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Köln ist ein Gefühl.

Willkommen in köln.

Wir freuen uns auf deinen Besuch. Hier findest du alles, was du für unbeschwerte Tage in Köln wissen solltest. Erlebe spannende Museen, genieße ein erfrischendes Kölsch in uriger Atmosphäre oder lass die Seele baumeln bei vielen tollen Events. Wir sind die offizielle Tourismusorganisation der Stadt Köln und haben für dich alle Infos zu kommenden Highlights, zu den Sehenswürdigkeiten wie dem Kölner Dom, den Weihnachtsmärkten, den Brauhäusern, zum ColognePride und natürlich auch zum Kölner Karneval. Entdecke jetzt, was die weltoffene Metropole am Rhein so besonders macht! Lass dich verzaubern in der Stadt mit K.

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Urban life am Rhein

Köln zählt in Deutschland zu den Hotspots für Street-Art. Mehrere Routen, Führungen und spezialisierte Galerien bieten dir einen Einstieg in die Szene. So wirst du etwa in Ehrenfeld, dem Belgischen Viertel, aber auch in der Innenstadt viel zu sehen bekommen ...

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The Mystery of Banksy – A Genius Mind

Ehemaliges Autohaus

Roni Horn. Give Me Paradox or Give Me Death

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Kölsch em Veedel - Vringsveedel

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Köln ist ein Gefühl

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28 Top Things to Do, See and Experience in Cologne, Germany in 2024

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my  disclaimer policy.

If you’re thinking about visiting Cologne ( Köln in German) – whether for a couple hours or a couple of days – this guide is for you. We share where to stay and what to do on your visit so you can maximize your sightseeing and plan an unforgettable stay.

• 1 About Cologne (Köln)
• 2 Is Cologne Worth Visiting?
• 3 How Much Time To Spend In Cologne?
• 4 Where Is Cologne Located In Germany On A Map?
• 5 28 Things to To Do And See In Cologne
• 6 Admire the Street Art
• 7 How To Get To Cologne
• 8 Where To Stay In Cologne
• 9 Day Trips From Cologne
• 11 Next Steps For Planning Your Trip:

About Cologne (Köln)

Cologne is the largest city in the North Rhine-Westphalia region of Germany. It’s known for its unique architecture, with the Cologne Cathedral being the most important landmark and distinct feature of the city’s skyline.

Cologne also a great jumping off point for visiting the Rhine and Moselle Valley regions, as well as other cities and towns in the western part of Germany. 

I spent several weeks in the Cologne suburbs when I was a teen, and we’ve been back to visit several times over the years.

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Keep reading to discover the must-see sights and activities, top accommodations, and best day trips in the amazing city of Cologne!

Is Cologne Worth Visiting?

Yes, in general, Cologne is a beautiful city worth visiting for a day (or two) or even if you just have a short train layover.

Of course, whether Cologne gets a spot in your itinerary depends on your sight-seeing priorities. This guide will help you determine what you most want to see and do in Cologne.

Cologne is renowned for the magnificent Cologne Cathedral, which is an iconic architectural feature of city’s skyline. Near the cathedral you’ll find a charming Altstadt (Old Town) with beautiful churches and interesting museums, lovely narrow cobblestone streets lined with colorful houses, and vibrant squares filled with busy cafes, bars, and restaurants.

Cologne is also famous for its vibrant carnival season and Christmas markets, attracting visitors from around the world. 

While Cologne is a beautiful city and I always enjoy visiting, it’s important to note that it’s not a city filled with fairytale half-timber houses or a “super cute” Altstadt (Old Town) like, say, Heidelberg.

How Much Time To Spend In Cologne?

How much time should you spend in Cologne? It depends…

• If you just want to see the cathedral and grab a bite to eat, you could plan a 2 or 3 hour stop.
• In 1 day you can see the main sights in and near the Altstadt (Old Town), maybe a bit more.
• In 2 days you could see the main sights and explore the beautiful neighborhoods to get more a local feel for this beautiful city. Or see focus on the Old Town on the first day and take a day trip on the second.

If you’re planning to spend the night in Cologne, check out our hotel recommendations at the end of this guide – including where we stayed – or our full Cologne hotel guide here.

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Where Is Cologne Located In Germany On A Map?

Cologne is located in western Germany in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (Nordrhein-Westfalen). It’s situated along the left bank of the Rhine River, southeast of Düsseldorf (the capital of North Rhine-Westphalia).  

Where Can I Find The Above Map?

It’s part of our Germany Travel Planner , and it’s your Germany travel planning BFF! Using our custom interactive planning map you’ll be able to quickly see the best sights, castles, hotels, day trips, and more – along with our photos and up-to-date insider tips. Seeing where these things are in relation to each other makes it much easier to plan your overall itinerary, as well as each day of your trip. If you don’t yet have it, click here to get access.

28 Things to To Do And See In Cologne

Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom)

A Cologne must-see! This stunning cathedral is one of Germany’s tallest and the tallest twin-spired church in the world. It’s easy to see why the Cologne Cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage sight and one of the most iconic landmarks in Germany . 

No visit to Cologne is complete without admiring the cathedral’s beautiful Gothic architecture with its intricate spires, ornate facade, and stunning stained glass windows. One of the highlights of the cathedral is the Shrine of the Three Kings, a large gilded sarcophagus that’s traditionally believed to hold the bones of the Three Kings or Three Wise Men.

You can also go the top of the cathedral by climbing the 533 stone steps of the spiral staircase. It leads to a viewing platform of about 330 feet above the ground with panoramic views of the Rhine.

Be sure to look on the wall of the cathedral facing the train station for a small exhibit showing what the cathedral looked like after WWII and how it was reconstructed.

Tip: grab an easy to-go meal (we got Döner) and eat it in the little park in front of the cathedral. You can rest your feet and enjoy the view of the stunning Dom.

Take a Guided City Tour

If you’re only in the city for a few hours or a day, take a guided tour so you can hit all of the highlights quickly and easily.

If you like walking tours, book this guided city highlights tour with a local.

If you’d like to tour the cathedral, the Old Town, and try a Kölsch, book this highly rated tour.

If you prefer scooting around on a segway, book this innovative Cologne segway tour.

More into e-scooters? Book this Cologne e-scooter tour so you can see all of Cologne’s best sights.

If you’d rather sit back and enjoy as a knowledgable guide pedals you around the best of the city, book this guided rickshaw tour.

Want to get off the beaten path? Book this Ehrenfeld street art walking tour to make your time in Cologne even more memorable.

Tour Cologne By Bus

If you’re only in town for a morning or afternoon, riding the HOHO bus (Hop On Hop Off) is a great way to see more of the city quickly. Buy your ticket, hop on (get the top front seats if possible) and ride it all the way around. You can buy tickets just before boarding the bus.

Ride the Bimmelbahn

Another option for easily seeing some of Cologne’s sights is the Bimmelbahn. Yes, its touristy and you won’t see as many sights as with the HOHO bus. But it can be fun. There are a couple routes you can choose from (e.g., one goes to the Chocolate Museum and another goes out to the Zoo/Flora/cable car).

Along the way you can see the sights and learn some interesting facts about Cologne via the narration that plays in English and German. You can ride it the whole way for an easy tour or get off and back on later.

We didn’t have time to do the HOHO bus so we took the Bimmelbahn to the Zoo/Flora. We got to see more than we would have on foot and learned a few things about Cologne along the way. If you have a CologneCard you’ll get a discount on the Bimmelbahn.

Thanks to the Cologne tourism office for gifting us 2 CologneCards to use on our visit!

Drink a Kölsch Beer

If you like beer, don’t miss out on this unique cultural experience!

Kölsch is the local beer of Cologne. This style of beer is known for its peculiar fermentation process where it’s initially fermented warm like an ale but then stored in colder temperatures like a lager. This yields a light, full fruity flavor that’s easy to drink. It’s also traditionally served in a tall, thin, cylindrical glass called a Stange.

Another unique thing about Kölsch is that it has a protected geographical indication (PGI) within the European Union. This means that only breweries within 30 miles of Cologne and following the right brewing process can classify their beer as a Kölsch. 

There are many places to try out this brew, like the many bars or Kneipen in the Old Town. If you want to immerse yourself in Cologne’s local beer culture, especially if you’re short on time, book this tour of famous breweries with a tasting of 3 delicious Kölsch beers !

Cologne Old Town (Altstadt)

Cologne’s Altstadt (Old Town) is renowned for its historic streets lined with colorful buildings, vibrant squares, traditional old houses, and important historic and cultural landmarks.

One of these landmarks is the Cologne City Hall, a historic building set between the two squares of Rathausplatz and Alter Markt. It has a very interesting facade that combines several structures in varying architectural styles. 

Old Town is also home to large squares like the Old Market Square (Alter Markt) and Fish Market (Fischmarkt) where you can find outdoor cafes, restaurants, and bars. Here you can try the famous Kölsch beer or try a typical Halver Hahn sandwich.

If you’re interested in exploring Old Town through Cologne’s beer and food scene, then check out this Old Town guided tour that also takes you to cool breweries with beer tasting!

Great St. Martin Church

During the Middle Ages, Cologne was an important site for Romanesque churches. There are twelve of these churches, known for their distinct architectural style.

One of the most famous and beautiful ones is the Great St. Martin Church. This church was built during Roman times, on top of the remnants of an ancient Roman chapel. It has been reconstructed several times throughout history, during a fire in the 12th century and after the second World War. 

Other Romanesque churches worth checking out in Old Town are the Church of St. Ursula, St. Maria im Kapitol, and the Church of St. Gereon.

Ostermann Fountain

Be sure to stop at the charming Ostermann Fountain while in Cologne. It’s like this hidden treasure right in the middle of the city. This fountain has been been around since the 19th century and it details the history of the city. There are also cafes and restaurants right next to the fountain if you’re looking for a place to take a break.

Cologne Chocolate Museum

If you’re a chocolate lover, the Cologne Chocolate Museum is a must-visit. It’s one of the most popular museums in Germany and will take you on a fascinating journey through the history of chocolate, showcasing the entire chocolate-making process from beans to bars. You’ll learn how cocoa is grown and cultivated to produce the chocolate bars we know and love. At the end of the chocolate factory tour, you can taste some delicious samples or participate in a workshop to design and make your own chocolate bar.

There’s also a cafe where you can enjoy delicious meals and amazing cakes. Seriously, the cakes looked SO good – and they’re not all chocolate! If it’s a nice day, sit outside on their riverfront terrace.

We visited this museum over 20 years ago and enjoyed returning on our last trip. Thanks to the Chocolate Museum for the complementary ticket!

Ride The Ferris Wheel Outside The Chocolate Museum

After touring the Chocolate Museum, ride the ferris wheel for an excellent view of the city and the Rhine river! It’s located right outside of the chocolate museum so you can’t miss it (note – it’s not there during some months of the year).

Sample A Variety of German Mustards

Across the street from the Chocolate Museum is the Senfmühle, a small shop where you can taste several kinds of delicious German mustard. You can also buy a crock or two to take home.

Walk Along the Rhine River

No visit to Cologne is complete without a walk along the Rhine! Start in Old Town and walk to Hohenzollern bridge or vice versa. If it’s a hot day, stop and put your feet into the cool water at the Wasserspeilplatz not too far from Hohenzollern bridge (see photo above).

Hohenzollern Bridge (Hohenzollernbrücke)

The Hohenzollern Bridge is a three-arched steel structure that spans the Rhine river. It was originally constructed in the early 20th century and has undergone renovations and restorations over the years. Today it serves as a railway bridge but it also has a pedestrian walkway and bicycle lanes on either side.  

One of the notable features of the Hohenzollern Bridge is the large number of padlocks attached to the railings. These love locks have become a tradition done by couples as a way of displaying affection and commitment. It’s fun to look at all of the different types, inscriptions, and dates as you walk by.

Hohenzollern Bridge is also the perfect place to take some pictures as you’ll have great views of the Cathedral in the background.

Admire the View From the KölnTriangle

This modern skyscraper offers an unbeatable panoramic view of the city’s skyline. Head to the observation deck for jaw-dropping vistas of the majestic Rhine River, the iconic Cologne Cathedral, and beyond. It’s the perfect spot to capture some stunning photos and get a unique perspective of this vibrant city. You can reach the KölnTriangle by walking across the Hohenzollern bridge.

Rhine River Cruise

The River Rhine is an important part of Cologne’s urban landscape. There’s different ways you can explore the river. Of course, one of the best ways is to take a boat trip.

We recommend booking this Rhine River cruise since you’ll get to see Cologne’s top tourist attractions like the Cathedral, Old Town, Rheinauhafen and see 5 of the many river bridges. The tour also includes commentary and drinks and snacks are available for purchase on board.

Flora and Botanical Garden (Flora und Botanischer Garten Köln)

The Flora and Botanical Garden is one of the best places to relax in and take a break from all the sightseeing in the city center. This diverse green space is home to over 10,000 species of plants and trees. Many of them are displayed in the main greenhouse which features tropical rainforest plants.

There’s also a small tropical house that cultivates tropical crops like bamboo, cocoa, coffee, sugar cane, coconut palm and more. It’s especially beautiful during days with good weather, since everything is vibrant and lush. The best part is that it’s open daily with free access to all.

Cologne Cable Car

If you want to see the city and the river from a different perspective, you can also take the Cologne cable car. The gondola lift connects the two banks of the Rhine river and offers the best birds-eye view of the city. For more information, you can visit the official website here . 

Belgian Quarter

Cologne has a lot of different areas and neighborhoods to explore. The Belgian Quarter is one of the most trendy and vibrant ones. It’s known for its lively atmosphere and streets lined with all sorts of cafes, restaurants, and boutiques. There’s also a thriving art and culture scene so you’ll find art galleries, theaters, and music venues that come alive especially during the night.

The Belgian Quarter is a great place for shopping, grabbing a meal or quick bite, and simply taking in the eclectic vibes of the area. You can walk there from the Old Town and it’s a great place to go see the less touristy parts of Cologne.

Museum Ludwig

Museum Ludwig is known for its impressive collection of contemporary and modern art. It features a wide range of movements including Pop Art, Abstract Expressionism, and Surrealism. The Ludwig Museum also houses one of the largest Picasso collections in Europe. Other famous artists include Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol.

Romano-Germanic Museum

If you’re a history buff, one of the best things to do is to visit the Roman-Germanic Museum. This museum showcases Cologne’s origins during the Roman period. Like many structures in the city, it was built around the Roman ruins and different archaeological sites in an effort to preserve its rich history. There’s lots of interesting exhibits and artifacts on display. One of the highlights of the museum is the well-preserved Dionysus mosaic, a captivating floor mosaic depicting scenes from Greek mythology.  NOTE : Note, the main museum is currently closed. Please visit the temporary exhibition in the Belgian House (Belgisches Haus/Maison Belge).

Pop Into The Maria Himmelfahrt Church

We came across this historic church in the heart of Cologne near the train station and popped inside to find an interior rich with ornamentation. It’s a beautiful church!

Admire the Street Art

There is some beautiful street art in the Eherenfleld district of Cologne – but you have to know where to look! We stopped to see several spots on our way out of Cologne (we had a car) but you can also book this guided tour with a local who will take you off the beaten path and share insight into this underground cultural scene.

