January 15 is ‘Blue Monday’ – the day people in the northern hemisphere feel most depressed after the end of the Christmas festivities and during the dull grey days of midwinter. Here are 10 ways you can beat the winter blues in the Rhineland:

1. Get naked
   
   
   
   While some people embrace German sauna culture freely and enthusiastically, for others, the idea of getting naked with a bunch of strangers is a nightmare. If this is you, then why not try a new, much more personal sauna experience with WellNest. It’s a private sauna, whirlpool, and lounge with drinks and food as well as a special ‘aufgüsse’ and a themed playlist. For three hours, you and your partner, friend, or friends can enjoy a special, private sauna experience with no prying eyes! It has locations in Köln, Bonn, Essen and Hamburg. Prices start at €139 for three hours.
   
   
2. Go outside
   
   
   
   There are so many great places to hike around the Rhineland. Here are a few easy-to-reach places where you can enjoy some bracing fresh air and great views:
   
   The Geierlay Suspension Bridge (south of Koblenz) is a 100-meter-high and 360-meter-long pedestrian bridge that opened in 2015 and has proved to be a very popular hiking spot. The bridge connects legs 19 and 20 of the Saar-Hunsrück-Steig, a 410-kilometer-long hiking trail between the towns of Perl, Trier (by the Moselle river) and Boppard (by the Rhine).
   
   Ölberg in Bonn, one of the Siebengebirge (seven hills), is best reached from the starting point of the Haus Marienhof car park in Konigswinter. From there you can choose your path to the top and the very cozy Gasthaus auf dem Oelberg. Take the more challenging route down to work off a bellyful of Gasthaus fare!
   
   The Tetraeder near Botrup is a 60 m-tall triangular steel pyramid built on top of a mining slag heap in 1995 which has become a popular landmark for the region. Enjoy a gentle 25-minute walk from the Beckstraße car park to the bottom of the pyramid, then climb to the top and enjoy amazing views and a slight swaying sensation in high winds!
   
   
3. Visit some furry friends
   
   The Katzentemple in Köln is a vegan cat café that features six furry felines who wander around looking disdainful and sometimes allowing visitors to give them a stroke. There are rules: you can’t just grab or pick up the cats, and you can’t disturb them when they’re asleep. But if you’re lucky, they might jump on your lap, or sit next to you while you’re eating. The food is an adventure in vegan gastronomy that you might find highly enjoyable. It does feel a bit like being in a zoo – constantly looking for the elusive felines – or watching people taking snaps of cats with their smartphones. Book ahead for a good seat.
   
   
4. Get your skates on
   
   
   _{Photo by Lucas van Oort on Unsplash}
   
   Lent Park in Köln offers ice skating parties every Saturday. Families are hosted from 4-6pm and later, from 6-11pm, DJ Oliver Oprée hosts an ice disco. A great alternative if you missed the ice skating on Heumarkt last year.
   
   
5. Paint some pottery
   
   
   
   Pottery cafes are a great place to while away a dull grey day and get creative with friends. There are two locations in Cologne, the Pottery Art Cafe in Sulz (Luxemburger Straße 271) or behind Neumarkt (Arndtstrasse 2). In Düsseldorf, you can visit Manufattura on Schwerinstraße 7, and in Bonn, there‘s Frau Kramer on Sternenburgstrasse 38.
   
   
6. Hit the slopes
   
   
   If you don’t want to pay a fortune on a ski holiday with no guarantee of snow, check out Alpenpark Neuss. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced skier, there’s fun to be had by all on the 300-meter-long indoor piste, as well as all the best typical ‘Alm’ food in various restaurants. There are ski and snowboarding courses available, ski golf, football, and curling, and there’s even a hotel.
   
   
7. Eat the blues away
   
   
   Looking for somewhere cozy to eat? Here are a couple of local highlights to try:
   
   Joseph’s in Köln features Austrian cuisine next to the Rhine. It’s not tiny – but the booths and dark interior make you feel warm and welcome and the food is always excellent (Joseph’s, Agrippinawerft 22, 50678 Köln).
   
   Remise in Bonn has the weirdest location – it’s right in the middle of the Deutsche Post/DHL campus – but this cute little cottage is big on design and always offers an interesting menu plus great service (Remise, Fritz-Erler-Straße 7, 53113 Bonn).
   
   Düsseldorf’s Schwan is renowned for its great food and now has four locations around the city. The one in Burgplatz has a cozy interior and a hearty menu, perfect for a winter warmer (Schwan, Mühlenstraße 2, 40213 Düsseldorf).
   
   
8. Cinema and chill
   
   
   
   The Residence in Cologne is a luxury cinema experience with finger food and drinks served at your comfy, sofa-like seat. It’s well worth a visit for the decadence and luxury (tickets start at €16). Cinedom also offers extra comfy seats in screens 11-13. The sofa-like, fully adjustable lounge chairs make watching one of today’s typically three-hour-long movies a whole lot more enjoyable (tickets start at €11).
   
   
9. Be a culture vulture
   
   
   
   There is still time to catch the fabulous ‘Anything Goes’ exhibition at the Bundeskunsthalle in Bonn which closes on January 28. It poses the question “Postmodernism – is it over or are we still in it?” and takes visitors on a riotous trip through recent history from 1967 to today, featuring art, sculpture, film, art philosophy, and literature. The glorious, visual romp will leave you invigorated and inspired.
   
   
10. Get ready for Karneval!
    
    
    
    Love it or loathe it – carnival comes early this year which means you’ve probably already started seeing ‘Jecken’ (carnival fans) on the streets, on trams and buses, on their way to Siztungen, and private parties. The main event kicks off on February 8 (Weiberfestnacht) with the motto: ”Wat e Theater – wat e Jeckespill“. One thing you can do to pass away the grey January days is start planning your costume. Many locals believe the best costumes aren’t bought from a shop – but made from what you find at home. For inspiration: Last year’s cult costume was Wednesday Adams – this year it’s likely to be Barbie & Ken.