Lifestyle – Cologne

Musical The Spirit of Christmas

Who has not heard of  the legendary Uncle Scrooge? From November 23rd - December 30th 2010 the great musical "The Spirit of Christmas" after Charles Dickens will be on stage at the Cologne Musical Dome right next to central station. The romantic, touching Christmas Story is a must see for the whole family. Enjoy the Christam Spirit in cologne and combine the musical with a visit of one of the city´s beautiful Christmas markets taking place from November 22nd - December 23rd 2010.

Belgian Quarter - Royal Shopping

Off the hustle and bustle in the main shopping boulevards Hohe Straße and Schildergasse, the Belgian Quarter "Belgisches Viertel" invites to linger a while and shop in a laid-back ambience. Often housed in historic buildings, which adorn the streets, the extravagant rooms alone are a must-see. “Quality instead of Quantity” is the general maxim of the Belgian Quarter shops which offer high-quality off-mainstream fashion and designer labels. Be it clothes, shoes or accessories, you will definitely find your most favourite outfit here. With their shops in or around the Belgian Quarter, numerous young fashion designers bring innovative fashion to Cologne. Local jewellers display unique, handmade products in their showcases. Apart from their own collections, designers offer custom-tailored jewel manufacturing. Browse the elaborately designed brochure “Chic Belgique“ (in German only) to get more detailed information on these fashion and jewellery shops. But there are many more treasures to discover ranging from disc records to delicious petits fours. The quarter boasts not only a lavish array of attractive shopping facilities, but also abundant trendy pubs, cafés and restaurants that radiate the charm of “old” Brussels, Liège & co. in the very heart of Cologne.

 

Eau de Cologne 4711

4711 Original Eau de Cologne is one of Cologne’s oldest internationally famous brands. For more than 200 years, it has delivered on its promise: using this unique fragrance refreshes the mind, body and soul. The secret formula for 4711 Original Eau de Cologne is still appreciated across the globe today, making this ‘aqua mirabilis’ an unparalleled classic. The traditional house located on the Glockengasse is the birthplace and home of the world-renowned 4711 brand. It is one of Cologne’s most famous attractions and counts as one of the city’s cultural treasures. Visitors enter the building on the main floor, immersing them-selves in the unique scent of Echt Kölnisch Wasser that flows from a fountain at the en-trance. The exact composition of 4711 Original Eau de Cologne still remains strictly confiden-tial even to this day. The deliberate accentuation of the light, invigorating head notes gives 4711 Original Eau de Cologne its characteristic and pleasant fragrance.  Essential oils, that are renowned for their aromatherapeutic properties, are part of the exclusive composition. Upon every hour, the Glockenspiel – featuring the tune of the Marseillaise, The Faithful Hussar, and a third song that varies by the hour and is chosen specifically for the season – rings out over the city. At the weekly perfume class at Glockengasse No. 4711 you can take a dip in the unique world of fragrance that is Echt Kölnisch Wasser. You will become acquainted with the working procedure of a perfumer and create, with the help of a professional, your own Kölnisch Wasser. You can let the ingredients take hold of you and experience their beneficial effect on body, mind and spirit

Eau de Cologne An Farina

The Italian perfumer, John Maria Farina (Giovanni Maria Farina 1685 – 1766), made Cologne world famous by naming his new Fragrance Eau de Cologne in honour of his new hometown. In the An Farina museum you will experience three centuries of fragrance and cultural history, starting with the world of Rococo. On the first floor you can take in the original paintings, documents and furniture of the Farina perfume dynasty. The fragrance museum also houses a unique archive of documents from as far back as 1709, and continuing right up to the present day. All incoming and outgoing correspondence was, and still is, recorded in this huge archive. Each of over 900,000 docu-ments was copied by hand so that a record could be kept. In the fragrance chamber you will be able to explore for yourself the complicated and time-consuming art of perfumery, whilst sampling the many wonderful scents and admiring the impressive collection of perfume bottles dating back hundreds of years. See fascinating examples of the countless forgeries and imitations of Farina’s Eau de Cologne stretching over two centuries, from antiques to more modern examples of bottles and containers, displayed in the presentation cabinets. Pictures and reproductions of the equipment used explain the art of distillation and the evolution of the methods used. Today the eighths
generation of the Farina family still produces the original Eau de Cologne.