Explore Daily Life in Cologne

One of my favorite things to do when traveling anywhere is hop on a random bus or tram, ride it several stops, and then get out and explore the neighborhood. It’s the best way to get off the beaten path!

Go Shopping

Cologne is a great place to go shopping so if you’re looking for new clothes or just want to bum around and see what’s on offer, head to the pedestrian shopping streets in Cologne (except on Sundays and holidays when stores are closed).

Wallraf-Richartz Museum

The Wallraf-Richartz Museum is a renowned art museum featuring works and exhibits from the medieval period until the early 20th century. There are various collections from different movements and art styles including Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Impressionism. Some of the most famous artists featured include Monet, Rembrandt, Botticelli, Rubens, Van Gogh,, and many others. 

EL-DE Haus (NS Documentation Centre of the City of Cologne)

The EL-DE Haus, also known by its full name the NS Documentation Centre of the City of Cologne, is a historically significant memorial center that’s worth visiting to learn more about Germany’s complex history. It’s housed in a former Gestapo prison and it provides a chilling insight into the dark period of Nazi rule and World War II  in Germany.

Visitors can explore the preserved cells and exhibition areas that document the history of the Nazi regime as well as the resistance movements during that time. The museum’s exhibits include photographs, documents, and personal stories that can be quite difficult to read. But it’s a moving memorial that honors the victims of the regime. 

Fragrance Museum

Cologne is also known for being the birthplace of the eau de cologne. If you’re interested in learning about the origins of this famous type of perfume, then the Fragrance Museum is a must-visit. This unique and niche museum that takes you through three centuries in the history of perfumes. It’s located in an elegant historic building and features interactive displays and exhibits showcasing the fragrance-making process and vintage perfume bottles. After visiting, you can try out samples and maybe even find your new signature scent!

Cologne’s Christmas Markets

If you’re in Cologne from the end of November through Christmas, this is for you! Cologne comes alive during the festive season with its many Christmas markets. The biggest and most popular one takes place right outside the Cologne Cathedral which provides a stunning backdrop for all the Christmas stalls selling everything from traditional decorations, locally made handicrafts, and delicious sweet treats. There’s many others scattered throughout the city like the angel-themed Neumarkt Market, the Nicholas Village in Rudolfplatz, or the Harbor Market.

For more information on Christmas markets in Germany, read our guide to the best Christmas markets to visit!

How To Get To Cologne

Cologne is a very well-connected city so there are several easy ways to get here.

BY PLANE: you can fly into Frankfurt am Main (FRA), Düsseldorf (DUS) or Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN). From FRA it’s 1-3 hours to Cologne by train (depending on the train you take) and 2 hours by car. From DUS it’s about 45 minutes by train or car. From CGN it’s about 30 minutes to the city center by public transport and 15 minutes by car.

BY TRAIN: If you’re taking the train, the main train station is Cologne Central Station (Köln Hauptbahnhof) which has excellent train connections with most major cities in Germany and other European cities. We recommend checking the Deutsche Bahn official website to find the best routes and tickets.

BY CAR: If you’re traveling by car, Cologne is well-connected to the German highway network, making it easily accessible by car. The nearest major cities to drive from would be Düsseldorf (around 45 minutes to 1 hour), Bonn (around 30 to 40 minutes), and Frankfurt (around 2 hours). 

On our most recent visit we flew into FRA and took a regional train up to Cologne (we took a regional because we had the Deutschland-Ticket ). The train went up the Rhine, so we were treated to a wonderful view of the river and castles along the way.

Where To Stay In Cologne

Top Pick & Where We Stayed Koncept Hotel zum kostbaren Blut – This hotel prioritizes sustainability and is in a converted convent above the historic square of Alter Markt. It has a slightly funky retro vibe but is equipped with all your standard, modern amenities.

It’s location is perfect, since it’s only a short walk from the train station, Cathedral, Altstadt, the Christmas markets, and Rhine river. It’s also well-connected to public transport. We stayed here on our last visit and loved it (see photo above)!

More Great Hotels:

Excelsior Hotel Ernst am Dom – A highly rated hotel in Cologne, the castle-like features of the Excelsior Hotel Ernst am Dom look straight out of a fairytale. The historic building was first built in 1863 and offers the best location in the city since it’s right across from the Cologne Cathedral, so you’ll wake up to beautiful unobstructed views. You’ll also find top-notch service and first class facilities in this five-star hotel. Definitely perfect for guests looking for luxury accommodation.

CityClass Hotel Residence am Dom – CityClass Hotel Residence am Dom is perfect for travelers who don’t want to compromise on quality and location of their accommodation. It has an amazing central location near the Cathedral square, Museum Ludwig, and the train station. You can also easily walk to the other Cologne sights.

For more hotel options, read our full guide on the top accommodations in Cologne !

Tip: if you have our Germany Travel Planner you’ll find recommended hotels on our interactive planning map. Seeing where these hotels are in relation to the top sights makes it a lot easier to find the perfect place to stay. If you don’t yet have it, click here to get access.

Day Trips From Cologne

You’ve probably never heard of Mayen but it’s a lovely small town that makes for a great day trip from Cologne. I spent several weeks there over 2 summers when I was doing research for my dissertation and loved it. You can spend an enjoyable half day exploring the Old Town, visiting the castle on the hill, the mining museum, churches, and enjoying a tasty meal.

Rhine Valley

If you have a full day for a day trip you could head to the Rhine Valley to explore the small towns on the Rhine river (Bacharach, Oberwesel, St. Goar, etc) or one of the many castles. You could also take the train to Bingen, take a river cruise to Bacharach, and then take the train back to Cologne. That area is so beautiful!

Düsseldorf

Düsseldorf is the capital of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and is around 45 minutes to 1 hour away from Cologne, making it a great day trip for those looking for another city destination. It’s widely known as an international financial center, meaning the city is bustling with modern architecture and high-rise buildings.

At the same time, it also has the charm of the Old Town with many important historic and cultural landmarks. The city is also famous for its fashion and art scene. It’s home to art museums and a luxurious shopping boulevard with high-end brands from all over the world. Düsseldorf is known for its own type of German beer called Altbier and even being home to the longest bar in the world!

For more information, read our full guide on the best things to do in Düsseldorf.

Aachen is known for its thermal baths and spas, making it the perfect day trip for those looking to relax and recharge after sightseeing in busy cities. The small city shares a border with Belgium and the Netherlands and is over an hour drive away from Cologne.

Aachen is also home to stunning Aachen Cathedral, the first German building to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city is also closely associated with Charlemagne, the great emperor during the medieval times, who made Aachen his principal residence and established it as the center of his empire. One of the main highlights related to Charlemagne is the Palatine Chapel. 

Bonn is a city to the south of Cologne that’s only around a 30 to 40 minute drive away. The city is most famous as the birthplace of Ludwig van Beethoven so it’s a great destination for any classical music enthusiast. There are several museums and landmarks dedicated to both Beethoven and classical music history such as the Beethoven House, where he was born. 

If you’re looking to explore a smaller, more quaint town with medieval touches, then Monschau is the perfect day trip from Cologne. It’s located around an hour and a half drive away from Cologne. The town is known for its well-preserved medieval charm, with narrow cobblestone streets, half-timbered houses, and romantic alleyways that transport visitors back in time.

An important landmark is the turreted, red sandstone Monschau Castle which overlooks the town and has great countryside views. Monschau is also near the Eifel National Park so there’s plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities such as hiking, cycling, and trekking.

TIP: If you have our Germany Travel Planner/Bundle look at our interactive planning map to see do-able day trips. Seeing the castles, towns, and other must-see sights on the map (along with our photos and up-to-date tips) makes it much easier to decide what to add to your itinerary. If you don’t yet have it, click here to get access.

What Is Cologne, Germany Famous For?

Cologne, Germany is famous for the Cologne Cathedral. It’s also best known for being the birthplace of the eau de cologne. 

How Many Days are Enough For Cologne, Germany?

Cologne is definitely doable as a day trip, especially if you don’t have much time in your Germany itinerary. But we definitely recommend staying at least one full day to get the most out of your trip. If you are staying around 2-3 days, it’s a good idea to combine it with a day trip to Düsseldorf or other nearby cities.

Is It Safe To Travel to Cologne, Germany?

Yes, Cologne is safe to travel to. Overall, Germany is a very safe destination. As always, it’s important to take all safety precautions like being mindful of your belongings and staying alert of your surroundings, especially in more touristy and crowded areas.

What To Do in Cologne, Germany For a Day?

If you’re in Cologne for only a day, make sure to visit the Cologne Cathedral. You can also spend most of your time in the Old Town and simply choose one or two other museums/landmarks to see. The Hohenzollern Bridge is also a must-see to get panoramic views of the city and the Rhine River. 

What to See in Cologne, Germany in 2+ Days?

If you’re in Cologne for 2+ days, we recommend doing the things mentioned above but also allocating more time to the Flora and Botanical Garden, another museum of your choice, and perhaps doing a Kölsch tasting tour!

What To Do in Cologne, Germany in December?

If you’re visiting Cologne in December, then trying to visit as many of the seven Christmas markets is a must do! Enjoy a nice warm mug of Glühwein and sweet treats like Lebkuchen (gingerbread). The atmosphere in the Old Town is especially charming and festive during this season which makes sightseeing even more special.

Next Steps For Planning Your Trip:

• Start planning an unforgettable trip to Germany here !
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Cologne (Köln) offers a mother lode of attractions, led by its famous cathedral whose filigree twin spires dominate the skyline. The city’s museum landscape is especially strong when it comes to art but also has something in store for fans of chocolate, sports and even Roman history. Cologne's people are known for their liberalism and joie de vivre; it’s easy to have a good time with them in the beer halls of the Altstadt or during Carnival.

Best Things to Do

Attractions, must-see attractions.

Cologne’s geographical and spiritual heart – and its single-biggest tourist draw – is the magnificent Kölner Dom. With its soaring twin spires, this is…

Römisch-Germanisches Museum

Sculptures and ruins displayed outside the entrance are merely the overture to a full symphony of Roman artefacts found along the Rhine. Highlights…

Wallraf-Richartz-Museum & Fondation Corboud

One of Germany's finest art museums, the Wallraf-Richartz presents a primo collection of European art from the 13th to the 19th centuries in a minimalist…

Museum Ludwig

A mecca of modern art, Museum Ludwig presents a tantalising mix of works from all major genres. Fans of German expressionism (Beckmann, Dix, Kirchner)…

Domschatzkammer

Reliquaries, robes, sculptures and liturgical objects are handsomely presented in medieval vaulted rooms below the main floor of the Dom. Standouts…

Art, history, architecture and spirituality form a harmonious tapestry in this spectacular collection of the Archdiocese of Cologne's religious treasures…

Schokoladenmuseum

This boat-shaped, high-tech temple to the art of chocolate making has plenty of engaging exhibits on the 5000-year cultural history of the ‘elixir of the…

NS-Dokumentationszentrum

Cologne's Third Reich history is poignantly and exhaustively documented in the NS Documentation Centre housed in the very building that served as the…

Top picks from our travel experts

How to spend a perfect long weekend in cologne.

Church of Gross St Martin

Winning top honours for Cologne's most handsome church exterior is Gross St Martin, with an ensemble of four slender turrets grouped around a central…

Früh am Dom

This warren of a beer hall near the Dom epitomises Cologne earthiness and is a great place to sample the typical Kölsch beer. Knock them back and tuck…

The name translates as Vault so it's quite apropos that you have to negotiate a maze of small rooms to arrive at the main floor at this underground club…

Church of St Gereon

The most eccentric looking of Cologne's many Romanesque churches, St Gereon grew from a late-Roman chapel into this massive complex lidded by a 10-sided…

This well-respected Zülpicher Viertel restaurant is an excellent pit stop at any time of the day. Come for extravagant breakfasts, light lunches and…

Brauhaus Peters

This beautifully restored 19th-century pub draws a crowd knocking back their Kölsch in a web of highly individualistic nooks, including a little 'chapel'…

Church of St Ursula

If you look at Cologne’s coat of arms, you’ll see what looks like 11 apostrophes. In fact, the squiggles represent St Ursula and 11,000 virgins who were…

Bei Oma Kleinmann

Named for its long-time owner, who was still cooking almost to her last day at age 95 in 2009, this perennially booked, graffiti-covered restaurant serves…

Latest stories from Cologne

Nov 17, 2023 • 6 min read

How can you pick between the iconic markets in Cologne and Nuremburg? Two locals fight it out for the crown.

Feb 21, 2022 • 5 min read

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Get to the heart of Cologne with one of our in-depth, award-winning guidebooks, covering maps, itineraries, and expert guidance.

• 1.1 Orientation
• 1.2 History
• 1.3 Climate
• 1.4 Tourist office
• 3.1 By plane
• 3.2 By train
• 4.1 By public transport
• 4.2 By bicycle
• 4.3 On foot
• 4.4 By e-hailing
• 5.1.1 Remains of city walls and fortifications
• 5.2 Veedel - City Quarters
• 5.3 Other attractions
• 5.4 Museums and galleries
• 5.5.1 Churches and other religious buildings
• 5.7 Itineraries
• 6.3 Spa and massage
• 7.1 Department stores
• 7.2 High-end fashion
• 7.3 Records
• 8.1 Traditional scene
• 8.2 Ethnic scene
• 8.3.1 In and around the central train station
• 8.3.2 Around Neumarkt
• 8.3.3 In Ehrenfeld
• 8.3.4 Südstadt
• 8.3.5 Around Zülpicher Platz
• 8.4.1 German and Colognian cuisine
• 8.4.2 International cuisine
• 8.5 Splurge
• 10.1 Camping
• 10.2 Budget
• 10.3 Mid-range
• 10.4 Splurge
• 11 Stay safe
• 12.1 Wi-Fi access
• 13.1 Religious services
• 14.1 International

Cologne (German: Köln , Ripuarian: Kölle ) is a city on the Rhine river in North Rhine-Westphalia . It is the fourth largest city in Germany with around 1.1 million residents (2020). It is one of the nation's media, tourism and business hotspots, and is considered one of the most liberal cities in Germany.

Cologne has a rich history, reaching back to the time of the ancient Roman Empire , when it was founded. It has remained a constantly inhabited important regional centre since. Compared to other German and European cities, the ancient and medieval Cologne was relatively large, covering most of the modern-day city centre. A wealth of architectural heritage can therefore be found across the city ranging from pre-Christian times to strikingly modern buildings, with a high concentration of Romanesque and Gothic architecture, culminating in the magnificent cathedral ( Dom ).

Cologne is, however, not only a tourist destination, but on an equal note a major economic centre, a globally important trade fair location, a culture and media hotspot and a major transportation hub. This equal mix of roles and functions is permeable throughout the city and provides it with a constant inflow of various visitors, as well as a very diverse population mix. This all culminates during the traditional Karneval, and makes Cologne one of the most-visited destinations in Germany.

Understand [ edit ]

Orientation [ edit ].

