cathedral, how else would I know about the existence of Worms? That would be from history books when I need to study for my exam, of course, especially on the section of European history. It never failed to mention that Martin Luther was one of the triggering points of Reformation and the emergence of Protestantism, it involved both the Diet of Worms and Diet of Speyer, the latter of which was also one of my visited city from the post here.

Luther Monument is the largest monument dedicated to the Reformation movement.

2014 Germany Trip - St Peter's Dom aka Worms Cathedral (Wormser Dom)

Location: Worms, Germany

Itinerary and full experience of my visit to Germany can be accessed through the link below:

List of all 2014 Germany Trip | Worms places I went to

If there is a reason to visit Worms, a city not mentioned in most travel itineraries to Germany then the Worms Cathedral would be the reason. Officially named as St Peter's Cathedral, this is one of numerous churches dotting the city and its most important due to its significance as the seat of the Catholic Prince-Bishopric of Worms. Of course, what drawn me to Worms in the first place is also my reason for visiting this cathedral - Worms Cathedral was a historical witness to the Diet of Worms of 1521, where Martin Luther was condemned as a heretic through the Edict of Worms. This was the turning point and the beginning of the Reformation Movement.

The frontal view of Worms Cathedral

2014 Germany Trip - Amphitheater @ Trier (UNESCO World Heritage)

Location: Trier, Germany

Itinerary and full experience of my visit to Germany can be accessed through the link below:

List of all 2014 Germany Trip | Trier places I went to

<- previous: Porta Nigra (UNESCO World Heritage)

The last place that I chose to visit in Trier was quite near to my stay in Hilles Hostel. While wandering around the nearby suburbs and reveling in their peace and quiet, the amphitheater was visible over the low hill. In reality I need not pay an entrance fee and would still be able to see it, but I thought: why not just check out what it had to offer? It was not exactly exciting inside but the entrance fee was not without its pleasant surprise as well.

View of Amphitheater from the highest seating tier - the size was bigger than it seemed in this photo.

2014 Germany Trip - Porta Nigra @ Trier (UNESCO World Heritage)

Location: Trier, Germany

Itinerary and full experience of my visit to Germany can be accessed through the link below:

List of all 2014 Germany Trip | Trier places I went to

<- previous: Cathedral of Trier (UNESCO World heritage)

next: Amphitheater (UNESCO World Heritage) ->

As the icon of Trier, Porta Nigra is a must visit point of the city even if one has no interest in history. Despite being a Roman structure, its original Roman name was lost in time, and in the Middle Ages the locals named it "Black Gate" in Latin due to its darkened exterior. Since it is the only standing gate in Trier, it was also simply called by the locals Porta.

View of Porta Nigra from north-east, or rather, the "outside". This would be the side where ancient travelers would see when they wanted to enter Trier.

2014 Germany Trip - Cathedral of Trier (Trierer Dom)/Cathedral of St Peter (Hohe Domkirche St. Peter zu Trier) @ Trier (UNESCO World Heritage)

Location: Trier, Germany

Itinerary and full experience of my visit to Germany can be accessed through the link below:

List of all 2014 Germany Trip | Trier places I went to

<- previous: Church of Our Lady (Liebfrauenkirche) (UNESCO World Heritage)

next: Porta Nigra (UNESCO World Heritage) ->

Visiting Liebfrauenkirche would naturally lead to another tour to the Cathedral of Trier next door. The structure is so humongous that it is easily be mistaken as a fortress. Compared to the former, the cathedral had lighter shades to its exterior but since both churches were basically next to each other and joined, it could confuse visitors that there were one church instead of two.

Cathedral of Trier

2014 Germany Trip - Church of Our Lady (Liebfrauenkirche) @ Trier (UNESCO World Heritage)

Location: Trier, Germany

Itinerary and full experience of my visit to Germany can be accessed through the link below:

List of all 2014 Germany Trip | Trier places I went to

<- previous: St Gangolf's Church

next: Cathedral of Trier (UNESCO World Heritage) ->

I was confused at first: was that 2 churches or 1 huge connected church? It turned out to be both. From the outset, both the Liebfrauenkirche and Trier Cathedral were distinguished from each other yet inseparable - the former distinctly angular where the latter had more curves, the former a gothic work while the latter a Romanesque beauty. They were operated as 2 separate churches but they were connected structurally, freely accessible between each other internally. They had both been designated as part of Trier's single UNESCO World Heritage Site entry.

