Best of: Cologne 🇩🇪
Best of: Cologne 🇩🇪
Martina
I live in Cologne since 2 years and I have collected several tips for your trip to the city. Cologne is one of the most vibrant city on the Rhine River in Germany, with a lively atmosphere and a mixed modern and medieval charm.
Whether you're visiting for a weekend getaway, a group holiday with friends, or a work trip (Cologne often hosts international events like Gamescom and more), make sure to make the most of your time. And I'm here to help!
My guide includes:
- Where to stay: best areas and hotels recommendations.
- What to see: main city sights, natural spots, parks, museums & locations for activities.
- Activities to do: with some Summertime & Wintertime only special recommendations
- Where to eat: local food & cafés
- Where to work (if you need to work remote while travelling)
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Best areas where to stay:
I've personally gained experience with these places through friends and family who stayed for a period of time when visiting Cologne.
- Altstadt-Nord
25hours Hotel Koeln The Circle
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I have personally experienced this hotel chain in Zurich and recommended the one in Cologne to friends. Everyone found it to exceed their expectations.
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- Belgisches Viertel
Steigenberger Hotel Köln
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A friend and her partner stayed at this hotel; it was very clean and had a perfect location for walking everywhere in the city.
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- Altstadt-Süd
Mercure Hotel Severinshof Koeln City
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Our family stayed at this hotel, and it offers a great deal considering its strategic location and cleanliness.
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- Ehrenfeld
AMERON Köln Hotel Regent
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That's a very nice place to stay, located in a great area where you can find a lot of cafes and restaurants nearby.
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- Deutz
Radisson Blu Hotel, Cologne
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That's a perfect place to stay, especially if you want or have something to do on the other side of the Rhine River. For example, if you want to be close to the Kölnmesse or the Lanxess Arena.
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What to see
Some people say “Once you see the Dome, you’ve seen everything”, but I believe that Cologne has much more to offer. It’s not the typical touristic city with thousands of attractions, Cologne is real and this is why is beautiful.
Old City & South City
The old city, known as Altstadt, will give you a taste of the historical charm of Cologne.
Cologne Cathedral
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The Cologne Cathedral is the symbol of the city's history, and its stunning presence is quite stunning whether viewed from the square in front or one of the many bridges across the city.
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Old Market
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Heumarkt is the main square of Cologne Altstadt and its Christmas Markets are lovely.
If you’re not visiting the city during Christmas time, it is possible that you’ll find any other event because it is often a centre of local concerts, markets and events.
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Frankenwerft
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From here, you can effortlessly embark on a boat journey along the Rhine River. Choose to cruise all the way to Düsseldorf and enjoy the cityscape from the the water.
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Duftmuseum im Farina Haus
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Have you ever asked yourself why perfume are often called “cologne”?
This word is often used to indicate a type of perfume, not as strongly scented as a normal perfume. And here we are. In 1709 the Italian perfum maker Giovanni Maria Farina found the well-known “Eau de Cologne” after moving to the city in Germany and looking for a fragrance that reminded him his homecountry, specifically “of an Italian spring morning, of mountain daffodils and orange blossoms after the rain”.
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Schildergasse
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If you're in the mood for some shopping, explore the city's premier shopping street. It boasts an array of renowned stores, with a special recommendation to visit the "Cheese & More Store" and try their different types of Gouda cheese (one of the most famous in Germany!)
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Ehrenstraße
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In my opinion this is one of the nicest street where to go shopping because it has a lot of small local boutiques, nice brands and some vintage great store.
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Südstadt
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You can explore the southern part of the city for a fantastic atmosphere. Enter through one of the city doors and arrive at Chlodwigplatz, where on Thursday from 11am to 18pm there's the weekly market and you can find fresh and local food and other specialties.
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Friedenspark
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Rheinauhafen
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Walking along the river you will bump into these three buildings: it's a distinctive architectural ensemble called "Kranhäuser" that literally means "crane houses", and recalls the crane-like design of the buildings, each one reaching a height of around 60 meters. They're considered architectural landmarks, and in the surraunding there are a lot of offices and restaurants.
Behind them, there's a quaint little harbor with some boats. Walking along will bring you back to the Chocolate Museum.