Cologne lies on both sides of the river Rhine , which flows through it in a northerly direction. The left hand, or western side, is Cologne proper with the Old Town ( Altstadt ), the famous cathedral and most landmarks and museums. The right side, or eastern side, used to be a separate town called Deutz - now Deutz is a neighbourhood of Cologne.

Cologne is divided into 9 districts ( Stadtbezirke ), numbered from 1 to 9. Stadtbezirk 1 , called Innenstadt ("inner city"), is probably the one most tourists will spend all of their time in, as it contains most of the city's points of interest. It is also the only district that lies on both sides of the Rhine, as it includes Deutz. Districts 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are on the western bank of the Rhine, and districts 7, 8 and 9 on the eastern bank, surrounding the Innenstadt.

Every Stadtbezirk is further divided into Stadtteile (literally "city parts", or "neighbourhoods"). The Innenstadt includes Altstadt-Nord and Alstadt-Süd , two parts of the historic Old Town of Cologne facing the Rhine, divided by the L111 thoroughfare running from east to west (with the street names Cäcilienstraße – Neumarkt – Hahnenstraße), starting at the Deutzer Brücke (bridge over the Rhine). The Altstadt is surrounded by a ring of wide avenues running over the former city walls of Cologne. They all have street names ending with the word Ring .

The part of Innenstadt lying on the outer side of the ring is the Neustadt , or "new town". Neustadt is further divided into Neustadt-Nord and Neustadt-Sued , also separated by L111 ( Aachener Straße ). Both parts of the Neustadt form a crescent embracing the Altstadt and reaching the Rhine on either side thereof. Finally, facing the Altstadt and Neustadt on the other (eastern) side of the Rhine is the Stadtteil of Deutz , which completes the Innenstadt .

History [ edit ]

Cologne is one of the oldest cities in Germany, having been founded and established in the 1st century AD, as the Roman Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium . "Cologne" is the French version of the city's name, which has become standard in English as well. It has a traditional, strong rivalry with the neighbouring city of Düsseldorf , the capital of North Rhine-Westphalia, although this is mostly manifested by a number of jocular references made to one another in both cities and constant bickering as to whose local beer is best (in Cologne, it is obviously Kölsch ). It was Germany's largest city at several points in history and for most of the Middle Ages it was the only place that would even register as a major city population-wise by modern standards. Today it is the fourth biggest city in Germany (after Berlin, Hamburg and Munich) and the biggest that is neither city state nor state capital.

Climate [ edit ]

The climate of North Western Germany is changeable, with seasonal changes and day-to-day weather often comparable to that of England or Northern France . Travellers to Cologne can expect the hottest time of the year to be late July/early August, the coldest is January (temperature hovering around the freezing mark) and the month with the most rainfall is June.

Tourist office [ edit ]

50.94084 6.95649 1 KölnTourismus , Kardinal-Hoeffner-Platz 1 ( directly opposite the front entrance of the cathedral, take the U-Bahn to Dom/Hbf ), ☏ +49 221 346430 . M-Sa 09:00-19:00, Sundays closed . The Cologne Tourist Office offers a wealth of information for the traveller who wishes to fill their itinerary with activities around the city. Ask about guide books that are available, most of which provide information for free. ( updated Jun 2023 )

Talk [ edit ]

The distinctive flavour to the city of Cologne is often linked to the city's inhabitants, or Kölsche , who take an enormous amount of pride in their city. Cologne is a traditionally Ripuarian-speaking city, though this has mostly been replaced by standard German, which is now the main language of the city. English-speaking guides and information are available for many of the landmarks of the city. For tourists who speak German and wish to practice it, the citizens usually have a lot of patience with those trying to come to grips with the language. Cologne's citizens are very friendly and jovial people, welcoming tourists of all types and with all interests.

German is of course the language of this city but it is very easy to find information in French and English, also sometimes in Spanish and Japanese . Due to a large number of immigrants, Persian , Turkish , Polish and Russian are also widely spoken. Announcements in the main train station ( Hauptbahnhof ) are in German, French and English. Like many German cities and areas, Cologne also has a local dialect, called Kölsch , however all speakers will also be familiar with German.

Away from the landmarks, workers of the Deutsche Bahn (German railways) often speak English reasonably well, and ticket machines have a language selection feature. In general, older people in Cologne tend to have little or no knowledge of English, while younger Germans and those working in the business world tend to be more proficient. Language is rarely a strong barrier, so this should not be much of a worry for the average tourist. Just approach a friendly native with a smile on your face.

Get in [ edit ]

By plane [ edit ].

• The airport is approximately 15 minutes to the centre of Cologne by commuter train S19 (towards Düren), RB 27 (Mönchengladbach) or RE 6 (RRX; Minden). The fare (ticket zone 1b) is €3 one-way (May 2022).
• To the district Porz get bus line 161 which departs every 30 – 60 min from 04:59 to 23:30. Travel time is 15 min and costs €3 (May 2022).
• Düsseldorf Airport ( DUS  IATA ), The Düsseldorf airport offers many intercontinental connections. A train ride from the airport train station to Cologne central station takes about 40 minutes. IC and ICE trains on this route cost €16-€23, but offer no real time savings over the humble Regional Express (RE) trains, which require only a regional transit ticket (Price zone / Preisstufe 5; €11.90 as of May 2022). The Deutsche Bahn journey planner will show you your options.
• Frankfurt Airport ( FRA  IATA ), is the largest airport in Germany, served by all major international airlines. ICE (InterCityExpress) high speed trains connect Frankfurt Airport and Cologne central station in less than one hour. Standard one-way fare is €67 by ICE. However there are many reduced fares available if you order in advance with prices starting as low as €19. If you pay full price you do not have to take a specific train, but discounted tickets are restricted to the train on your reservation. Trains via Koblenz, which use the slower, yet extremely scenic route along the Rhine Valley , are also 30% cheaper. The ICE train takes about one hour, the slower more scenic route takes about two hours. There are also intercity buses, for example Flixbus, which go from the Frankfurt airport to Cologne airport.

By train [ edit ]

Cologne is served by two major train stations:

Cologne is linked with Amsterdam , Brussels , and Paris by Thalys and ICE high speed trains . Flixtrain serves the city.

Nightjet , the Austrian Railways' sleeper train , runs twice a week from Brussels via Aachen and Cologne to Vienna , Munich and Innsbruck . It calls at Bonn, Koblenz, Frankfurt airport, Würzburg and Nuremberg where it divides: One portion runs via Linz to Vienna, the other via Munich to Innsbruck.

The Frankfurt airport ( FRA  IATA ) has direct service to Cologne and is within one hour by ICE trains.

By bus [ edit ]

• 50.881419 7.117225 4 Intercity bus station Cologne Airport .  
• 51.032346 6.990409 5 Intercity bus station Leverkusen Mitte .  

Long-distance buses cannot stop in the centre of Cologne. The main long-distance bus stations serving Cologne are at the train station Leverkusen Mitte (20 minutes by S-Bahn from/to Cologne Hauptbahnhof, check if you need to pay a fare on top of your long-distance bus ticket) and at Köln Bonn Airport. You can compare travel time and costs for various modes of transport on various websites.

By car [ edit ]

Cologne requires all cars to have a "Low Emissions" sticker in order to drive around in the city centre Low Emission Zone ("Umweltzone"). Information on obtaining a sticker (which must be done at least several weeks in advance) is available here . There are very few exceptions and even electric cars or foreign cars have to get the sticker.

Autobahns A1, A4, A3, A57, and A555 lead to Cologne. During rush hour the streets are heavily congested, also due to massive construction of a new subway tunnel Nord-Süd Stadtbahn, crossing half the city centre.

For cheap parking, with quick connections to central Cologne, use park and ride (" park und ride "). At some stations, parking is free when you present a validated transit ticket on exit [dead link] .

Get around [ edit ]

By public transport [ edit ]

Cologne has an excellent public transport network consisting of trams, local trains and buses. Bicycles are also available for hire on the northern side of the Hauptbahnhof . Local transport systems rarely provide announcements in English, but network maps are commonly available to assist with your journey. Those wishing to explore areas away from the central city should plan their journey and potential connections before leaving. The KVB (Kölner Verkehrs-Betriebe) website is a good source of public transport information.

Tickets are valid for subway, tram and regional train within the VRS-network. Trips within the city limits require zone 1b tickets (2019: single €3, 4-trip-ticket €12, day ticket €8.80, day ticket for up to 5 people €13.40), week ticket €26.30. For short trips of up to 4 stops on subway, tram or bus there is also the slightly cheaper "Kurzstrecke" (short trip ticket, 2019: €2.00). They offer mobile app ( iOS , Android ), which allows buying tickets with 10% discount. A map of the network can be found at most stops, inside all vehicles (check ceilings, back entrances) and online .

Cologne's subway and tram-system , or U-Bahn, is a mixture of systems: a subway line can go on street-level and end up as a tram or vice versa. There are vending machines or ticket-offices at larger stations The trains and buses also have vending-machines. See the public bus, tram and subway-company KVB for printable maps of the bus/tram/subway system and here for their official street map ( also found here ) of Cologne.

Regional trains are known as "S-Bahn", "Regional-Bahn" and "Regional Express". Most of them don't have ticket vending-machines so remember to buy a ticket at the station.

Student travel: Student travel (age 20 or less) can be very cheap to and from Cologne, as well as around the Land of North Rhine-Westphalia. The German rail company (DB: Deutsche Bahn) offer a 'SchöneFerienTicket NRW' during student holiday times and allows free travel throughout North Rhine-Westphalia on local buses, trams, U-Bahn, S-Bahn and regional trains. Prices range from around €54 for summer holidays to €25.50 for Easter holidays, but prices and times change from year to year.

These tickets are available to anyone with valid student identification (student union card, enrolment card, etc.) and personal identification (passport, driving licence, etc.) The ticket is only valid for the student holiday dates of North Rhine-Westphalia and the ticket is not valid for high speed express trains. Visit/contact Deutsche Bahn for more information before travelling to Germany.

By bicycle [ edit ]

Cologne has, like e.g. Berlin , Munich and Frankfurt , app-based bike rental systems such as Call A Bike and KVB-Rad [dead link] (run by Nextbike). After you register for an account on-line, you will be charged time-based fees. The Radstation at the central train station offers rentals from 3 hours on, with discounts for longer rentals (a cash deposit of €50 is required). Going by bike is maybe the best way to go around in the city.

On foot [ edit ]

But, on the whole, the centre of Cologne is not that big for a city of one million. It is entirely feasible to walk from one end of the centre, say, the Rudolfplatz, to the other end, say, the Cathedral, in half an hour.

By e-hailing [ edit ]

Uber, Bolt and Free Now cover the city.

See [ edit ]

Historical attractions [ edit ]

Remains of city walls and fortifications [ edit ]

• 50.93102 6.95137 18 ruins of Roman city walls and two towers .  
• 50.93439 6.96288 25 Ruins of a small gate .  

Veedel - City Quarters [ edit ]

Cologne is well known for its "Veedel" or traditional neighbourhoods.

• Agnesviertel – Here, most notably in the bohemian Agnesviertel , you can find independent designers, bookshops, bars, and art galleries. There are also historical monuments, such as the North City Gate or Eigelsteintorburg in the Agnesviertel, very near to Fort X , built to protect the city from French attacks, and Agneskirche , a late neo-gothic church on the boulevardesque Neusserstraße . Neusserstraße also has a yoga school, an Aikido school, a Japanese restaurant, a well-stocked bookshop, and a range of pubs. Nearby you will find the Alte Feuerwache , where there are regular exhibitions on political topics and a surreal flea market every four weeks in summer. Opposite Alte Feuerwache is the Artclub , with regular exhibitions of contemporary art, and on Ebertplatz there is a cinema (Metropolis) which shows films in the original (mostly English, but sometimes also French or Spanish). On nearby Lübecker Straße, you will find the uncompromisingly Arty Filmpalette cinema. To round off a trip to the Agnesviertel, you might like a kölsch in the Lapidarium (right beside the North City Gate) or a coffee in Cafe Schmitz , Cologne's grooviest poser hangout (they also do a great breakfast.) All of these great places are within a short walk of Ebertplatz U-Bahn.
• Eigelstein – around the Eigelsteintorburg, U-Bahn "Ebertplatz"
• Martinsviertel / Altstadt – Old town between Rhine, Heumarkt, Alter Markt and Dom, (Cologne Cathedral) , U-Bahn "Rathaus" or "Heumarkt"
• Severinsviertel and Südstadt – around the Severinstorburg, U-Bahn "Clodwigplatz"
• Kwartier Latäng – This student neighbourhood takes it name from the Parisian Quartier Latin. It is centred on the Zülpicher Straße and provides ample nightlife opportunities, ranging from a night shop with dancefloor and toilets ( Späti ), to grimy indie bars. Middle Eastern food is also easy to be found here, including the famous and very popular Habibi . The neighbourhood can be accessed by going to the station "Zülpicher Platz" .
• Belgisches Viertel – Stadtbahn "Moltkestraße"
• Ehrenfeld – U-Bahn "Körnerstraße"

Other attractions [ edit ]

• Parks : Cologne has two park areas ( Grüngürtel ) encircling the city (immediately outside the medieval city limits) and nearly the entire town, respectively, which were set aside as public recreation areas after World War I. The inner Grüngürtel is probably more easy to reach for tourists who only stay a few days. Most notably are Volksgarten , Rheinpark , Hiroshima-Nagasaki- (colloquially known as Aachener-Weiher- ) and Stadtgarten parks where thousands of people come together to enjoy the sun, play and barbecue when the weather is fine. All these parks have an associated beer garden. Dispose any packaging, charcoal, etc., into the waste bins (which are few and far between), as the city has begun to employ anti-littering patrols that will levy a stiff fine on anyone seen littering. Metro: Eifelplatz for Volksgarten, Universitätsstraße for Hiroshima-Nagasaki-Park, Hans-Böckler-Platz/Bahnhof West for Stadtgarten, Bahnhof Deutz for Rheinpark .

• 50.95532 6.971882 31 Skulpturenpark , Riehler Straße ( near Seilbahn, Tram Zoo/Flora ). Free .  

Museums and galleries [ edit ]

Cologne has one of the world's best collections of museums and galleries for a city of its size. As well as world class museums of art and archaeology, Cologne boasts two museums of ecclesiastical art, both housed in architecturally stunning buildings. There is also an ethnographic museum, a chocolate museum, the German Sport Museum and an abundance of Roman remains.

One can purchase a MuseumsCard from one of the municipal museums (such as the first five listed below). The single card costs €18, the family card, which costs €30, entitles 2 adults and 2 children (under 18) free admission to each of the municipal museums during two consecutive opening days. On its first day of validity, it can also be used as a ticket on all buses and trams on the Cologne transportation system VRS. The card is valid in the following museums: Museum Ludwig, Museum für Angewandte Kunst Köln, Wallraf-Richartz-Museum & Fondation Corboud, Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst, Museum Schnütgen, Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum - Kulturen der Welt, Kölnisches Stadtmuseum, NS-Dokumentationszentrum.

