The question above was asked in an old German folk song and you can be sure that Cologne or Bonn natives can answer it at length.
Between Cologne Cathedral and Bonn Minster there are many things that make living by "Father Rhine" attractive.

However, the real answer to what´s so special about the region lies in the local people themselves.
They are said to be ready to celebrate, outward looking and tolerant and it really is not just a cliché.

People here are not at all aloof and new arrivals are quickly integrated.
And when you´ve celebrated the fifth season of the year – Carnival – with a few glasses of Kölsch or Bönnsch beer, you´ve finally taken in the easygoing Rhineland lifestyle despite being a newcomer.

If you move to Cologne, you should be aware that it can take a while before you understand the German spoken by the locals.
The self-assured natives maintain their Kölsch dialect. It´s still a strong part of the city´s culture and very much alive.

Cologne people can become very passionate about their city, and their emotional response on seeing Cologne Cathedral´s towering spires after a journey away from home is proverbial.

Their fanaticism for the local FC Cologne soccer team is also legendary.
But Cologne – with attractions such as the cable car across the Rhine, a rambling urban forest, a chocolate museum and earthy brewery pub-restaurants – is a city you can easily fall in love with.

Bonn´s population is only a third of Cologne´s million inhabitants, but the former German capital can look back on 2,000 years of history and it has a pleasant tranquillity and a lot to offer culturally with attractions such as the Museum Mile and a festival celebrating the life and works of the city´s most famous son, Beethoven.
All that is why it´s so nice to be beside the Rhine!