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Hohenzollern Bridge
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Walking along this bridge and maybe leaving a locker with your names on it to celebrate your love or friendship forever.
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For a great view of the city:
Rheinpromenade Köln-Deutz
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From the Hohenzollernbrücke, you can easily reach Deutz and stroll along Cologne's finest river promenade. The view of the Cathedral with the city lights is stunning during the sunset hour.
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Cologne Triangle
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You can take the elevator to the terrace of the Cologne Triangle for a ticket priced at €5. It gives you a stunning vantage point to admire the cityscape! Hopefully it's not cloudy when you visit it.
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A little break in the nature:
Aachener Weiher
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On a sunny day, this park looks stunning! Take a pleasant walk around the lake, enjoy the swans and ducks, and soak in the good vibes of nature.
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Hiroshima-Nagasaki-Park
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Ideal spot for a picnic or barbecue on a sunny day. Germans enjoy grilling during the summer, so you'll likely spot many folks with small grills cooking meat or veggies in the park while sipping on a Kölsch.
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Clarenbachkanal
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This is one of the best spots in town, near the Italian Consulate, and you can walk along the canal and enjoy its calm and peaceful vibes, especially after the busy time in the city center.
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Lindenthaler Tierpark
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Take a short walk from the city center to find a cool free animal park. Hang out with different animals and stroll around in the "forest" area.
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Sitzbank
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Here's a lovely spot where to sit after a long walk around the Stadtwaldweiher.
We can say, it's the Cologne wild version of the Parisian "Jardin des Tuileries"!
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Flora und Botanischer Garten Köln
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Museums - where you can spend some time if it rains:
Odysseum
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I would advice this one for the current Harry Potter exhibition that will take place until the 2nd of June 2024 (for the moment, they might extend it).
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Lindt Chocolate Museum
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If you love chocolate this is the perfect place for you!
You can discover how chocolate is created from cocoa beans
(You can add a 30 minutes tasting during Christmas season for the additional cost of 3€)
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Museum Ludwig
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Activities to do
Roller-skating Club
Roller‘s Club Cologne
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That's a place for roller-skating lovers, and for whoever wants to try a new experience. You'll be dancing on your rollers, because this is a skating-inspired club!
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Pub Crawling (or Kneipentour like they say here) in the Ehrenfeld
Ehrenfeld
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You could start from Bumann & SOHN and continue to:
Franky's Bar, Nachtigall and others in the area.
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Karaoke at MUSEUM
MUSEUM
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Nightlife in Belgisches Viertel
Belgisches Viertel
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die wohngemeinschaft • Café • Bar • Hostel • Theater
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This is a great place to meet up new people. On Wednesday there is usually an event for International people, to get to know new people and practice different languages. But this place is cool everyday because it also has a table-tennis zone where people can play and have some fun while drinking a beer!
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Summertime only:
KAP686 Beachvolleyball Plaza
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This is a charming area with sand and a skateboard park right by the river. On sunny days, it's enjoyable to play volleyball (if you have a net) or engage in other sports while keeping your feet in the sand, creating a beach-like experience.
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km 689 Cologne Beach Club
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A great spot where to feel the chill summer vibes even more drinking a fresh cocktail
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Fühlinger See
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This is one of Cologne's most popular swimming lakes. You can truly enjoy the summer on the beautiful sandy beach. Swimming is only allowed within the lido area and to access to it you need to buy a tickets in advance
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Wintertime only
Christmas Markets (from end of November to start of January)
Cologne is known for its enchanting Christmas markets, like all German cities. The atmosphere in this period is wonderful.
Some of the best Markets are:
- Kölner Weihnachtsmarkt am Dom, located next to the Cologne Cathedral.
- Alter Markt Christmas Market in Heumarkt. It has a large ice rink for skating and playing a game called Ice Stock Sport (or something similar). Really cool!
- Christmas Market at Stadtgarten: This market offers a more alternative and artsy atmosphere. Sometimes it has live music, and cultural events, but also home-made and small business brands stalls.
- Rudolfplatz Christmas Market: this one is nice because it is surrounded by historical buildings.