Südstadt [ edit ]

• 50.93408 6.96045 43 Overstolzenhaus . One of the oldest houses in Cologne, built between 1220 and 1225, with an impressive romaneque façade. Built as a residence for a local patrician, today it houses the Academy of Media Arts.  
• 50.93569 6.94935 44 Kunsthaus Lempertz . The famous German art merchants and auctioneers, founded in 1845 (although the building is from 1952, reconstructed after the Second World War).  
• 50.92523 6.9645 45 Postamt ( Bürgerhaus Stollwerck ), Dreikönigenstraße 23 . The former post office built from red brick in 1906 is now used as a theatre.  
• 50.93162 6.95156 46 Wasserturm . The former water tower built in 1868-1872 is now used as a luxury boutique hotel. The 11th floor (at 35 metres) houses a terrace and glass covered dining/meeting room, which can be rented out for private functions.  
• 50.93287 6.94516 47 Wolkenburg . The baroque estate was built in 1734 for a benedictine convent, but is used today by the 190-man choir Kölner Männer-Gesang-Verein Cäcilia Wolkenburg . It is also an event centre.  
• 50.93067 6.96733 48 Severinsbrücke . Completed in 1959, the cable-stayed bridge provided a relief for the Deutzer Brücke. Although not outstanding visually as such, it provides a nice view of both banks of the Rhine if you care to walk it.  

Churches and other religious buildings [ edit ]

• 50.92463 6.95563 49 Kartäuserkirche ( Charterhouse church ). The church belonged to the local charterhouse (a monastery of the Carthusian order) until 1794, when the monastery was closed and the church was used variously as a warehouse or a military hospital until the 1920s, when it was restored to its religious function by a local protestant community, whom it serves as a church until today. After reconstruction, it features an impressive pipe organ array with glockenspiel .  
• 50.93428 6.95889 50 Dreikönigenpförtchen . One of the best-hidden gems of Cologne, the small yet ornate gothic gate once led to an "immunity" belonging to the convent based at the St. Maria im Kapitol.  
• 50.92867 6.95926 51 St. Gregorius im Elend . Neobaroque church from the early 19th century.  
• 50.92893 6.95792 52 St. Johann Baptist . This Catholic church is one of the oldest in Cologne, predating even the famous romanesque churches, as it was founded in 948. It has seen many additions and reconstructions throughout the centuries, and was almost totally destroyed during the Second World War. Its current form is an eclectic reconstruction finished in the early 1960s.  
• 50.92711 6.95496 53 Former franciscan convent with St. Marien church . Nestled inconspicuously between contemporary residential buildings is this impressive complex with gothic-inspired decorations  
• 50.93437 6.95177 54 St. Peter church , Leonhard-Tietz-Straße 6 . The lesser-known next-door neighbour of St. Cäcilien  
• 50.92672 6.95291 55 St. Maria vom Frieden church and convent ( corner of Schnurgasse and Vor den Siebenburgen ). Baroque convent complex from the 17th century.  
• 50.93342 6.96076 56 Trinitatiskirche , Filzengraben 6 . This 19th-century evangelical church provides both regular religious services and serves as a venue for various cultural, especially musical, events.  

Deutz [ edit ]

Dominated by two very utilitarian land uses, the fairgrounds in the north and the actually functional freight harbour of Cologne in the south, Deutz is not without long history and much heritage and charm in its built environment as well. While the left Rhine bank is clearly the dominant one in Cologne, Deutz is where you can get the best views of it across the Rhine, and this is a reason alone to cross the river and get there, but by far not the only one.

• 50.94039 6.97188 57 Köln-Triangle ( LVR-Turm ), Ottoplatz 1 , ☏ +49 2234 9921-555 , [email protected] . May–Sep: M–F 11:00–22:00, Sa Su public holidays 10:00–22:00; Oct–Apr M–F 12:00–18:00, Sa Su public holidays 10:00–18:00 . The Köln-Triangle is a high rise building in Deutz, immediately by the waterfront. It is a part of a building complex fronted by the Rhine-facing Hyatt hotel and is hard to miss due to its prominence and quite easily accessible from both Deutz and the left bank of the Rhine (simply cross the Hochenzollern bridge from the Altstadt). On its 29th floor, it has a viewing terrace called Panorama , which is publicly accessible via a lift for a relatively reasonable fee. The terrace has glass all around it for both safety purposes and for exhibiting the names of various landmarks you can see from it. If you want to take really good photos, you may want to have a piece of cloth with you to clean the glass of fingerprints and such. The viewing terrace is closed during bad weather (like storm or hail). Admission is €3 for a single person, every additional member of the same party pays €2 only .  

• 50.94713 6.97256 58 Tanzbrunnen .  
• 50.94957 6.97576 59 Rheinpark .  
• 50.93796 6.96963 60 Alt St. Heribert .  
• 50.93633 6.97293 61 Neu St. Heribert .  
• 50.92811 6.98185 62 Jewish Cemetery .  
• 50.93747 6.9705 63 maxCologne .  
• 50.93847 6.98303 64 Lanxess Arena .  
• 50.94256 6.97784 65 Koelnmesse ( southern entrance marked on the map - exit from the Koeln Deutz/Messe railway station in the direction of the Messe and follow the signs ).  
• 50.94316 6.97132 66 Rheinhallen .  
• 50.94442 6.97003 67 Messeturm Köln .  
• 50.94049 6.97424 68 Bahnhof Köln-Deutz . The historic building of the station now known as Köln Messe/Deutz is an interesting piece of architectural heritage many visitors to Cologne miss as they exit the station on the fairgrounds side.  
• 50.93547 6.97369 69 St. Johannes church .  
• 50.93454 6.97735 70 Düxer Bock .  
• 50.93823 6.96872 71 Cuirassier Monument .  
• 50.92768 6.97299 72 Deutzer Drehbrücke .  
• 50.93702 6.99171 73 ESSO Station An der Kölnarena . You may wonder what's so special about a gas station, but you will understand once you see its 1950s architecture with the unique structured roof and learn that it is the oldest gas station in Cologne in continuous operation.  
• 50.93677 6.97445 74 Deutzer Freiheit . The main shopping street of Deutz, with not only retail opportunities but also many historic buildings along the way.  

Itineraries [ edit ]

• Cologne/Rheinauhafen

Do [ edit ]

Cologne's strong side is its cultural life. For latest information on what is happening around in town, get the StadtRevue [dead link] for €2, Kölner for €2 or Live for free.

• Kölner Philharmonie Central concert hall. Opened in 1986. Main season September to June. Special summer shows.
• Oper Köln Operas are performed in the Staatenhaus while the opera building is being renovated. Season starts in Mid-September.
• Stadtgarten , Venloer Straße 42 ( U-bahn to Friesenplatz, walk 5 minutes ). Concert centre for jazz and contemporary music, with a cafe and restaurant inside and a large beer garden outside which dates back to at least the 1950s. (Also the site of a great Christmas market.) ( updated Jul 2017 )
• Kölner Seilbahn , Riehler Straße 180 , ☏ +49 221 547-4183 . Apr-Oct 10:00-18:00 . Take a ride with the Aerial tramway across Rhine river. Adult one way €4.50, return €6.50; child (aged 4–12) one way €2.50, return €3.70 .  
• Kölner Zoo ( Cologne Zoo ), Riehler Straße 173 , [email protected] . Summer: 09:00-18:00, winter: 09:00-17:00, aquarium: 09:00-18:00 . Adult €17.50, teenager or student €12, child (aged 4–12) €8.50 (2013) .  
• Metropolis Cinema , Ebertplatz 19 , ☏ +49 221 722436 . 15.00-24.00 . If you want to go to the movies while visiting Cologne and you don't know German, this small cinema is for you. It shows movies in their native language, but mostly English. (However, most other cinemas will also show English versions several times a week, so check the listings.) ( updated Jul 2017 )
• Fishing in the Rhine (fishing without a fishing licence is not possible)
• Football: 50.9335 6.8752 2 1. FC Köln , RheinEnergieStadion, Aachener Strasse ( tram or bus to Müngersdorf 4 km west of centre ), ☏ +49 221 716 16150 . Die Geißböcke ("The Billy Goats") play soccer in Bundesliga, Germany's top tier. The stadium has a capacity of 46,000 and in 2024 will host matches in the UEFA Finals. ( updated Oct 2023 )

Events [ edit ]

• 50.93603 6.94764 1 Christmas Market ( Weinachtsmarket ): ,  Kölner Dom . One of the most famous Christmas markets, and a visit highlight for everyone who loves over-the-top Christmas ambience. Late November to December 23.  (date needs fixing)

• Cologne Gay Pride ( Christopher Street Day ): . – Cologne Pride is a large gay pride festival held in Cologne annually on the Heumarkt square. The event showcases music, a candle light vigil remembering those with HIV/AIDS, and on the final day of the festival a large parade is held. Up to a million people have attended the events.  (date needs fixing)
• Kölner Lichter ( Cologne Lights ): . A fireworks display on the Rhine lights up the sky between the Hohenzollern and Zoo bridges.  (date needs fixing)

Tours [ edit ]

• KD Rhine River Cruise , Frankenwerft 35 , ☏ +49 221 208 83 18 . Departure times: Daily: 10:30, 12:00, 14:00, 18:00; Köln-Düsseldorf offers cruises of the Rhine river around the Cologne area with an explanation of landmarks. €6.80 .  
• Stattreisen e.V. , ☏ +49 221 7325113 . This non-profit organization offers excellent tours of Cologne, led by volunteers. The prices are moderate and there is a huge list of tours, including (besides the more regular tours) Koelsch tours (for testing the breweries) or language lessons in the local dialect (again, in a brewery). Ask for English tours, some guides are willing to conduct a normally German tour in English.  
• Rickshaws: environmentally friendly city tours . Rickshaws are exotic and environmentally friendly tricycles, that bring their passengers slowly and safely to their destination. By Rickshaw you will discover Cologne’s points of interest in a comfortable way.  

Spa and massage [ edit ]

Beauty and spa treatments are popular in Cologne.

In typical German style, all sauna areas (referred to as Saunalandschaften , i.e. Sauna landscapes) are mixed (apart from the odd Damentag ) and that bathing costumes are banned from them for hygienic reasons. Yup. Starkers, everybody.

Do take a bathrobe (to keep you from the cold outside the saunas) and a large towel (to put under you in the saunas, no sweating on the wood, please) with you, though.

Do not draw hasty conclusions either: mixed nudity does not make those places dens of sin, quite the contrary. Nudity is considered as the only appropriate outfit in saunas, and it all happens in a disciplined, wholesome, safe and respectful atmosphere. Possibly one of the highest forms of German civilisation one can experience.

Gawkers and bathing costume-wearers will be expelled by the staff without qualms, so don't even think you can get away with playing the tourist who didn't know, it won't make a difference.

That very matter-of factly, unerotic approach to mixed nudity may well turn out to be a revelation to many visitors open-minded enough to give it a try and go with the flow.

• Claudius Therme . Large spa with pool and lots of different saunas (indoors and outdoors) next to the Rhine, north of Deutz.  
• Mauritius Therme . Decent Saunalanschaft in a hotel south of Neumarkt.  
• Mediterana . 11 saunas and a huge pool, in Bergisch Gladbach, East of Cologne.  
• monte mare Bedburg , ☏ +49 2272 906800 . Large spa in the west of Cologne. ( updated Dec 2021 )
• monte mare Reichshof-Eckenhagen , ☏ +49 2265 997400 . Spa in the east of Cologne. ( updated Dec 2021 )
• Neptunbad . In the popular area of Ehrenfeld in an old renovated bath, to which an attractive "sauna landscape" in Japanese style on two levels has been added. Also a comprehensive fitness centre.  
• Saunas in public swimming pools . Some of the public swimming pools managed by the Cologne city council, notably Agrippabad, do have small Saunalandschaften too, all featuring a Damentag (ladies only day).  
• Ananda Tantra Massage and Coaching , Frankfurter Str. 40 , ☏ +49 221 6086585 . Daily 09:00-21:00 . Tantra massage, coaching and workshops, an open minded and liberal attitude essential because the massages include sexually sensitive body parts, however, no sexual services are given by the team of 30 female and male employees. ( updated Aug 2018 )
• Sukon - Thai Art Of Massage . Traditional Thai massage institute, in the city centre. Thai native massage therapists practise in the 160-m² Thai-styled studio: original royal massage, aroma oil massage and foot massage. This place does not offer any erotic massages.  

Buy [ edit ]

The main shopping street of Cologne is the Schildergasse , extending from the Neumarkt . The Schildergasse, Neumarkt, and pedestrianized side streets extending from them (in particular the Hohe Straße leading towards the Dom) host department stores, boutiques and other high-profile (and, often, high-price) retail establishments. For young fashion, also try Ehrenstraße .

Department stores [ edit ]

• 50.93578 6.95557 1 Galeria Kaufhof . Germany's largest department store chain and direct descendant of the mighty Leonhard Tietz AG has its flagship store in Cologne, where it is headquartered (although the headquarter offices have now moved to a different, modern building in Altstadt-Sued). The original 19th-century Tietz department store on the Schildergasse has been expanded with a "modern" part in the 1950s, including a multi-storey parking, facing the Caecilienstraße and now fills the entire huge block. You can find everything there, from apparel to groceries. ( updated Jul 2017 )
• 50.93838 6.94886 2 Karstadt . Kaufhof's main competitor situated themselves in a modern shopping centre north of Neumarkt, over the Zeppelinstraße.  

High-end fashion [ edit ]

Although it is Duesseldorf that brands itself as the German capital of fashion, Cologne's Altstadt also features a wide range of high-end fashion stores with a selection of top German and global brands.

• 50.93901 6.9543 3 Franz Sauer , Minoritenstraße 13 .  
• 50.93677 6.94364 4 Apropos , Mittelstraße 3 . Features a Gucci brand store.  
• 50.93705 6.94295 5 La Belle Modehaus , Mittelstraße 20 .  
• 50.93704 6.94245 6 Modehaus Elscheidt , Benesisstraße 36 .  
• 50.93733 6.94125 7 Boutique 69 , Pfeilstraße 31-35 .  

Records [ edit ]

There is an abundance of record stores in Cologne, but most are hidden in non-tourist quarters.

• For a mainstream record store, go to Saturn , which opened in 1961 and certainly has the largest CD (and DVD) collection in the region. To pre-listen a record, hold it under one of the scanners spread throughout the shop. Always worth a visit. Subway and Regional Train from central station: Hansaring. The (office) building is from 1925 and was briefly the highest house in Europe (65 metres). A smaller Saturn shop is on the top floor of Galeria Kaufhof (listed above).
• Independent record stores are spread around Saturn: Cross the street for 2nd hand and punk, follow the "Ring" (boulevard) north, and you will find Jazz, Electro and HipHop at Schallschock record store. Famous alternative music-store Normal is south of Saturn, as well as Underdog Record Store (specialized in Alternative Rock, Emo, Garage and related matters) Subway and Regional Train from central station: Hansaring
• For electronic music, get off at Friesenplatz, and go to groove attack in Maastrichter street. Also famous is Kompakt record store. Both are connected to a label sharing the name, and putting out fine German electronic music. Subway: Friesenplatz
• A widely renowned collection of experimental music and niche music is to be found at A-Musik in Kleiner Griechenmarkt, close to Neumarkt.

