Along the Rhine, Old Europe's New Vibe

Pausing before the row of glitzy shops, I was momentarily transported somewhere else. Was it a shopping gallery in Milan? Or a row of fashion boutiques on the Left Bank of Paris? Only when the voices around me started rising in a cacophony of bitte schoens and danke sehrs was I back in the middle of Rhineland.

Details: Rhineland

GETTING THERE: To visit Rhineland, you can set up base in Cologne, which is accessible to the rest of the area by a well-maintained transportation system. On Travelocity.com, I found round-trip fares starting at $837 for British Airways shoulder-season flights from D.C. to Cologne, via London.

For a cheaper route, United is offering Dulles-to-Frankfurt flights for $690, with restrictions. From there, you can take a Deutsche Bahn (German Rail) train, which travels in part along the Rhine, to Cologne for as low as $45, with stops. Details: http://www.db.de/ .

GETTING AROUND: For a trip on the Rhine, your best bet is a one-day pass for $33 on a Koln-Dusseldorfer ferry. It's good for any of numerous outings from Cologne, including trips to Bonn and farther afield. Book online at http://www.viator.com/ . You can also buy tickets to Bonn without reservations at the kiosks along the Rhine in Cologne, near the main train station. The cheapest round trip is $11. Details: http://www.k-d.de/ .

For trips to Dusseldorf or Bonn from the main train station in Cologne, you can get a ticket on a u-bahn, or overground tram, for as little as $2.50 (many departures daily). Check with information in the Cologne train station for details.

WHERE TO STAY: I chose Cologne's Hotel Mado (Moselstr. 36, 011-49-221-92419, http://www.hotelmado.de/ ), a modern, well-located low-rise with spacious rooms and great service. It's 10 minutes by tram to the Cologne Cathedral, Ludwig Museum and main train station. Double rooms, including a sumptuous buffet breakfast, start at $120 a night. My room was an even better deal at $93, one of several special weekend rates frequently offered.

Price not an issue? Try the Excelsior Hotel Ernst (Trankgasse 1-5, 011-49- 221-2701, http://www.excelsiorhotelernst.de/ ). The location, a few minutes' walk from the cathedral, is hard to beat, and the rooms are opulently outfitted with plush beds, marble bathrooms and heavy drapes. Some rooms offer spectacular cathedral views. Doubles typically start at $385, but the hotel offers special rates as low as $280 for a double with breakfast buffet and free minibar.

For budget travelers, a good choice is the Ambassador Hotel (Barbarossaplatz 4A, 011-221-921- 5200, http://www.ambassador-koeln.de/ ), about 10 minutes by tram from the cathedral and other main sites. Rooms are clean, if a bit basic. Doubles, including breakfast, start at $115.

WHERE TO EAT: In Cologne, head straight for Fischermanns' (Rathenauplatz 21, 011-49-221-801- 7790, http://www.restaurant-fischermanns.de/ ), which offers a fusion of Italian, French and other European cuisines. The Asian chef adds an Oriental flair to many dishes. Though the melange sounds unlikely, it works, as does the price: A three-course dinner for two was $60; add a carafe of wine for about $15. In Brasserie Marienbild (Aachenerstr. 561, 011-49-221- 9-458-630, http://www.marienbild.de/ ), a popular restaurant modeled on Paris's famous La Coupole, you can get marvelous French specialties such as bouillabaisse or modern takes on traditional Rhineland veal and beef dishes. A dinner for two, including wine, cost about $70.

In Dusseldorf, Zum Csikos (Andreastr. 9, 011-49-211-32-9771, http://www.csikos.de/ ) serves first-rate Hungarian food. The goulash and chopped liver are standouts. For two, $55 -- including beers -- will get you a great meal.

In Bonn, Im Stiefel (Bonngasse 30, 011-49-228-69-6596, http://www.im-stiefel.de/ ) is a traditional German-style pub/restaurant next to the Beethoven Haus. A hearty dinner of veal chops with roast potatoes and a salad, with a glass or two of Rhine wine, goes for $75 for two.

WHAT TO DO: Save a half-day to tour Cologne's Ludwig Museum (Bischofsgartenstr. 1, 011-49-221- 26165, http://www.museenkoeln.de/ ), a showcase of 20th- and 21st-century paintings and scupltures. Admission is $9.75. For a list of the private Cologne art galleries, check out http://www.galerienkoeln.de/ , or drop by the city's tourism office, across from the main train station at Unter Fettenhennen 19. The Cologne Cathedral ( http://www.koelner-dom.de/ ) is open every day from 6 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. The best way to visit the Roman ruins is to do a self-guided tour; Frommer's and Rough Guide books on Germany have good maps to get you started. A tip: A "Welcome Card" available at the city tourism office ( http://www.koeln.de/ ) offers unlimited travel on all public transport, admission to most art musuems and some other perks.

In Bonn, admission at the Beethoven House (Bonngasse 18-26, 011-49-228- 98175, http://www.beethoven-haus-bonn.de/ ) is $5.50. Free half-hour guided tours, in German, are offered daily at 2:30 p.m. For more information on Bonn: http://www.bonn.de/ .

Those interested in shopping in Dusseldorf (or anywhere in the region) should keep in mind that most stores are open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays, and are closed on Sundays. For more tips, contact the city's tourism office, 011- 49-211-17-2020, http://www.duesseldorf-tourismus.de/ .

INFORMATION: German National Tourist Office, 212-661-7200, http://www.cometogermany.com/ .

-- Gary Lee