Thermal Baths
It is very popular among locals to visit thermal baths here, and I would highly recommend it as a winter activity. The best way to fully enjoy the experience is to embrace the textile-free saunas and that's why it feels better in winter. However, during summer, these locations offer outdoor pools and gardens where people can enjoy the warmth and sunbathe freely.
Claudius Therme
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This is very close to the city and pretty big. They have a textile-free part with saunas, and a normal part with pools.
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Mediterana
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30 minutes by tram from the city center, and going a bit further is absolutely worth it because it will be repaid with tranquility and a more natural surrounding, enhancing the overall experience.
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Neptunbad Sports & Spa
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Last but not least, that's the most central thermal bath in Cologne and it's very popular among young people. not too big compared to the other ones, but very very nice
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Carnival (November & February)
The Carnival season in Cologne starts on the 11th of November with people meeting friends in the city at 11am to scream together "Kölle alaaf". It's a deeply cherished celebration for the locals. From November to March, you can freely roam around the city dressed up however you like, and no one will give you a strange look!
- Rose Monday is the day of the Carnival parade, where over 100 associations collaborate to organize it. Dancers, floats, and music bands, all throwing candies and flowers to the crowd.
Live Music Hall
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You can attend nice Carnival parties in the area of Ehrenfeld and especially here.
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Flotte
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You might need a ticket to access this area during Carnival, but it's definitely one of the most popular places to celebrate it.
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Where to eat
Typical German food:
Currywurst with Fries (Pommes), Kasespatzle (with fried onions on top), Schnitzel (with mushroom sauce), Sauerbraten with Red cabbage and Dumplings.
To drink:
Kölsch beer!
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Brauhaus FRÜH am Dom
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A typical Brauhaus serving German food. Don't be bothered by what may seem like a bit of rudeness in the service – it's intentional! And remember to place the coaster over your Kölsch glass if you don't want another one without asking!
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Brauerei Pfaffen
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Pizza & more:
Pizzeria Totò e Peppino
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Real Italian pizza, and real Italian place also for the atmosphere!
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Antica Pizzeria Nennillo - Köln Südstadt
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Breakfast & Cafés
easylivin' Coffee, Brunch & Lunch
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Kaffeesaurus
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Kaffee & Kuchen
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Südgold
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Café Rotkehlchen (Ehrenfeld)
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Café Sehnsucht
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Where to work:
Coffee Fellows - Kaffee, Bagels, Frühstück
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Coffee Fellows - Kaffee, Bagels, Frühstück
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Espresso House
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Design Offices Köln Schanzenstraße
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They have offices to rent in different areas in the city.
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WeWork - Rudolfplatz - Private Büroflächen und Coworking
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WeWork - Friesenplatz - Private Büroflächen und Coworking
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Here we are!
Hope you enjoyed this guide and I hope that your trip to Cologne will be unforgettable!
Thank you very much & enjoy your stay in Köln!
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Martina
Are you tired of travel planning chaos? Tap here to discover all my tips that will help you achieve a stress-free adventure!
My guides focus on:
- itineraries from 2 to 7 days
- guides for weekends abroad
- places to eat & drink
- places to stay
I'm the go-to friend for trip planning, always on a mission for the best and most budget-friendly adventures. Yet, beyond the savings, my ultimate goal is to return home with authentic and unforgettable experiences. Now I want to turn my passion into a service available for everyone 🌍
About me:
My name is Martina and I was born and raised in Italy. 🇮🇹
I grew up in Emilia Romagna (in Ravenna, Modena & Parma) but my dad is from Sicily and we've spent all our summers over there. I travelled all around Italy and I can definitively give you a lot of insights about many places!
Currently, I call Cologne, Germany home, having spent two wonderful years here with my German boyfriend.
I did Erasmus in Cluj Napoca, Romania I lived in Kavala, Greece, and Cahir, Ireland. Uncommon, but unforgettable places on my journey.
I love traveling but also living abroad and I am already looking for my next adventure. I visited 19 European countries and I look forward to going a bit further soon ✈️
🥛 As a lactose-intolerant I try to discover places that can offer the best lactose-free or vegan options, and if you know the struggle you better take a look at my guides! 🍽️
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