Books [ edit ]

• 50.936519 6.94853 8 Mayersche Buchhandlung , Neumarkt 2, 50667, Köln ( Tram stop "Neumarkt" ), ☏ +49 221 203070 , [email protected] . M-Sa 09:30-20:00; closed Su . The largest bookstore in Cologne; they stock a huge selection of books including sections in English and other languages. Also a wide selection of postcards. ( updated Nov 2019 )
• On "Ehrenstraße", you will find cheap and arty books, take a look at "Buchhandlung König" at the eastern end, buy art books at well known "Taschen" at the corner of Ehrenstraße and the Ring. Taschen was founded in Cologne in 1980 and is headquartered here.
• Travel books are bought best at "Gleumes", between Zülpicher Platz and Rudolfplatz. They have only maps and travel books, but these from around the world.
• Books in English - "English Books and Tea", Auf dem Rothenberg 9a, in the old town, stocks a wide range of new and secondhand books in English. It also offers a choice of teas and conversation and invaluable tourist orientation - all in English.
• Honorable mention: "Cafe Goldmund" in Ehrenfeld. A very cozy corner-café with all walls lined with bookshelves. You can buy every (second hand) book after you finished flipping through it while you enjoyed your drinks for a small tip. Also hosts small music and poetry events. Glasstraße 2, right next to the S-Bahn station "Ehrenfeld".

Eat [ edit ]

Cologne has a wide variety of restaurants, German and otherwise, as a glance in the colored pages of the local telephone book will illustrate.

Traditional scene [ edit ]

One can eat pretty well in most traditional-style Kölsch restaurants, and in fact as a visitor, you should try some of the local food, which is quite rustic, but tasty, hearty fare.

The brewery taps (Früh, Sion, Pfaffen, Malzmühle, etc., in the old town south of the Dom) are worth taking note of to that respect, although they tend to be expensive for what you get.

Places out of the way such as Schreckenskammer and Max Stark (north of the train station, the former being within crawling distance of the Station Backpackers Hostel), Päffgen (Friesenstraße) and both of the Cologne independent brewpubs ( Hellers Brauhaus on Roonstraße and Braustelle in Ehrenfeld) offer cheaper, better food than the old town tourist traps. Besides, most of these places have tons of atmosphere, which doesn't hurt!

You may also experience the deadly dry wit of the Köbes (traditional name of the blue-clad waiters) in most of those places. If it happens to you, don't get upset, just enter the game, send the Köbes packing with a dig and a smile and you'll be all right.

You'll mostly find typical Rheinland dishes in those traditional Kneipen. Classics include:

• Halve Hahn: nice big slab of Dutch gouda with a rye roll ( Röggelchen )
• Himmel un Äd mit Flönz: fried black pudding with mashed potatoes ("earth"), apple sauce ("heaven") and fried onions.
• Soorbrode/Sauerbraten: joint marinated in vinegar with raisins, usually served with red cabbage and a kloss (potato dumpling). The joint may be beef or horsemeat, so you may want to ask first.
• Dicke Bunne met Speck: boiled white beans with hefty boiled bacon slices on top.
• Schweinshaxe (grilled); Hämchen (cooked): pig's leg, usually a bit of a monster (ranges from 600 to 1400 g, including the bone)
• Rievkooche/Reibekuchen: flat fried potato cakes usually on offer once a week, and served with a variety of sweet or savoury toppings, which may include apple sauce, Rübenkraut (the beet-sourced equivalent to black treacle) or smoked salmon with horseradish cream.

Ethnic scene [ edit ]

If you are looking for a snack, you can either head for one of the Middle-Eastern or Asian places, or you can make use of the traditional fast food places like McDonald's and Burger King. Italian restaurants in Cologne seem to attempt to aim for a higher quality than in the UK, though it is debatable whether they achieve it, and whether their prices (often 150-200% of UK prices) are justified. There are several Indian restaurants across the city, which serve a fair fare, though the visiting Brit may be slightly disappointed to find that German 'curry culture' is rather akin to that of the UK in the 1960s: menus are neither large and varied, nor regionalised and specialist, and although ingredients are fresh, the food without exception appears to be tamed-down for the conservative German palate and the cooks are rather hesitant to spice it up even if you ask for it. "Clay Oven" (Luxemburger Straße near Südbahnhof) and "Bombay" (near Eifelstraße tram station) do make a vindaloo that will satisfy the most hardy customer, though. Japanese and Thai restaurants are common; both are quite expensive.

There is an abundance of Döner Kebab and similar takeaways around the town. Generally a lot of Turkish snack bar-style places can be found just north of the main station at Eigelstein, around Zülpicher Platz and in the Belgisches Viertel , with some excellent Lebanese and Persian takeaways further down Zülpicher Straße towards Südbahnhof. Probably best now (though expensive) is Oruc Döner on Kyffhäuserstraße (near Barbarossaplatz); while the kebab is quite good though not outstanding, their freshly baked pide bread is famous all over town. There are lots of Turkish restaurants and takeaways within Kalk , Mülheim and (mainly restaurants) in the Belgisches Viertel .

Budget [ edit ]

In and around the central train station [ edit ].

The ground floor of the central train station has a good number of cheap eateries, which include KFC to kiosks selling sausages.

• 50.948032 6.956821 1 Weinhaus Vogel , Eigelstein 74 . Real Cologne restaurant. Nice service, good food and tasty beer. A very special ambience. ( updated May 2022 )
• 50.948074 6.957109 2 De Fressbud , Eigelstein 78 . Number one currywurst in town. Warm people. The best spit roast and other original German fast food. ( updated May 2022 )

Around Neumarkt [ edit ]

• 50.934875 6.947908 3 Thiebolds-Eck , Lungengasse 31 . A typical Cologne corner pub, as you would imagine: Rustic interior, worn bar and tables, plenty of decorations, you can meet local football fans here on match days, freshly tapped and ice-cold Reissdorf Kölsch, small but fine Cologne cuisine. ( updated May 2022 )
• 50.938527 6.945584 4 Curry B. , Breite Str. 169 . Very tasty currywurst with fries. Very pleasant place for a quick bite. ( updated May 2022 )

In Ehrenfeld [ edit ]

• 50.947251 6.923034 5 Maison Baguette , Venloer Str. 240 . Fantastic sandwiches, very well served and with incredible bread. Very friendly service. Diverse menu. The owner is nice and you immediately feel at home. ( updated May 2022 )
• 50.947635 6.921048 6 Lizbät , Geisselstraße 6 . Delicious crepes, a nice ambience and great service. There are all kinds of crepes: vegetarian, vegan, with meat, and sweet. The beer garden is nice and the service is good. ( updated May 2022 )
• 50.954172 6.910658 7 Vegan Revolution , Venloer Str. 456 . Best makali halloumi sandwich around. Amazing Baba ganoush and hummus. Every item is flavourful and freshly made. It's a small place and has a good quality. ( updated May 2022 )
• 50.954974 6.918097 8 Reissdorf im Moselstübchen , Landmannstraße 3 . Nice and cozy pub. Small menu with something for everyone. Even vegetarian bratwurst. Simple Colognian pub with good bourgeois cuisine and a always delicious tap Kölsch beer. ( updated May 2022 )
• 50.956769 6.919216 9 Gaumenschmaus , Lenaupl. 9 . Clean, delicious home-style cuisine. Every day a different menu for lunch. Everything freshly prepared. Good Schnitzel. ( updated May 2022 )
• 50.919146 6.960281 10 Da Nino , Bonner Str. 27 . A real insider tip for super delicious and authentic pizza. Authentic Italian dishes. Cool place, lovely staff. ( updated May 2022 )
• 50.9177 6.9625 11 Em Strüßje , Siegfriedstraße 17 . Typical Cologne restaurant. Potato salad like grandma used to make. Really welcoming. ( updated Apr 2023 )

Around Zülpicher Platz [ edit ]

Between Zülpicher Platz and the south train station (Bahnhof Süd) you find a lot of budget-friendly restaurants.

• 50.929512 6.937775 12 Falafel Habibi , Zülpicher Str. 28 . Very authentic small Lebanese restaurant with traditional dishes. Kind staff. Delicious food. Good vibes. They have two stores, which serve the same food (though sweetmeats may vary). ( updated May 2022 )
• 50.929776 6.938517 13 Borsalino , Zülpicher Str. 7 . an Italian-style restaurant on Zülpicher Straße close to Zülpicher Platz. Very affordable prices. ( updated May 2022 )
• 50.930054 6.938988 14 Zülpicher Döner , Zülpicher Pl. 17 . Famous kebab differently made than elsewhere. Fresh homemade bread baked on site, well seasoned and marinated homemade meat, homemade sauce and other fresh toppings. ( updated May 2022 )

Mid-range [ edit ]

• Kochloffel Köln , Hauptstr. 106 . Franchise. ( updated Apr 2023 )

German and Colognian cuisine [ edit ]

• 50.9399 6.9569 15 Brauhaus FRÜH am Dom , Am Hof 12-18 . Traditional Colognian restaurant. Cologne flair. ( updated Aug 2022 )
• 50.9492 6.9619 16 Gaststätte Max Stark , Unter Kahlenhausen 47 ( north of the train station ), ☏ +49 221 200-56-33 , [email protected] . Daily from 11:00 . ( updated Apr 2023 )
• 50.959628 6.954322 17 Zum Kornbrenner Köln , Neusser Str. 171 . A nice furnished restaurant with friendly staff and delicious Colognian food. Service and ambience are right. ( updated Aug 2022 )

International cuisine [ edit ]

• 50.93115 6.93479 18 El Inca . 18:00-24:00 . Görresstraße 2, near Rathenauplatz. Latin-American restaurant. ( updated Aug 2022 )
• 50.9332 6.9453 19 Johnny Turista , Rathenauplatz . Easy-going pub/restaurant offering snacks, hot dishes and a daily changing selection of tapas; prices are lower than in most tapas bars. ( updated Aug 2022 )
• 50.950934 6.917082 20 Selam , Ehrenfeldgürtel 91 ( tram station Venloer Straße/Gürtel ). Ethiopian restaurant, opens Tu-F at 17:00 and on weekends at 16:00. Good selection of mild and spicy Ethiopian dishes served on the traditional plate of injera bread. ( updated Jun 2022 )

Splurge [ edit ]

• 50.93465 6.87959 21 Landhaus Kuckuck , Olympiaweg 2 ( near Müngersdorfer Stadion (Aachener Straße) ). Tu-Sa 12:00-23:00; Su 12:00-18:00 . Exquisite German, but also international meals.  
• 50.93275 6.93958 22 Fischers Weingenuss & Tafelfreuden , Hohenstaufenring 53 ( between Zülpicher Platz and Rudolfplatz ). Exquisite French-like and modern food, great arrangements of wine and cheese. After noon you can get (quite) cheap 2-way dishes of the day including water or a glass of wine. You have to book (quite early) in advance and a menu will be created on your wishes.  

Drink [ edit ]

Typical Cologne beer is called "Kölsch" and served in bars around town in small glasses, called "Stangen", of 0.2 L. That way the beer is always fresh and cold. Don't worry, waiters will be fast to bring you a new one once your old one is (almost) finished. In more traditional bars and especially the breweries, the waiter (called "Köbes" in local language) will even hand you a fresh Kölsch without being asked, so it is easy to lose track of how much you drank. He will put a pencil line on your coaster for each beer that you drank, this will be the basis for your bill, so do not lose it! To stop the beer from coming, leave your glass almost half full until you have asked for the bill or put your coaster on top of your empty glass.

If you buy bottled Kölsch, take either Reissdorf, Früh, Gaffel or Mühlen, which are rated highest by Cologne citizens. Those looking for a beer with a little more bitterness might like to try Küppers (there are about 30 more brands).

There are so many bars and pubs to choose from that you could spend most of the night going from one bar to the next.

• For traditional breweries, head to the Altstadt around the Dom, where the Früh Kölsch brewery is the most famous with visitors and locals. You will find a younger crowd at Hellers Brauhaus on Roonstraße, near metro station Zülpicher Platz or Brauhaus Pütz on Engelbertstraße close to Rudolfplatz. Furthermore the Päffgen , on the all-bar street Friesenstraße close to the Friesenplatz, and the Mühlen near Heumarkt are traditional brewery pubs but less touristy than the "Früh". Also recommended is Sion , which is a lesser known brand, but hailed to be very good, although some beer enthusiasts have found it lacking character since 2007. Most Altstadt pubs are somewhat scorned as "tourist traps" by locals, however: prices here are usually higher than e.g. on Zülpicher Straße.
• There are a lot of modern bars and lounges all around town. More mainstream ones are on Zülpicher Straße. For something more independent and funky on this street, try Umbruch (funky) or Stiefel (punky). The Low Budget on Aachener Straße next to Moltkestraße metro is a nice, unassuming, punky bar which features a fine selection of drinks and often hosts concerts, poetry or cabaret sessions.
• A lot of stylish places are in the so-called Belgian quarter between Aachener Straße and the Ring, e.g. famous M20 or the Hallmackenreuther.
• A secret Tip are the Bars of the alternative Szene in Cologne. Those you may find the most in Ehrenfeld , like the "Sonic Ballroom", and in the Südstadt , for instance the "Tsunami Club" and the little pub "Lotta", but also in the famous Kwartier Lateng , which is near the University of Cologne, around the Barbarossaplatz , at the Zülpicher Straße and the Kyffhäuser Straße . If you are searching for something more rough, you may find some nice places to rock and roll, on the Schäl Sick in the cityparts Kalk , east from the Kölnarena , like the little Trash Chic bar in the Wiersbergstreet, and in Mülheim , north from the Kölner Messe the little St. Pauli fanszene pub called "Limes", at the Mülheimer Freiheit street, near the Wiener Platz . But, this places are better to be known visited by the younger and not so rich people. So take care of your pockets.

