Recommended – Anne Hartkamp, Jazz Singer from Cologne shows us her favorite spots in town

First up are the Rheinaue wetlands beside a bend in the river in the south of the city - a popular place to relax and recuperate in a relatively natural habitat. There's also a ferry service in the summer.

Her second tip is the "Erfrischungsraum" - a restaurant, café, bar and club in one and part of a major Cologne theater. The innovatively designed venue rapidly became a big hit with non-theater-goers as well.

Anne's final recommendation is the "Loft" in the Ehrenfeld neighborhood - one of the city's most important venues for cutting-edge Jazz. The singer performs here herself on a regular basis.