Liebfrauenkirche on the foreground, with Trier Cathedral at the back. They can usually be differentiated by the color tone of the building material - the former usually darker while the latter usually fairer.

2014 Germany Trip - St Gangolf's Church @ Trier

Location: Trier, Germany

Itinerary and full experience of my visit to Germany can be accessed through the link below:

List of all 2014 Germany Trip | Trier places I went to


<- previous: Main market (Hauptmarkt)

next: Church of Our Lady (Liebfrauenkirche) (UNESCO World Heritage) ->

Trier has no shortage of churches just like any other German cities with a long history. In fact they even had their churches differentiated by political affiliations due to the fact that the archbishops of past were both religious as well as secular leaders of a city. The Church of St Gangolf was the citizen's church and the second oldest church in Trier, second only to Trier Cathedral.

The Baroque portal that led me from Main Market square into the Church of St Gangolf.

2014 Germany Trip - Main Market (Hauptmarkt) @ Trier

Location: Trier, Germany

Itinerary and full experience of my visit to Germany can be accessed through the link below:

List of all 2014 Germany Trip | Trier places I went to

<- previous: Roman Bridge (UNESCO World Heritage)

next: St Gangolf's Church ->

The Main Market square of Trier was not a UNESCO World Heritage Site, however there was no doubt that it was one of the most important places in the city. A large square surrounded by beautifully preserved houses and structures, it was also a place that travelers should not skip in his visit to Trier. Its location near famous sites and as the geographical center of the historic section meant that it is not very likely for one to miss it anyway.

Main Market square is a concoction of buildings from different era and a confluence of streets.

2014 Germany Trip - Roman Bridge (Römerbrücke) @ Trier (UNESCO World Heritage)

Location: Trier, Germany

Itinerary and full experience of my visit to Germany can be accessed through the link below:

List of all 2014 Germany Trip | Trier places I went to

<- previous: Electoral Palace and Palace Gardens

next: Main Market (Hauptmarkt) ->

The Moselle was a considerable distance away from most of Trier's cluster of historical offerings but there was one UNESCO World Heritage Listed site there. I was willing to go out of my way to take a look at what the Roman Bridge had to offer, which unfortunately wasn't much.

The Roman Bridge is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The black blocks of stone serving as the pillars are basalt from the Eifel Mountains.

2014 Germany Trip - Electoral Palace (Kurfürstliches Palais) and Palace Gardens @ Trier

Location: Trier, Germany

Itinerary and full experience of my visit to Germany can be accessed through the link below:

List of all 2014 Germany Trip | Trier places I went to

<- previous: Aula Palatina (UNESCO World Heritage)

next: Roman Bridge (UNESCO World Heritage) ->

Almost every famous cities or towns in Germany has a castle or palace, which are as ubiquitous as an aging church in the country. Trier's own representative is the Electoral Palace, an elaborate Rococo beauty situated close to the heart of the historic town center and adorned with spacious Palace Gardens. During my visit it was unfortunately not opened for visit - I realized only quite late that it was still used presently as a district administration office and not opened regularly for public visit. It was a pity because a beautiful Rococo staircase adorned the palace's interior and it would be great to see it up close.

The beautiful south wing facade of Trier's Electoral Palace

2014 Germany Trip - Aula Palatina/Basilica of Constantine (Konstantinbasilika) @ Trier (UNESCO World Heritage)

Location: Trier, Germany

Itinerary and full experience of my visit to Germany can be accessed through the link below:

List of all 2014 Germany Trip | Trier places I went to

<- previous: Imperial Baths (UNESCO World Heritage)

next: Electoral Palace and Palace Gardens ->

Most of the UNESCO heritage site of Roman architecture in Trier were in ruins, with Aula Palatina the sole exception. The iconic building of red brick is also called Basilica of Constantine as it was built by Emperor Constantine I as his palace and throne room. Its purpose transformed into a religious one after the fall of the Roman Empire, first used by the Bishop of Trier as his residence during the Middle Ages, and then currently used by Church of The Redeemer.