Kölsch [ edit ]

• 50.9399 6.95701 1 Früh am Dom , Am Hof 12 – 14 ( Just south of the cathedral, behind the Domhotel ), ☏ +49 221 2613- 211 . Früh am Dom is a great place to try the local Kölsch brew.  
• 50.93809 6.96043 2 Brauhaus Gaffel , Alter Markt 20-22 , ☏ +49 221 257 7692 . 11:00–01:00 .  
• Brauhaus Heller , Roonstr. 33 (Brauhaus), Volksgartenstrasse 27 (restaurant) ( near metro station Zülpicher Platz ), ☏ +49 221 240-18-81 (W–Sa 17:00–), +49 221 382-626 (restaurant) , [email protected] . Tu–Sa 17:00–; shop M–Th 08:00–16:00 . Younger crowd.  
• 50.93926 6.95945 3 Brauhaus Sion , Unter Taschenmacher 5 ( Altstadt ), ☏ +49 221 - 257 85 40 .  
• 50.94073 6.94207 4 Brauerei Päffgen , Friesenstraße 64-66 .  
• 50.9347 6.96049 5 Brauerei Malzmühle , Heumarkt 6 . 10:00-22:00 . Visited by Bill Clinton.  
• Lommerzheim , Siegesstraße 18 ( in Köln-Deutz (across the railway bridge) ).  
• Ausschank Pfaffen Brauerei Max Päffgen , Heumarkt 62 .  
• Jeck - dä kölsche Keller ( Jeck ), Große Neugasse 42, 50667 Köln ( close to the rhine, in the old city ), ☏ +49 221 17940777 . Sa Su 20:00-03:00 . Only local music is played in the Jeck. ( updated Dec 2017 )

Club [ edit ]

• Alter Wartesaal . Nifty bar and disco beside the central station: various events & exclusive parties. ( updated Jul 2017 )
• Club Bahnhof Ehrenfeld & YUCA („Your Urban Club of Arts“) , Bartholomäus-Schink-Straße 65/67 ( at the S-Bahn station "Ehrenfeld", and close to U-Bahn stop "Venloer Straße/Gürtel" ). Club complex in Ehrenfeld. Parties and concerts. Devoted to a variety of international styles including hip-hop, jazz and Latin music. ( updated Jul 2017 )
• Bootshaus , Auenweg 173 ( right side of the river near the Zoobrücke bridge ). Serious clubbing. In an old harbor storage facility, but very modern inside. One of Germany's top clubs. ( updated Jul 2017 )
• Gebäude 9 , Deutz-Mülheimer Strasse 127 . Concerts. International flavor. Alternative crowd. Quite popular. Inside a defunct factory site on the right bank of the river. ( updated Jul 2017 )
• Die Werkstatt . Houses clubs and concerts in an industrial area in Ehrenfeld.  
• Subway . Various parties from Hip Hop, Electro to Indie music with a hip but laid back audience (Moltkestraße metro - next to Rudolfplatz).  
• Blue Shell , Luxemburger Str. 32 . Small old dance and night club, loud and crowded. Rock concerts, music contests, poetry slams, parties, bar sounds. ( updated Jul 2017 )
• Artheater , Ehrenfeldgürtel 127 . Ehrenfeld club. Not a great building but the clubbing area is fine. Club books good DJs and artists. In walking distance of Club Bahnhof Ehrenfeld. ( updated Jul 2017 )
• Bar Orange - on Sudermannplatz, near Ebertplatz. Great atmosphere and great cocktails, or just a beer and a lively chat with Milan, the resident philosopher, or Rainer and Arash, experts on local goings on.
• Blue Lounge Party . Every third Saturday, at the Bürgerhaus Stollwerck in Dreikönigenstraße 23. Starts at 22:00, tickets €5. Percussion, Brazil, balearic and deep house, techno, trance. A must for people who like this kind of music.  
• #TAUSEND Bar . Aachener Straße 57 (Moltkestraße metro): various events & music, nice bar styled by design students from the Köln International School of Design (KISD).  
• 3Klang . On Ehrenfeldgürtel 127, metro station Venloer Str./Gürtel . Every third Friday, 22:00-05:00.  
• Blue Lounge Bar . On Mathiasstraße, lesbian bar. Off-shoot of the very successful party mentioned above.  
• Basswerk Session , bi-monthly, the second Saturday at Gebäude 9 , Deutz-Mülheimer Straße 127-129 (tram 3 or 4, stop at KölnMesse/Osthallen), 23:00–05:00. Long-running and popular drum 'n' bass party in a defunct funky factory hall. Resident DJs often invite renowned guest DJs from the international d'n'b fringe. Alternates bi-monthly with the similar "Phonogenic" party in the same venue.
• Art of House Party . Once a month, the second or third Saturday at Stadtgarten in Venloer Straße 40 (Hans-Böckler Platz metro): nice and really crowded house party, guests around 25.  
• Funky Chicken Club . Every Friday at Opernterassen next to the opera (Appellhofplatz metro): Cologne House Party in a beautiful venue, always crowded, good House and Electronic Music.  
• Apropo . Good parties on Fridays and Saturdays with Soul, Funk, Disco and Hip Hop, a cosy venue in Im Dau 17 (Ulrepforte or Severinstraße metro) easy guests from 20 years on.  
• Sixpack In the vibrant Belgisches Viertel (Aachener Straße 33 - next to Rudolfplatz) you should be aware to wait long or even get rejected especially at a late hour. Mixed music from Electro to Indie with a huge variety of bottled beer.

Sleep [ edit ]

Cologne is an internationally important trade fair city, with expansive fairgrounds in Deutz. The hotel rates rise multi-fold during important fairs [dead link] . If you do not have to, try not to stay in Cologne during those. Alternatively, you can try finding accommodation in Düsseldorf or Bonn , which are a short train ride away and are usually not affected by the rate hikes (but Düsseldorf has its own trade fair calendar, so mind it as well).

For accommodation services the city of Cologne charges an extra 5%-levy Kulturförderabgabe , which is included in your bills. Non-tourists, i.e. those who did not voluntarily choose to head for Cologne, can get the taxes reimbursed.

Camping [ edit ]

• Campingplatz der Stadt Köln . Rhineside camping site with a view of the Dom and city centre, the low drone of the nearby highway bridge does distract from the otherwise peaceful locality. It is right by a cycle and walking trail into the city and is an ideal family site (although there aren't many activities for children), rates are very reasonable and the owner speaks English. Getting to the site is a little difficult; take the tram/train to Rodenkirchen and walk over the bridge, when on the other side turn downriver and the campsite is on the right, there is a restaurant nearby. Adult €6.50.  
• Camping Berger . Another Rhine-side camping site, nearer public transport. With 125 spaces, supermarket, playground and a restaurant. Rates are reasonable (€7.50 for adult per night).  
• 50.92835 6.94212 1 Black Sheep Hostel , Barbarossaplatz 1 . Creative hostel in the middle of nightlife – small breakfast included. There are female only dormitories, but no male only dormitories. It no longer has an own website but apparently reservations are still possible through booking.com.  
• 50.935316 6.935023 2 Die Wohngemeinschaft , Richard-Wagner-Straße 39 ( short walk from Rudolfplatz ), ☏ +49 221 98593090 . 16 rooms. Also has a busy, comfortable bar and a small theatre. Not far from two nightlife areas to the north (around Brüsseler Platz) and south (around Zülpicher Straße). There are female only dormitories, but no male only dormitories. ( updated Jul 2017 )
• 50.93908 6.97328 3 Jugendherberge Köln-Deutz , Siegesstraße 5 ( near Köln Messe/Deutz railway station ), ☏ +49 221 814711 , [email protected] . A traditional German youth hostel, mostly geared towards families and school groups.  
• 50.96985 6.95246 4 Hostel 404 , Neusser Straße 404 .  
• 50.94183 6.95605 5 Station Hostel , Marzellenstraße 40-48 ( across from the main station ). Basic rooms and facilities and the breakfast is extra, but good value nonetheless. They also have storage lockers (deposit required) if you want to keep your valuables somewhere safe.  
• 50.94629 6.92569 6 Weltempfänger Hostel & Café , Venloer Straße 196 ( next to Piusstraße subway station ). In a relaxed and bohemian neighbourhood, this hostel has got a nice bar and friendly staff.  
• 50.93203 6.9402 7 Ameron Hotel Ascot Cologne , Hohenstaufenring 95-97 , ☏ +49 221 952-9650 , [email protected] . This 4-star hotel in the city centre, not far away from the cathedral and a 5-minutes walk from the Friesen quarter. Single from €80, double from €100 (incl breakfast buffet) .  
• 50.94407 6.9562 8 Drei Könige am Dom , Marzellenstraße 58-60 . €85 .  
• 50.93203 6.9402 9 Esplanade Hotel , Hohenstaufenring 56 , ☏ +49 221 921-5570 , [email protected] . This privately-run, 3-star hotel is 2 km from the cathedral and a 10-minute walk from Friesenstraße. Single from €90, double from €120 (incl breakfast buffet) .  
• 50.94009 6.95569 10 Königshof Swiss Quality Hotel , Richartzstraße 14-16 , ☏ +49 221 257-8771 , fax : +49 221 257 87 62 , [email protected] . 3-star hotel 500 m away from the railway station and 13 km from the airport.  
• 50.88114 7.09956 11 Leonardo Hotel Köln Bonn Airport ( formerly the Holiday Inn Cologne-Bonn Airport ), Waldstraße 255 , ☏ +49 220 35610 , [email protected] . Within walking distance of the airport (unless you have a lot of luggage), but they run a shuttle. Park-and-fly packages also offered. Sometimes you can find a decently-priced room here when prices in town go through the roof. Nothing but the airport in walking distance. €99-250 . ( updated Nov 2019 )
• 50.94794 6.94246 12 NH Koeln Mediapark , Im Mediapark 8b , ☏ +49 221 27150 . From €72.70 .  
• 50.92912 6.94255 13 Nuno Hotel ( formerly the ibis Styles Köln City Hotel ), Barbarossaplatz 4a , ☏ +49 221 921 5200 , [email protected] . Check-in: 15:00 , check-out: 11:30 . Formerly part of the Accor group and independently managed since 2022. Well-located with modern interior, café inside the ground floor and lounge in the basement, 24-hour reception, free WiFi (5 GHz only) and friendly staff. Breakfast buffet available for €15.90. Some furniture in the rooms can be slightly dated, however everything is spotlessly clean. From approx €86 (singles) .  
• 50.94376 6.96014 14 Wyndham Koeln ( formerly Best Western Grand City, Four Points by Sheraton ), Breslauer Platz 2 , ☏ +49 221 16510 , fax : +49 221 165-1333 . The hotel's building is anything but pretty and the room appointments somewhat outdated, but this is made up for with free Wi-Fi and a convenient location. €61 .  
• 50.94529 6.96116 15 Cologne Marriott Hotel ( Köln Marriott Hotel ), Johannisstraße 76-80 , ☏ +49 221 942220 , [email protected] . Check-in: 15:00 , check-out: 12:00 . A short walk from the railway station, the Cologne Marriott is modern and personal. Rooms are big and well appointed. There is an in-house restaurant and breakfast venue, Cast Iron Grill. The Executive lounge (6th floor) with breakfast, dinner and drinks is worth paying the extra for. €130-200 . ( updated Feb 2020 )
• 50.94321 6.95563 16 Hilton Cologne , Marzellenstraße 13-17 ( 200 m from central station ), ☏ +49 221 130710 , [email protected] . Check-in: 15:00 , check-out: 12:00 . Modern Hilton hotel in the centre, convenient for sightseeing. Prices go through the roof during trade fairs in Deutz. €115-400 .  
• 50.94039 6.96936 17 Hyatt Regency Cologne , Kennedy-Ufer 2A ( in the old town ), ☏ +49 221 828-1234 , [email protected] . 5-star hotel. 306 rooms and suites with views of the River Rhine. Host to gourmet restaurant "Graugans", 13 conference rooms and a spa.  
• 50.93163 6.95155 18 Im Wasserturm , Kaygasse 2 , ☏ +49 221 200 80 . A luxury hotel built inside of a 130-year-old water tower. It has a designer interior and a rooftop restaurant with panoramic views. Price: €180-840 per night  
• 50.94025 6.94564 19 Pullman Cologne . Some rooms feature Nespresso machines and a glass partition between bedroom and bathroom. The top-level bar George M offers sweeping vistas of Cologne from its 12th-floor location.  
• 50.94403 6.98423 20 Radisson Blu Cologne , Messe Kreisel 3 , ☏ +49 221 277 200 . Restaurant, bar, gym, spa.  
• 50.94648 6.95716 21 Savoy . A family-run 5-star hotel with a huge spa area and a very nice rooftop bar. It's very close to the main station (exit Breslauer Platz, turn left, ~100 m) and has very good weekend offers. Known as the place of choice for many (German and international) celebrities.  

Stay safe [ edit ]

Criminal activity in Cologne is similar to other big cities. Tourists should take normal safety precautions, particularly in the city centre, where pickpockets are known to be active. Also, be careful on the Ring, which is full of clubs and night-time crowds in the streets. Day and night be careful in outlying neighbourhoods like Chorweiler, Porz, Seeberg, Ostheim, Bocklemünd, Ossendorf, and Vingst. In general, stay away from drunk people. At street crossings, watch the trams.

Connect [ edit ]

Wi-fi access [ edit ].

• hotspot.koeln . Since 2014 free city Wi-Fi ("WLAN" in German) is available in many public spaces and in public buildings. To use it you must find a signal (for a map follow the link), tick a box and click past two messages. ( updated Jul 2017 )
• Free Wi-Fi is also available in many bars, restaurants and cafes.
• The free Wi-Fi on ICE trains and at the station identifies itself as "Telekom".
• Telekom HotSpot . Commercial (fast) Wi-Fi service. A "HotSpot Pass" costs €4.95 a day. ( updated Jul 2017 )

Cope [ edit ]

Religious services [ edit ].

Holy mass in Catholic churches near to the central station:

• Dom , Domkloster 3 (next to the central station). Su 07:00, 08:00, 09:00, 10:00, 12:00, 17:00, 18:30; M-Sa 06:30, 07:15, 08:00, 09:00, 18:30
• St. Andreas [dead link] , Komödienstr. 8. Su 09:00, 11:00, 18:00; M-F 12:05; Sa 09:00, 17:00
• St. Mariä Himmelfahrt , Marzellenstr. 26. Su 11:00; W Th 10:30; Sa 17:00, 18:30
• Minoritenkirche , Kolpingplatz 5. Su 09:00, 11:00, 16:00; Tu-F 99:00

Go next [ edit ]

• Bonn — the former capital of West Germany is due south and easy to reach by train or Stadtbahn (Regional Express 5; MittelRheinBahn MRB 48; U-Bahn line 16 and 18; also ICEs, ICs, and EC's ).
• Brühl — almost a suburb of Cologne, contains the Augustusburg Palace which has been placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List . The palace is one of the key works of Balthasar Neuman, and contains one of the finest Rococo interiors in the world, the highlight being the main staircase. Also in the grounds is the magnificent hunting Lodge of Falkenslust. Brühl can be easily reached by train in around 20 minutes from Cologne. The theme park of Phantasialand is also in Brühl.
• Königswinter — A small town reachable by train.
• Ruhr (Ruhrgebiet) — If you are interested in heavy industry this might be a worthwhile trip. It is about 100 km north of Cologne. The region, which was the centre of mountain (coal and steel) industry in Germany, is going through a structural transformation and proudly presents its industrial past on the Industrial Heritage Trail [1] [dead link] .
• Zülpich — a small town southwest of Cologne dating from Roman times. It has a newly opened museum centred on Roman baths and bathing culture. It is also a gateway to the forested hills of the Eifel region.

International [ edit ]

Due to Cologne's proximity to the German-Belgian-Dutch border, weekend trips to foreign destinations are easy to arrange. Thalys operates high speed trains to Paris and Brussels , and Deutsche Bahn to Amsterdam , making each city only a few hours away. You can also travel to Maastricht (a city in the Netherlands with a beautiful city centre where the Maastricht Treaty of the European Union was signed in 1992) for a low cost by taking a train to Aachen then by bus to Maastricht – See: Aachen#From The Netherlands for details. (Direct buses are available to the same destinations but will take longer.)

