The top 15 sights and activities in Cologne / Cologne Travel Tips

Our tour to the most beautiful places and sights in the city proves that Cologne is not only worth a trip for the carnival. / Cologne Travel Tips

Marvel at the Cologne Cathedral, enjoy the best view of downtown Cologne, take part in one of the most unusual city tours and spoil your palate in the sweetest museum in the city. So you are guaranteed not to get bored during your short holiday in the Rhine metropolis!

1. The pride of the city: Cologne Cathedral

Let’s start with the most famous of the numerous sights in Cologne. No matter where you are in Cologne, you always have the Cologne Cathedral in view. No wonder most tourists head for the city’s 157 meter high landmark first. Early risers can take a look inside the most famous church in Germany from 6 a.m. It is also worthwhile to visit the richly stocked cathedral treasury for €6 admission or to climb the south tower for €4 and enjoy the view of Cologne city centre.

2. The best vantage point in town / Cologne Travel Tips

No question – the view of the city from Cologne Cathedral is very impressive. But if you also want to have a view of the Cologne Cathedral from a dizzy height, you should better head for the roof terrace of the KölnTriangle. The fully glazed panorama platform provides the best all-round view of Cologne Cathedral, the Hohenzollern Bridge and other sights in Cologne. You are more than 100 meters above the roofs of the city. From May to September you even have the opportunity to come up here until 11 p.m. and see the Rhine metropolis at night.

3. Cologne underground: The most extraordinary city tour

Many holidaymakers prefer to explore the most famous sights in Cologne on their own, but in some cases it pays to rely on real experts – especially when the guides take you to hidden places underground. On a tour of Cologne’s underworld, you will come across a former governor’s palace from Roman times, a Roman sewer and an escape tunnel used by a Cologne archbishop. An exciting experience not only for those interested in history.

4. Hovering over the Rhine

This special trip should not be missed by anyone traveling to Cologne between March and November: During these months, the almost 60-year-old Rhine cable car shuttles back and forth between the Cologne Zoo and the Rheinpark. On the almost one kilometer long route, the gondolas hover over the Rhine at a good 10 km/h. For those newly in love, there is even a golden wedding gondola where registrars hold weddings. No wonder, then, that the Rhine cable car is one of the most romantic sights in Cologne for many visitors.

5. Walk along the Rhine promenade

When the weather is good, the Rhine promenade is one of the most popular meeting places with numerous activities in Cologne. Between the Zoobrücke in the north and the Severinsbrücke, there are cyclists, walkers and inline skaters who want to do a bit of sport with a view of the Cologne skyline. This is also where the boat tours that are so popular with tourists begin, where you can get to know the Cologne area from the water.

6. Discover culinary Cologne / Cologne Travel Tips

In order to try the culinary specialties from Cologne, you can join guided tours to learn everything about the beer Kölsch in the typical Cologne breweries; it is also possible to explore the inns in the old town on your own. Hearty fare goes well with cool Kölsch, such as Himmel un Ääd or a simple Mett roll. Good to know for particularly thirsty guests: If the Kölsch is empty, you will be served a new one straight away. Unless you put the beer mat on the empty glass.

7. Chilling out with friends at the Aachener Weiher

Unfortunately, it is not recommended to swim in the Aachener Weiher – but in summer many young people and students gather on its banks until late at night to do sports together on the large lawn, to have a barbecue or just to relax in the sun . With cool drinks and warm temperatures, the high flirt factor is not to be scoffed at here either.

8. Cultural highlight in Cologne: The Museum Ludwig

Not far from Cologne Cathedral is the Ludwig Museum, one of the most important exhibition venues for modern art in Europe and thus also one of the most important cultural sights in Cologne. Since it was founded in 1976, there have been extremely exciting works of art from the 20th and 21st centuries to admire. Especially the pop art works and the historical photographs are absolutely worth seeing. In addition, a cinema attached to the museum is dedicated to contemporary film culture outside of the mainstream – quite a few cultural philistines have been able to get enthusiastic about the art here.

9. Low-Budget Tip: The Flora

A visit to the Cologne flora is a must on any city trip to Cologne – especially if you have to watch your budget, because entry to the botanical garden, which is right next to the Cologne Zoo, is free. Exotic plants from all over the world are waiting to be discovered in the facility, which was inaugurated in 1864. If you walk through the paths covered with dense palm trees, you will inevitably get in the holiday mood right in the heart of NRW.

10. Have a beach day

The summer in Cologne sometimes makes you sweat. If even the thickest ice cream sundae doesn’t cool you down, there’s often no choice but to pack up the towel and spend the day at the beach. If you just want to let the sun shine on your stomach, you will find some quiet sandy beaches on the Rhine. There are also a number of idyllic bathing lakes in Cologne and the surrounding area that invite you to jump into the cool water.

11. Explore Cologne on two wheels / Cologne Travel Tips

The green surroundings of Cologne can be wonderfully explored by bike. The tours through Cologne’s green belt, along the Rhine or to the neighboring towns and nature reserves lead to the lesser-known sights of Cologne in the great outdoors. Thanks to the varied routes with different levels of difficulty, both beginners and experienced cyclists will get their money’s worth.

12. Stroll through the Agnes district

An extensive stroll is simply part of every city trip. If you walk around without a specific destination, you often come across the hidden sights of a city that cannot be found in any travel guide. In Cologne, the Agnesviertel is particularly suitable for such an excursion. The district, which is named after the church of Saint Agnes, knows how to impress with interesting buildings from the Wilhelminian period. In the many cozy bars and cafés you can literally feel the high quality of life, which is why so many celebrities like to be seen in the Agnesviertel.

13. The world’s tastiest museum

Especially when the weather in Cologne is bad, the chocolate museum at Rheinauhafen is always worth a visit. All those who can’t keep their hands off the sweet temptation at home are guaranteed to feel like they’re in paradise. In addition to the usual exhibition with the chocolate fountain as a highlight, the additional courses on chocolate are particularly popular. Here, young and old with a sweet tooth learn how to create their own pralines or how to make delicious chocolate bars yourself.

14. City history up close: The Hahnentorburg

The Hahnentorburg, built at the beginning of the 13th century, was already of particular importance for the history of the city of Cologne in the Middle Ages: Newly crowned rulers always went through this gate in the direction of Cologne Cathedral to pay homage to the shrine of the Three Kings. If you stand in front of the massive gate today, you get an impression of what the medieval fortifications of the city must have looked like.

15. Where do you go in the evening?

One of the most popular meeting places in the evening is Friesenplatz. This is where the party-loving people of Cologne set out to turn night into day in the city’s most exclusive clubs. Things are a bit more alternative and much more casual in hip Cologne-Ehrenfeld. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch one of the evenings when free beer is served in the Live Music Hall. Or you can make new acquaintances in the popular Club Bahnhof Ehrenfeld.

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