Things to do in Cologne
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Cologne
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
The season: beer gardens, the Rhine promenade, long evenings; Kölner Lichter fireworks in July.
Karneval: the city's famous fifth season; book months ahead or avoid entirely.
Christmas markets; the Dom market is spectacular, Neumarkt traditional. Magical and crowded.
Mild, quieter, good value; the shoulder months.
The grey month: cold, dark, quiet; the cheapest hotels of the year.
What's on
- Karneval February
Street carnival peaking with Weiberfastnacht and Rosenmontag; the city's defining event.
- c/o pop June
Music festival across clubs and venues.
- Kölner Lichter mid-July
Rhine fireworks; hundreds of thousands on the riverbanks.
- Christopher Street Day July
One of Europe's biggest Pride events.
- Gamescom August
The gaming fair; the city fills and hotels spike.
- Cologne Christmas Markets late November to December
The Dom, Heumarkt and Neumarkt markets.
Worth the trip for
Best things to do in Cologne
Cologne Cathedral
Gothic giant, free entry; the 533-step tower climb is worth it.
Museum Ludwig
Major modern art museum; the largest Pop Art holding outside the US.
Hohenzollern Bridge
Love-lock railway bridge; the best free walk, best at sunset.
Altstadt
Lanes between Heumarkt and the river; a wander, not a sight.
NS Documentation Centre
Former Gestapo headquarters; heavy, essential, free entry.
KölnTriangle
Panorama deck across the river; the cathedral in the skyline.
Belgisches Viertel
Gallery-and-boutique quarter; Brüsseler Platz in the evening.
Rheinauhafen
Converted harbour; the crane houses and the riverside promenade.
Where to stay in Cologne
Altstadt-Nord
First-timers who want the cathedral and museums outside the door
Belgian Quarter
Nightlife and a local feel
Altstadt-Süd
Value near the centre
Ehrenfeld
The local, alternative Cologne
Think twice about
- Blocks around the Hauptbahnhof's north side (Breslauer Platz)
The station's grit concentrates here at night; the cathedral side is fine, sleep one quarter over.
- Kalk
Safe enough but dull and far for a short trip; no reason to base here.
- Cologne hotels in Leverkusen or Dormagen
Booking sites stretch the label; the S-Bahn ride is 20 to 30 minutes each way.
Best restaurants in Cologne
Brauhaus FRÜH am Dom
The famous Kölsch hall; beer keeps coming until the coaster goes on top.
Brauerei zur Malzmühle
Family brewery house; locals rate the kitchen above Früh's.
Peters Brauhaus
Friendly Brauhaus; honest food at fair prices, less touristy.
Em Krützche
400-year-old inn; traditional cooking in a historic room.
Rievkoochebud
Reibekuchen window; potato pancakes from paper, a few euros.
Bei Oma Kleinmann
Giant schnitzels with a dozen sauces; queue, beer, wait.
Gaststätte Lommerzheim
The Deutz legend; the Kotelett pork chop is the dish.
Ox & Klee
Two-star tasting menus built around the six tastes.
Best coffee in Cologne
ERNST Kaffeeröster
Cologne's serious coffee roaster; the calm morning stop.
Outdoor things to do in Cologne
Drachenfels
Dragon rock over the Rhine; rack railway up, castle ruin, river view.
Bonn
Beethoven's birthplace; Beethoven House and free history museum.
Düsseldorf
Rival city; Königsallee, MedienHafen and the old town.
Schloss Augustusburg
UNESCO baroque palace; the grand staircase is the masterpiece.
Aachen Cathedral
Charlemagne's cathedral; 1,200 years of coronations.
Archäologischer Park Xanten
Reconstructed Roman town on its original site; great for families.
Burg Eltz
Fairytale castle, never destroyed; guided tours only.
Monschau
Half-timbered Eifel town in a narrow valley; quiet wander.
Best hotels in Cologne
Excelsior Hotel Ernst
Grand hotel facing the cathedral since 1863.
Savoy Hotel
Elegant, quiet and well run by the old town.
Eden Hotel Früh am Dom
Right by the cathedral with a good breakfast.
Ruby Ella
Stylish hotel by Friesenplatz in the Belgian Quarter.
Lindner Hotel City Plaza
Good spa and bar on the Belgian Quarter edge.
Mauritius Hotel & Therme
Thermal spa in the hotel near the Belgian Quarter.
Maison Marsil
Boutique hotel with an excellent breakfast.
Maritim Hotel Köln
Big, dependable hotel by Heumarkt.
Is Cologne expensive? What a day costs
| Classic | €191 a person |
|---|
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Farina Fragrance Museum: a few days ahead
- Schloss Augustusburg: a few days ahead
- Burg Eltz: a few days ahead
- Brauerei zur Malzmühle: a few days ahead
- Em Krützche: a few days ahead
- Ox & Klee: weeks ahead
- Le Moissonnier: weeks ahead
- Ox & Klee and Le Moissonnier: book weeks ahead.
- Karneval (February): hotels book out months ahead and prices soar.
- Christmas market weekends: book hotels early.
- Burg Eltz and Augustusburg tours: book tour slots online in season.
Is Cologne safe?
- Safe, easy city; the blocks around the Hauptbahnhof's north side (Breslauer Platz) are seedy at night.
- Pickpockets work the Karneval crowds, Christmas markets and the cathedral square.
- Karneval is joyful but very drunk; keep valuables zipped. Emergency number: 112.
Cologne travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Cathedral-square Brauhaus pricing: walk five minutes to Heumarkt or Salzgasse for the real thing.
- The Chocolate Museum is a conveyor belt without a timed ticket; book the slot or skip it.
- Domplatte street sellers (roses, petitions, shell game) are pickpocket-adjacent; keep walking.
- Riverside kiosks near the bridge charge double the Brauhaus price for the same Kölsch.
Getting around Cologne: public transport and more
- Walk the centre: cathedral, old town, Belgian Quarter and Rheinauhafen are within 25 minutes on foot.
- Buy a KVB day ticket for trams and the U-Bahn; the network is dense and simple.
- The Hohenzollern Bridge is the pedestrian link to Deutz and the KölnTriangle.
- The Rhine ferries and the cable car to the zoo are the fun transport.
- Bikes work well; the riverside paths are flat and long.
Who Cologne suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Great |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | Great |
| Families | Good |
| Bachelorette parties | Great |
Make Cologne your trip
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