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Cologne (Köln)

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Fun-loving Cologne is the greatest of all western Germany’s cities, though – given that it was visited early and often by the RAF during World War II – perhaps not its most beautiful. Nevertheless, it has a unique architectural inheritance from its long history which creates a powerful sense of continuity – above all in the instantly recognizable shape of its cathedral , one of the most famous religious buildings on the planet and the seat of Germany’s Catholic primate. Cologne also has a highly developed sense of its own distinctiveness, expressed through the strong Kölsch dialect, the beer of the same name, and a hedonistic approach to life most apparent during Karneval . Though its museums and galleries are first-rate, there’s nothing museum-like about Germany’s fourth city: it’s the nation’s television centre, home to the major broadcasters WDR and RTL, and is also – despite rivalry from Berlin – still an important centre for the art world, with small commercial galleries peppering the inner city.

Karneval in Cologne

The rosenmontag, kölsch – the local accent on beer, stumbling blocks of history, the dom (cologne cathedral), brief history.

For centuries COLOGNE was the German metropolis. The city’s origins are Roman: the Emperor Claudius’s fourth wife Agrippina – Nero’s mother – was born here, and after their marriage he raised the city to Colonia status, from which it derives its name. Later, while upstarts like Munich or Berlin were still a twinkle in the eye of their founders, early medieval Cologne was the largest city north of the Alps, ruled by powerful archbishops and benefiting economically from its strategic location astride the Rhine.

The twentieth century

The twentieth century brought harder times for Cologne, occupied by the Allies after World War I and bombed terribly during World War II; the Dom was spared yet much of the rest of the city left in ruins. In the postwar years, Cologne radiated moral authority as the hometown of Chancellor Konrad Adenauer and of Heinrich Böll, the Nobel Prize-winning author who was dubbed the “conscience of the nation”. Yet it was also the scene of one of the bloodiest episodes in Germany’s terrorist war of the 1970s – the kidnapping by the Red Army Faction of the industrialist Hanns Martin Schleyer at the height of the “German Autumn” of 1977, in the course of which Schleyer’s driver, bodyguard and two policemen were shot dead. Schleyer himself was subsequently murdered.

Cologne today

The local tourist office’s slogan Köln ist ein Gefühl (“Cologne is a Feeling”) neatly sums up the city’s appeal. This is one of Europe’s most liberal and diverse places; one in ten of its one million residents are lesbian or gay, making it a pink citadel to rank with Amsterdam or San Francisco. Another tenth of its population is Muslim, with a splendid new mosque currently taking shape in the Ehrenfeld district. You could tick off Cologne’s sights over the course of a long weekend or so, but to get the most out of your stay you need to get away from the tourist haunts by the river and explore at least some of the quarters where the locals live and play.

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Cologne’s biggest festival is without doubt Karneval , which is celebrated with as much ritual and dedication to frivolity here as it is in Rio, filling the streets and bringing normal life to a standstill, never mind that the February weather in the Rhineland is nothing like as tempting as in Brazil. The so-called “fifth season” is officially launched each year at 11.11am on November 11, but Karneval (karneval.de) doesn’t really get underway properly until the New Year, with around six hundred Karneval-related events – including balls and Sitzungen or sessions, where Bütten or carnival speeches are made – taking place between then and Ash Wednesday. The season reaches its climax with the Tolle Tage or “crazy days”, beginning on the Thursday before Ash Wednesday with Weiberfastnacht or Women’s Day. This is a bad day to wear a tie if you’re a man, because it will get snipped off, the symbolism of which is somewhat obvious.

The Rosenmontag procession on the following Monday is the undoubted highpoint of Karneval, with wonderfully silly costumes and floats, presided over by the Prinz (the master of ceremonies), the Bauer (a farmer) and the Jungfrau or maiden, who is represented by a man in drag (though this aspect was suppressed by the Nazis). Around a million people turn out to see the Rosenmontag procession, which takes around four hours to wind its way through the city centre, as sweets (Kamelle), bouquets (Strüsjer) and other goodies are thrown at the Jecke – the “fools” or spectators – from the passing floats, and all and sundry cry Kölle Alaaf ! – the carnival greeting, which is a dialect derivation of “Köln über alles” or, freely translated, “up with/long live Cologne”. In parallel with the official carnival events, there’s a lively alternative scene, including a gay and lesbian element.

Kölsch is not only the name of the local Cologne dialect – one of the strongest regional accents in all Germany and positively mystifying to foreign visitors – but also of the city’s deliciously refreshing, hoppy, top-fermented beer, traditionally drunk in tall, slim 0.2 litre glasses known as Stangen , though these days there’s a certain amount of glass-size inflation going on to please German and foreign visitors accustomed to drinking their beer in larger measures. Brewery-owned or -affiliated Brauhäuser (or Bierhäuser ) represent the traditional core of Cologne’s eating and drinking scene, and there’s a whole range of colourfully named local dishes to accompany the Kölsch , from Kölsche Kaviar (in reality blood sausage) to Halver Hahn – a cheese roll rather than the “half a chicken” the name suggests – and Hämmche, pig’s trotter. The characteristically self-aggrandizing behaviour of the cheeky Köbes or waiters rounds off a highly distinctive, regional beer culture.

You first notice them almost by accident, as the sun catches the pavement and something glitters underfoot. Yet once you’ve spotted your first Stolperstein (stolpersteine.de) – the name means, literally “stumbling block”, you’ll keep stumbling over more. The little brass plaques, memorials to individual victims of the Nazis, usually stand in front of the house from which that victim was taken, and are the work of Gunter Demnig, a Berlin-born but Cologne-based artist. Since 1996 he’s laid 30,000 Stolpersteine in Germany and others in Poland, Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands among other places. They are particularly thick on the ground in the Zülpicher Viertel and Belgisches Viertel, close to the Roonstrasse synagogue; you’ll sometimes stumble across a dozen or more in front of a single house. Incredibly moving, they’re the antithesis of the big, official monuments to the Holocaust: they record the name, birth-date and fate – as far as it is known – of an individual. Chillingly, in many cases, the story is the same: deported and verschollen – missing, presumed dead. The placement of the stones outside the homes of the victims means the fate of entire families is often recorded. While many of the individuals remembered by the stones are Jewish, there are also Stolpersteine for political opponents of the regime, for the murdered Sinti and Roma, and for the Nazis’ gay victims.

So iconic, so perfectly realized does the profile of Cologne’s awe-inspiring Dom appear that it’s a surprise to learn that the familiar silhouette lacked those soaring, 157-metre spires for most of its history. Construction of the Dom – whose design was inspired by the colossal French cathedrals of Beauvais and Amiens – was prompted by the transfer of the relics of the Three Magi from Milan in 1164. Work began in 1248, with the fifty-metre-high choir consecrated by 1322, but stopped in 1560 and the church remained incomplete until the mid-nineteenth century, when neo-Gothic architect Ernst Friedrich Zwirner finished the job. It’s only when you get up close you appreciate its sheer size, at which point the sooty towers resemble vast waterfalls of Gothic sculpture. You can climb the south tower though be warned – there are 509 steps, and no lift. In the run-up to Christmas , a traditional market fills Roncalliplatz on the south side of the Dom, with others on Alter Markt, Heumarkt, Neumarkt and Rudolfplatz.

The interior

Once inside, the downside of the Dom being Germany’s most famous church is apparent, as grumpy, red-robed officials struggle to maintain some sort of ecclesiastical decorum amid the seething mass of visitors. But look up and you’ll forget the crowds, for the genius of the design lies in the way sheer height lends such delicacy and elegance to the structure of what is, by any measure, an enormous building. Five windows on the north side of the nave date from 1507 to 1509, though the Dom’s oldest window, the Bible Window, dates from around 1265 and is in the Chapel of the Three Magi in the ambulatory. The cathedral’s treasures include the very Shrine of the Three Magi that first inspired its construction; gorgeously gilded and bejewelled, the reliquary dates from around 1190 to 1225 and is behind the high altar.

Close by, the so-called Plan F is one of seven surviving medieval drawings of the cathedral. It depicts the design of the towers, and was of great help to their nineteenth-century builders. On the north side of the ambulatory, the Gero Crucifix is the oldest remaining monumental crucifix in the western world; it dates from 970, and originally stood in an early predecessor to the Dom. The most recent addition to the Dom’s artworks is the striking 19-metre-high abstract window by Cologne-based artist Gerhard Richter , installed in the south transept in 2007. Archbishop Meisner is not a fan, and ruffled feathers when he suggested it might be more at home in a mosque.

The Domschatzkammer

The partly subterranean Domschatzkammer is accessed from the exterior of the cathedral on the north side, and has something of the air of a bank vault, which is hardly surprising given the priceless works of religious art it contains, or the fact that one of them – the jewelled, seventeenth-century Sumptuous Monstrance – was badly damaged by thieves in 1975. The treasury occupies a series of thirteenth-century vaults, and its artefacts are beautifully lit and presented: particularly eye-catching are the gilded silver bishop’s crosier dating from 1322 and the so-called St Peter’s crosier , which is Roman and dates from the fourth century AD. Also on display is the original wooden structure of the Shrine of the Three Magi , while on the museum’s lower level it’s possible to see a fragment of the Roman city wall and the finds from two sixth-century Frankish tombs.

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15 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions & Things to Do in Cologne

Written by Bryan Dearsley Updated Dec 28, 2023 We may earn a commission from affiliate links ( )

This very old cathedral city on the river Rhine is one of the most important commercial and cultural centers in western Germany. Cologne (Köln in German) is famous for its 12 great Romanesque churches , especially the magnificent Cologne Cathedral. Best of all for visitors to the city, they're all an easy walk from the historic Old Town.

Cologne can trace its roots all the way back to the first century CE, when it was established as a Roman provincial capital and military stronghold. In fact, one of its most appealing features for tourists is that it retains elements from all the various periods of its long history.

Among its many tourist attractions are Roman remains, medieval churches, Baroque palaces, and museums that reflect such diverse subjects as art and literature, as well as darker times in the mid-20th century. Numerous Cologne attractions have also sprung up that celebrate the various products for which it is known, including fragrances, mustard, and chocolate.

Cologne's importance never really slowed, and today the city remains one of Germany's most important cultural centers. It's home to one of the oldest universities in Europe, as well as numerous art and entertainment facilities, including more than 100 galleries and at least three dozen museums. It's also a popular place to visit for shopping, especially along pedestrian-friendly streets such as Hohe Straße and Schildergasse.

To ensure you make the most of your sightseeing time, be sure to read through our list of the top attractions and fun things to do in Cologne.

See also: Where to Stay in Cologne

1. Visit Majestic Cologne Cathedral

2. explore historic old town cologne, 3. cologne city hall (rathaus), 4. hop aboard a rhine river cruise, 5. the wallraf-richartz & ludwig museums, 6. ns documentation centre of the city of cologne, 7. monkey around at cologne zoological gardens, 8. get a bird's-eye view of cologne from a cable car, 9. satisfy your sweet tooth at the cologne chocolate museum, 10. flora and botanical garden, 11. the roman-germanic museum, 12. take a trip to brühl to see augustusburg and falkenlust palaces, 13. st. gereon's basilica, 14. altenberg cathedral, 15. get your design fix at the museum of applied art, where to stay in cologne for sightseeing, map of tourist attractions & things to do in cologne, cologne, germany - climate chart, more must-see destinations near cologne.

Located near the left bank of the Rhine, Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom ) is the city's towering landmark. Officially called the Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Mary (Hohe Domkirche Sankt Petrus), this stunning edifice is a masterpiece of High Gothic architecture, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site .

One of the largest cathedrals in Europe, it was started in 1248 and is considered the most ambitious building project of the Middle Ages. As impressive as its 157-meter-tall twin towers is the cathedral's incredible interior, a must-see when visiting this bustling city.

Covering an area of 6,166 square meters, its soaring roof supported by 56 pillars, the cathedral is filled with treasures. These include the 12th-century Reliquary of the Three Kings created by local goldsmiths; the famous relief of the Adoration of the Kings from 1440; and the impressive Treasure Chamber , with precious objects that include ancient reliquaries and manuscripts.

Panoramic views from the south tower are reached by more than 500 steps that pass the cathedral's famous bells, which are so loud that ear protection is provided on Sundays. A variety of excellent English-language guided tours are available that include the interior, as well as the roof of the structure.

Visitors are also welcome to attend a varied program of events, including concerts and services; be sure to check the cathedral's website for closures prior to arrival.

Address: Domkloster 4, 50667 Cologne, Germany

Official site: www.koelner-dom.de/en/

As you explore the numerous historic churches and museums of Cologne's city center (Innenstadt), you'll crisscross the city's lovely Old Town (Altstadt). In addition to old churches such as Great St. Martin , you'll find yourself traversing countless alleys lined with traditional old houses, many now home to boutique shops, galleries, cafés, and restaurants.

And with its many pleasant paths along the Rhine, you'll find ample opportunity to enjoy great views as you plan your route through this ancient city. You'll also find yourself in awe of the countless monuments and fountains that adorn the area.

You'll also want to spend a little time exploring the Old Town's Archaeological Zone with its many ancient ruins and artifacts. These include the Roman-era ruins of the Praetorium, or Governor's Palace, that was unearthed under the City Hall, as well as a section of a nearly 2,000-year-old Roman sewage system.

A particular highlight of the city's Old Town area is Cologne's historic City Hall, the Kölner Rathaus, or Stadt Köln. Built in 1573 and the oldest such public building in Germany, it boasts a rich history dating back more than 900 years.

As the focal point of the ruling classes during medieval times, the building you see today reflects a number of different architectural influences. These include the 14th-century main building, the 15th-century tower, and a Renaissance-style loggia and cloister. Even the 20th-century influences are pleasing, as seen in the atrium.

Other City Hall highlights include the Hansasaal, or Hanseatic Hall, with its Gothic figures of eight prophets and nine "good heroes" (pagan, Jewish, and Christian). Also of note is its sonorous carillon that plays three times each day.

Address: Rathauspl. 2, 50667, Cologne, Germany

It would be a shame to visit this beautiful city without viewing it and its nearby river scenery from a boat on the Rhine. On a one-hour Cologne Sightseeing Cruise, you'll get unparalleled views of the most important Cologne landmarks, including the twin-spires of Cologne Cathedral, the picturesque buildings of the Old Town, and the Hohenzollern Bridge.

One of the most popular things to do in Cologne at night is the Rhine River Evening Panorama Cruise, a leisurely two-hour excursion to see the city aglow with lights. You can even enjoy the views as you savor regional specialties from a buffet on board the three-hour Cologne Rhine River Dinner Cruise.

To see even more of the Rhine Valley, join a Rhine River Cruise to Königswinter or spend an entire day exploring the Rhine and Mosel rivers and their charming towns with a hop-on hop-off KD Rhine Pass from Cologne.

Art lovers will want to visit both the Wallraf-Richartz Museum and the Ludwig Museum when in Cologne. Housed in one of the city's newer architectural structures, these two excellent galleries cover a wide range of European paintings to view. Of particular note are works by Rembrandt, Manet, Renoir, Leibl, Liebermann, and Slevogt.

The Wallraf-Richartz Museum is especially strong in the work of the Cologne school, while the Ludwig focuses on modern and contemporary painting.

In the same building is the Agfa-Foto-Historama with its displays of photographs and cameras dating back to 1840. Also of interest is Kolumba , the art museum of the Archdiocese of Cologne, notable for its art and antiquities.