Aula Palatina as viewed from Konstantinplatz

2014 Germany Trip - Imperial Baths (Kaiserthermen) @ Trier (UNESCO World Heritage)

Location: Trier, Germany

Itinerary and full experience of my visit to Germany can be accessed through the link below:

List of all 2014 Germany Trip | Trier places I went to

<- previous: Evergreen Hostel (previously Hilles Hostel)

next: Aula Palatina (UNESCO World Heritage) ->

I was drawn to the Imperial Baths from afar by its gigantic see through arches, recognizable from afar as the ruins' distinguished feature, even though I was not aware that it was one of Trier's UNESCO heritage treasure. In fact there wasn't much left of the original bath, the arches and some supporting walls being the only structure still standing. The structures looked impressively tall and sturdy when I stood close to it, and I could only think: the Romans were really capable engineers and architects to be able to build something that can last so long.

The impressive ruins of Imperial Baths

Hotel review - Evergreen Hostel (Hilles Hostel) @ Trier

Location: Trier, Germany

Itinerary and full experience of my visit to Germany can be accessed through the link below:

List of all 2014 Germany Trip | Trier places I went to

Note: This article was written base on experience of staying in Evergreen Hostel's (previously Hilles Hostel) Single Room without private bath. The following info is important to you because it tells you on which month we stayed, and the price relative to the amount of time between the date of stay to the date of booking. You may experience higher or lower price at different months/seasons and if you book further or nearer to the date of stay.

We booked on:     March 2014

We stayed on:      March 2014

We paid in total:  €108(~RM495) (in total, tax included) @ single room w/o private bath, 1 person, 3 nights, without breakfast

<- previous: 1 Day Trip to Trier with Itinerary

next: Imperial Baths (UNESCO World Heritage) ->

Evergreen Hostel (previously Hilles Hostel) was a random hit when I surfed the net in search of an accommodation that was economical and close to both the train station (because I arrived at night and was not confident of navigating the streets at night) and to the major spots that I wanted to visit (the Roman ruins, what else). It came with mixed review though so I decided to try my luck since it was not like I will stay in the room for long anyway.

The front of the hostel entrance - the sign was quite small and easily missed unless you were looking for it.

2014 Germany Trip - 1 Day Trip to Trier (with itinerary)

Location: Trier, Germany

Itinerary and full experience of my visit to Germany can be accessed through the link below:

List of all 2014 Germany Trip | Trier places I went to

next: Evergreen Hostel (previously Hilles Hostel) ->

The train rumbled high on the banks of the Moselle, offering a magnificent view of the river snaking its way through a valley of rolling hills. I gazed dreamily on the lush landscape and before long I realized that the train had pulled into the station of Trier, my latest destination in my Germany trip. Italy was too far for me to travel to considering my short weekend getaway from work, so I decided to look for a slice of Rome in this border city.

Trier is famed for being the Germany city with magnificent Roman ruins. From the famed dark city gate of Porta Nigra to the remnants of amphitheater and Roman baths, a treasure trove of Imperial Roman architectures awaited my exploration. It would not be difficult to imagine oneself to be in Rome instead of a city in Germany when taking a stroll in the city.

Roman era walls are easily visible a short distance away from the train station.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To the interested readers, here is my 1 day itinerary in Trier which assumes that you will stay overnight in the town. Exploring Trier can take a full day for the interested, or just half a day for the merely curious. Click into each link to visit the dedicated post to the place of interest.

Morning: 

• wake up and leave Hilles Hostel
• stroll to Imperial Baths; enter to visit if you wish to, I did not enter
• stroll around the Palace Gardens, take photos of Electoral Palace and Aula Palatina (1 - 2 hours)
• continue to stroll to Roman Bridge (Römerbrücke) (~1/2 hour)
• walk towards Hauptmarkt, visit St Gangolf Church (1 hour)

Noon: 

• enjoy lunch
• walk towards town center and visit Liebfrauenkirche then go next door to visit Trier Cathedral (1 - 2 hours)
• visit the must see attraction of Porta Nigra; you could choose not to enter as it is impressive enough from the outside (1 hour; more if you enter)
• go to the far side of town to visit Amphitheater (1 hour)

One could spend more time wandering the streets of Trier and just let yourself stumble upon art treasures like the few beautiful fountain sculptures I posted below. Do not limit yourself to a 1 day itinerary.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2014 Germany Trip - Cologne Messe/Deutz Station (Köln Messe/Deutz)

Location: Cologne, Germany

Itinerary and full experience of my visit to Germany can be accessed through the link below:

List of all 2014 Germany Trip | Cologne itinerary | Cologne places I went to

My last post on my Cologne's trip is on Cologne Main Station's cousin across the river - Cologne Messe/Deutz Station. It was not as impressive as the steel counterpart but I still took a liking to it due to its dome structure and stone texture.

