Opposite the great cathedral of Cologne, on the right bank of the Rhine, stands Deutz, which began as a Roman fort named Divitia. Around the year 310 the emperor Constantine had a fortress built here, connected to Colonia Agrippinensis on the opposite bank by a stone bridge, one of the first permanent bridges across the Rhine. The fort was about a hundred and fifty metres square, with massive walls and towers, and it gave the Romans a bridgehead on the edge of the Germanic lands. Sections of the walls have been excavated and can be seen in the area, and the fort belongs to the Lower Germanic Limes.
Cologne itself is older than Deutz and was among the great Roman cities on the Rhine, with a harbour, temples, and a governor's palace. Visitors can see the Praetorium cellars, Roman roads and the Dionysus mosaic in the Roman-Germanic Museum beside the cathedral. The view from the Deutz bank across the river to the cathedral's twin spires is one of the best in Germany, especially at dusk, when the lights come on and the river turns from grey to gold.
The riding in Cologne is urban, with bridges, tram tracks, cobbles and busy junctions. The Rhine is crossed by a series of bridges, among them the Hohenzollern Bridge, famous for its railway arches and for the thousands of padlocks left on its fence by couples. Traffic is heavy at rush hour, and events at the exhibition grounds and football stadium can add to congestion. Outside the city, the Bergisches Land to the east offers curving roads through forests and valleys, a good reward after the city traffic. Spring and early autumn are the most comfortable seasons.
Fuel stations are easy to find in Deutz and the surrounding districts, and the riverfront has cafés and bars, with Kölsch, the local pale beer, served in tall thin glasses called Stangen. Try a Himmel un Ääd, black pudding with apples and mashed potato, or a simple rye roll with cheese. Parking for motorcycles is generally easier than for cars, but be aware of street rules and avoid the pedestrian zones. An hour on the Deutz promenade, looking at the cathedral across the water, is time well spent.