Address: Obenmarspforten 40, 50667, Cologne, Germany

Official site: www.wallraf.museum/en

Those with an interest in learning more about life under the Nazi regime and its aftermath will want to visit the NS Documentation Centre of the City of Cologne (NS-Dokumentationszentrum der Stadt Köln). This important memorial gives an unvarnished account of National Socialist (Nazi) horrors, especially as they related to the citizens of Cologne.

A combination memorial site, interactive museum, and research facility, the center - sometimes referred to simply as NSDOK - is set in the actual building where prisoners were held by the Gestapo. Its most chilling experience is entering the actual prison cells in the basement with the writing of prisoners scratched into the walls.

The center attempts to put a human face on the effects of the police state on both Germans and occupied countries, with individual stories. It also focuses on the long aftermath of the Nazi era and the efforts to bring those responsible for its atrocities to justice. English-language guided tours are available.

Address: Appellhofplatz 23-25, Cologne, Germany

Official site: https://museenkoeln.de/ns-dokumentationszentrum/default.aspx?s=315

Founded in 1860, Cologne Zoo (Kölner Zoologischer Garten) is one of Germany's oldest zoological gardens. Evidence of its age can be seen in its fine collection of 19th-century menagerie buildings, including its Moorish-style elephant house and an old birdhouse that's now home to chimps, and resembles a traditional Russian church.

Other highlights include Ape Island with its mock rainforest, a well-stocked aquarium, and an excellent big cat enclosure. There's also a unique biotope habitat, where visitors can view the animals through glass without bars.

One of the most appealing features of the zoo is that you can see its history and attitudes toward zoos unfold over the years, with modern facilities retrofitted into historic buildings of the original menagerie.

Address: Riehler Str. 173, 50735, Cologne, Germany

Official site: www.koelnerzoo.de/en/home-en

Since its establishment in 1957 as the first European cable car to cross a river – in this case, the Rhine – the Cologne cable car (Rhein-Seilbahn) has carried millions of passengers. The views are, of course, the big draw, particularly those of the Old Town and Cologne Cathedral .

For more great views, a visit to Cologne Telecommunications Tower is worthwhile. Located northwest of Cologne's Old Town, Colonius, as it's known locally, is 243 meters high with a superb viewing platform and a revolving restaurant. KölnTriangle , a striking contemporary building on Ottoplatz, also has a panoramic viewing platform.

Address: Riehler Straße 180, 50735, Cologne, Germany

Official site: www.koelner-seilbahn.de/en/

The Cologne Chocolate Museum (Schokoladenmuseum) can trace its roots to 1972, when Hans Imhoff acquired the Stollwerck chocolate factory. What he discovered there was a rubbish container filled with broken machinery, packaging material, and other remnants of chocolate manufacturing.

Thus inspired, he began preserving and restoring these as the basis for the museum. Today, exhibits follow the entire chocolate-making process from bean to the finished packaged product. Highlights include interactive displays, collections of molds, antique chocolate boxes and wrappers, plus free samples from the chocolate fountain.

There's even a working production line where you can watch chocolates being made. Better still, you can even design your own chocolate bar to take home with you. Guided tours are available.

Address: Am Schokoladenmuseum 1a, 50678 Cologne, Germany

Official site: www.schokoladenmuseum.de/discover-experience/?lang=en

Established in the 19th century near the riverbank in Riehl, a northern district of Cologne, Flora and Botanical Garden (Flora und Botanischer Garten Köln) covers 11.5 hectares and is home to more than 10,000 species of plants.

You can stroll through this public park to learn about the plants, or simply to enjoy the beautiful and colorful flowers arranged in formal beds throughout the growing season. Open all year-round, the tropical settings of the greenhouses and the Palm House are delightful, whatever the season.

Serving as an elegant backdrop to the gardens is The Flora, a historic building that hosts flower shows, concerts, and events.

Address: Amsterdamer Straße 34, Cologne, Germany

Just a few minutes' walk from Cologne Cathedral , the Roman-Germanic Museum (Römisch-Germanisches Museum) offers a fascinating insight into the city's rich archaeological heritage from the Paleolithic period to the early Middle Ages.

Exhibits of interest are the Dionysus Mosaic dating from the 2nd century and the 15-meter-high funerary monument of Poblicius from the 1st century; both were discovered during excavations in the city. The museum also displays other mosaics, Roman glass, domestic pottery and sculpture, and Roman and Germanic jewelry.

Address: Roncalliplatz 4, D-50667 Cologne, Germany

Official site: https://roemisch-germanisches-museum.de/Homepage

In the picturesque town of Brühl , an easy 15 kilometers drive south of Cologne, stands Schloss Augustusburg. This elegant 18th-century palace is famous as the home of the Archbishop of Cologne.

Sumptuously decorated and furnished, this charming Late Baroque/Rococo palace is worth a visit for its magnificent staircase hall. Other highlights include its large park, used for open-air concerts and festivals. Sharing the same park is Falkenlust Palace, built in 1740 and an important part of this World Heritage site.

Brühl is also home to several museums and historic sites, including one dedicated to surrealist artist Max Ernst, as well as Augustusburg Castle and Castle Falkenplatz .

Kids will enjoy visiting Phantasialand , one of the largest theme parks in Europe. Highlights include a cable car, a Viking boat trip, a monorail, and a reproduction of old Berlin.

Address: Schlosstrasse 6, D-50321 Brühl, Germany

Official site: www.schlossbruehl.de/en_home

Romanesque St. Gereon's Basilica (Basilika Sankt Gereon) is perhaps Cologne's most unusual church. It was built on the site of a former 7th-century church, which was itself constructed in the 12th century on a 10-sided domed structure dating from Roman times and which is still visible.

Dedicated to Saint Gereon, this Roman Catholic church is a visually appealing structure and boasts an unusually long choir. Also of note are its many medieval murals, mosaics, and ancient relics.

Address: Gereonskloster 2, 50670, Cologne, Germany

Just six kilometers away from its famous cousin in Cologne, Altenberg Cathedral (Altenberger Dom) is one of the finest examples of Early Gothic architecture in Rhineland. Also known as the Bergischer Dom, this impressive church was built in 1259, and its richly furnished interior includes Gothic stained glass and many tombs of princes and abbots.

Although not strictly speaking a formal cathedral, as no bishop has ever sat here, it earned the title thanks to its imposing dimensions and is unique in Europe in that both Protestant and Catholic congregations share it.

Address: Eugen-Heinen-Platz 2, 51519 Odenthal, Germany

Southwest of Cologne Cathedral is the Museum of Applied Art (Museum für Angewandte Kunst Köln), or MAKK. One of the city's "newer" museums, it was founded in 1888 and is well regarded for its fine collection of more than 100,000 pieces of applied and decorative art from the medieval period onwards.

Other important collections include jewelry, furniture, porcelain, arms, and armor. It also features a number of interesting architectural exhibits.

Address: An der Rechtschule, D-50667 Cologne, Germany

Official site: https://makk.de/Start

For first-time visitors to the city, the best place to stay is Cologne's Old Town. Here, you can easily explore magnificent Cologne Cathedral, one of 12 Romanesque churches in the city that are within an easy walk. You'll also be close to the Rhine River, which cuts through the city. The following hotels are close to the Old Town and are worth checking out:

Luxury Hotels:

• Popular for its views of Cologne Cathedral and just minutes from Cologne Central Station, the Excelsior Hotel Ernst offers large, sumptuously decorated rooms and suites along with a modern spa and large gym.
• Also handy for those arriving via rail, the Savoy Hotel offers bright, quirky décor and mood lighting in its large rooms as well as throughout its public spaces.
• Although located on the opposite bank of the Rhine, the large rooms of the Hyatt Regency Cologne boast superb views of both the river and cathedral, as do the indoor pool and sunbathing deck.

Mid-Range Hotels:

• Popular for its large bathrooms and intimate size, the modern, boutique-style Stern am Rathaus boasts friendly staff and one of the city's best breakfasts.
• Another small hotel worth considering is Hotel Domstern , which offers guests hearty breakfasts and dedicated parking.
• Also popular is the refurbished CityClass Hotel Residence am Dom , with its ultra-modern décor and furniture.

Budget Hotels:

• Affordable and an easy walk from Cologne Cathedral, Hotel Engelbertz is popular for tourists wanting a traditional German-style hotel experience: small, intimate, and family-run.
• Other great budget choices in the Old Town include Ibis Koeln Am Dom , with its fun lounge overlooking the cathedral square; and the family-run Hotel Im Kupferkessel , with its cozy, brightly-painted rooms and a homey dining area.

Cologne is well situated for exploring this interesting part of western Germany. It is north of Bonn and south of Düsseldorf , two other attractive cities in the Rhine Valley . Farther to the south, Koblenz is at the point where the Rhine meets the Mosel .

Germany's westernmost city of Aachen is close to the borders of both Belgium and the Netherlands, and from here, you can easily reach the Dutch city of Maastricht and the Belgian city of Liège .

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Tourist Office Cologne

Top ways to experience nearby attractions

• Koln Central Station • 4 min walk

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Tourist Office Cologne - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

• (0.01 km) Dom Hotel Koeln
• (0.04 km) First Domizil
• (0.06 km) Excelsior Hotel Ernst
• (0.16 km) Hotel Sandmanns
• (0.17 km) Ibis Koeln Am Dom
• (0.03 km) Cafe Relchard
• (0.03 km) taku
• (0.04 km) Hanse-Stube
• (0.05 km) Mangal Döner Dom
• (0.05 km) Peking am Dom

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Cologne is a creative hotspot and offers Cologne residents and visitors everything that makes the city a special experience. These “lifestyle factors” include trends that shape urban public spaces, as well as a unique and long-standing neighbourhood culture that Cologne residents identify with in many different ways.

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We love Cologne! Together with you, we stroll through Cologne’s neighbourhoods and enjoy our city’s urban ambience.

Ralf Johnen

Ralf Johnen is a trained newspaper journalist and author of two books about Cologne. His preferred mode of exploring the city is by foot. He also started a travel blog, entitled “Boarding Completed”, in 2011, where he continues to write about road trips, cities and adventures with a small “a”.

Jacqueline Eva-Marie Förster

Jacqueline is a social media manager and has been living in Cologne for seven years. Her blog, Frau Förster, is about design, lifestyle and mainly fashion because she loves subtle, unfussy, Scandinavian-inspired outfits – preferably in black.

Julia Floss is a journalist specialising in food. A trained (pastry) chef, Julia has lived in Cologne for the last eight years and constantly roves the city looking for new favourite restaurants, bistros, café and bars.

KölnTourismus GmbH Kardinal-Höffner-Platz 1 50667 Köln

E-Mail: [email protected] Phone: +49 221 34643 0

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Tourist Office Cologne

Top ways to experience nearby attractions

• Koln Central Station • 4 min walk

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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TOURIST OFFICE COLOGNE: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

• (0.01 km) Dom Hotel Koeln
• (0.04 km) First Domizil
• (0.06 km) Excelsior Hotel Ernst
• (0.16 km) Hotel Sandmanns
• (0.17 km) Ibis Koeln Am Dom
• (0.03 km) Cafe Relchard
• (0.03 km) taku
• (0.04 km) Hanse-Stube
• (0.05 km) Mangal Döner Dom
• (0.05 km) Peking am Dom

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Brochures about Cologne

You are welcome to order our Cologne info pack without obligation from KölnShop (cost: €4.50; delivery within Germany). Included are: City map, Guide Visit Köln and flyer: KölnCard , public city tours and guided group tours , as well as flyers from our partners.

Do you have any questions about the info package? You can reach us from Monday to Friday from 09:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at +49 (0) 221. 346 43-0 .

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Tourist Office Cologne

Top ways to experience nearby attractions

• Koln Central Station • 4 min walk

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Also popular with travellers

Tourist Office Cologne - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

• (0.01 km) Dom Hotel Koeln
• (0.04 km) First Domizil
• (0.06 km) Excelsior Hotel Ernst
• (0.16 km) Hotel Sandmanns
• (0.17 km) Ibis Koeln Am Dom
• (0.03 km) Cafe Relchard
• (0.03 km) taku
• (0.04 km) Hanse-Stube
• (0.05 km) Mangal Döner Dom
• (0.05 km) Peking am Dom

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• Free cancellation up to 48 hours before the service starts

Enjoy all the attractions on offer in one of the most beautiful cities in the Rhineland, with the Cologne tourist card , giving you discounts on museums and monuments!

The Köln Card is a tourist card offering discounts between 20% and 50% on entry to the main museums and monuments in Cologne.

What discounts are included?

50% discount on museums such as:

• The Carnaval Museum
• Perfume Museum
• Käthe Kollwitz Collection Museum
• Mustard Museum
• Museum of Dance

20% Discount on the following:

• Museum of sport
• Ludwig Art Museum
• Roman Museum

Other discounts include...

• 40% on the Kolumba museum
• 27% on the Museum of Chocolate
• 25% on the Odysseum museum of Science

Discounts on tourist buses, tours, activities as well as in shops and restaurants in Cologne.

Free, Unlimited Transport

During the validity of the card you can benefit from free, unlimited use of the buses, trams, and regional (S-Bahn) trains which pass through the centre of the city and the surrounding regions.

Important: the Cologne metro (U-Bahn) is not included in the Köln card.

How does the card work?

Your card will be activated when you use it for the first time . From this moment, depending on the kind of card you have chosen, you will have either 24 or 48 consecutive hours to take advantage of all its advantages and discounts.

Where to pick up the card?

You can collect your Köln Card from the Cologne Tourism Office , found in front of the cathedral.

More Information

1 day - 2 days.

Köln Card over the chosen time period.

Discounts in museums, tourist attractions, activities, tours, shops and restaurants.

Unlimited, free use of public transport (except the U Bahn) during the validity of the card.

When to book?

You can book up to 2 days before (Cologne local time) if there are still places available. Book now to guarantee your spot.

Type of voucher

Accessibility.

Varies according to the attraction included.

Sustainability

All services published on Civitatis are carried out in accordance with our Sustainability Code .

Our providers commit to:

• Provide a safe and satisfying experience.
• Reduce, reuse, recycle.
• Incorporate eco-conscious technologies.
• Uphold fair employment standards.
• Foster the growth of local communities.
• Preserve the integrity of local culture.
• Safeguard both cultural and environmental heritage.
• Ensure ethical treatment of animals.
• Operate with honesty and transparency.
• Encourage sustainable behaviors among customers and staff.

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Corporate name: KölnTourismus GmbH

Not permitted.

Frequently asked questions

Q - What are the hours to pick up the card?

A - You can pick up your Köln Card by presenting your reservation voucher at the Cologne Tourist Office, located in front of the cathedral. Opening hours are Monday to Saturday (9 am to 6 pm). On Sundays and public holidays, it'll be closed.

Q - Why do this activity with Civitatis?

A - At Civitatis we only offer tickets at official prices, with transparency and exclusive advantages for our users. More information

Q - How to book?

A - To reserve the activity, choose the date and complete the form on this page. You will receive your confirmation immediately.

If you have any other questions please contact us.

Free cancellation

Meeting point.

Cologne Tourist Office

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