In fact Cologne Messe/Deutz Station is just as important as the main station as it relieves traffic from the main station. Since the main station is located across the river, some trains prefer not to stop in the main station so that they need not change direction to cross the river, and then back out again to continue on their original route.

My interest in this station was caught when I was high up in KölnTriangle, seeing its distinctive dome top and wondering how the station would look like. Despite a stone exterior that made it seemed ancient, its interior is quite modern. The full station contains multiple levels, allowing access to long distance train services and regional services as well as access to tram lines. I had not called my stop in this station before so my experience with the station was limited to my wandering its hall under the dome.

Cologne Messe/Deutz station

2014 Germany Trip - Panorama @ KölnTriangle

Location: Cologne, Germany

Itinerary and full experience of my visit to Germany can be accessed through the link below:

List of all 2014 Germany Trip | Cologne itinerary | Cologne places I went to

Where is the best spot for a panorama of Cologne? Would that be Cologne Cathedral's tower? You can of course get a splendid view, but alas the cathedral itself, the main draw of the city, would be missing from the picture. However a trek across Hohenzollern Bridge across the majestic River Rhine brought me to a tower jutting into the sky called KölnTriangle where I could get an unobstructed panorama of the whole city.

After paying the entrance fee of €3, I queued in front of the elevator and waited my turn to be whisked up. The skyward journey was unremarkable, and after a few ear-pops and being in the company of curious seekers, I arrived at the topmost level of the tower, close to a whooping 103 meters from ground.

It would look like any other kind of tall building from the outside.

2014 Germany Trip - Cologne Carnival (Karneval)

Location: Cologne, Germany

Itinerary and full experience of my visit to Germany can be accessed through the link below:

List of all 2014 Germany Trip | Cologne itinerary | Cologne places I went to

I guess if anyone were to ask me when is the time to visit Cologne for some unique experience, my answer would be during Carnival, one of the "crazy days" in Germany. The most happening day is on Rosenmontag (Rose Monday) but I was only able to visit on Sunday. Even so, the day was filled with carnival goers and festivities, enough for me to return brimming with memories.

Carnival starts in exactly 11.11am on 11-November every year but merrymaking period officially starts on the week before Lent, with some people dress up in costumes and roam the streets. Although there are carnivals around Europe, Cologne's is rated as one of the largest street festivals. On my arrival that Sunday, Cologne was unlike its usual self. I saw people in colorful and weird costumes even as I stepped off the train into Cologne Hbf, each merrily making their way around. I was surprised that the usually serious Germans can have so much fun in them!

Yoshi the dino from Mario Bros?

2014 Germany Trip - Cologne Central Station (Köln Hauptbahnhof)

Location: Cologne, Germany

Itinerary and full experience of my visit to Germany can be accessed through the link below:

List of all 2014 Germany Trip | Cologne itinerary | Cologne places I went to

If you are not going to Cologne in a car, most probably you will be arriving via train like yours truly, and Cologne Hbf (short for Hauptbahnhof, German for main/central station) would be your point of arrival. That steelworks frame would be visible from distance away, at about the same time the iconic Cologne Cathedral comes into view, when the train crosses the important Hohenzollern Bridge.

As I stepped onto the platform, the pace of the station got to me, reminding me of the fact that this was one of the busiest station in Germany. With Cologne being one of the 4 biggest cities in Germany (the others being Berlin, Hamburg and Munich), its central station is definitely one of the busiest, the 5th busiest in fact, serving an average 280,000 travelers on a daily basis. As it is an important transport hub, several major rail services call into this station, including international lines connecting to Paris and Amsterdam, as well as ICE services connecting other major cities in Germany.

Traveler