Travel

Public Transport

1. Start walking from Cologne Central station
2. Head west toward Bahnhofsvorpl
3. Turn right onto Bahnhofsvorpl
4. Turn left toward Trankgasse
5. Take the stairs
6. Turn left toward Trankgasse
7. Turn right onto Trankgasse
8. At Cathedral / Central Station, take the Tram 18 Bonn Hbf, 10 min (5 stops) to Köln Eifelwall/Stadtarchiv stop

1. Köln Eifelwall/Stadtarchiv
2. Head southwest on Luxemburger Str./B265 toward Paula-Kleinmann-Weg
3. Turn right onto Paula-Kleinmann-Weg
4. Turn right to stay on Paula-Kleinmann-Weg
5. Slight left toward Zülpicher Str.
6. Turn right toward Zülpicher Str.
7. Turn left onto Zülpicher Str.
8. Turn right onto Universitätsstraße

Driving
Keep in mind that Cologne has a low emission zone, so unless your car has a green environmental sticker, you will need to park and then take other transport further in.

1. Take Tunisstraße, Neuköllner Str. and Blaubach to Rothgerberbach/B55, 6 min (1.8 km)
2. Take Luxemburger Str./B265 to Universitätsstraße, 5 min (1.8 km)
3. Turn right onto Universitätsstraße, 2 min (600 m)

Sightseeing

Cologne Cathedral’s two massive towers have dominated the city’s skyline since their completion in 1880. Today the cathedral is Cologne’s second-tallest structure, surpassed only by the telecommunications tower. The cathedral covers almost 8,000 square metres of floor space and can hold more than 20,000 people.

Cologne’s Old Town has a distinctive historical charm. Visitors are drawn by its rustic narrow alleyways lined with traditional old houses. Innumerable breweries, pubs and restaurants invite passersby to linger. Here you can enjoy a draft Kölsch beer or try Cologne’s typical Halver Hahn sandwich.

The newly designed, restructured Rheinauhafen waterfront complex is a young and attractive district of Cologne. The waterfront district features a mix of modern residential and office buildings interspersed with many cafés, restaurants, and galleries. Visitors with a passion for architecture and culture will also find points of interest in the Rheinauhafen.

Cologne's Hohenzollern Bridge is a place of pilgrimage for romantics in love. Tourists and Cologne residents like to immortalise their relationship in the form of love locks on the bridge. As a sign of eternal love and fidelity, they attach their lock to the bridge grating and throw the corresponding key into the Rhine.

Away from the hustle and bustle of the main shopping streets, Hohe Straße and Schildergasse, the Belgian Quarter "Belgisches Viertel" is a much calmer shopping experience. Mainly housed in historic buildings, the extravagant rooms alone are a must-see.

The town hall in Cologne is famous for its loggia, the Renaissance façade built by the Kalkar master builder Wilhelm Vernukken.

The Cologne cable car has been in operation for over 50 years and was the first cable car in Europe to cross a river. Since 1957 more than 15 million passengers have enjoyed the unforgettable experience of the unique panoramic view of the city from the air.

A magnificent example of one of the 12 Romanesque churches located in the city, St. Gereon has impressive views from the decagonal arched rooftop.

Colonial Legacy in Cologne

• Students project – Decolonization of the Public Space
• Integrationshaus e.v.: Desintegration! - A digital map of colonial legacy in Cologne

Museums & Galleries

The Archaeological Zone/Jewish Museum is a dynamic project over a sprawling stretch of land covering important historic monuments, ruins and excavations. The focus is to uncover the culture and history of the Romans and Jews and the Middle Ages. This prestigious museum is being developed in stages, and currently several landmarks are open for public visits. These include the Praetorium, Roman Sewer, Mikveh and Ubian Monument.

The Museum Schnütgen has a valuable collection of mediaeval art on exhibit in one of Cologne’s oldest churches.

How did 4711 actually come about? Experience the history of this world-renowned brand and gain insights into its truly impressive two-century history. Attend a fragrance seminar and create your own personal fragrance, enjoy a fragrance menu with all your senses or sign up for an impressive guided tour.

Since 1988 the Museum of Applied Arts has been situated in the former house of the Wallraf-Richartz Museum. The exhibition pieces include furniture, ceramics, glass, jewellery and textiles from the late Middle Ages to designer objects of the 20th century.

The Romano-Germanic Museum was completed in 1974 above the place where the Dionysos mosaic was found. The collection gives a lively picture of the Roman culture on the Rhine.

The EL-DE House on Appellhofplatz was the headquarters of the Cologne Gestapo from 1935 to 1945. Its name became the epitome of the Nazi reign of terror in Cologne, but also for the way it later dealt with the Nazi history of the city after 1945. Since May 2009, the National Socialist Documentation Centre has presented its memorial in a new form and expanded it in several areas. The permanent exhibition "Cologne under National Socialism" was also redesigned and supplemented by 31 media stations.

The past and present global story of cocoa and chocolate is portrayed in detail at the Chocolate Museum. The diversity of 5,000-years of cocoa's cultural history is shown as well as modern chocolate production from the cocoa bean through to praline chocolate confectionery.

One of Cologne’s more prominent art hubs, Ehrenfeld, is home to artrmx e.V. (spoken: art remix), a bustling art association founded in 2006. Primarily known as the promoter of the biennial CityLeaks Urban Art Festival, the association also runs Atelierzentrum Ehrenfeld (AZE), a studio community established in 2013, offering workspaces for 17 artists of diverse backgrounds, and housing regular exhibitions, such as „Gruppe 69“, the annual group show of resident artists.

Tours

There are a lot of guided tours in Cologne, and a lot to see! Have a look at the Cologne Tourism site for some ideas besides the ones below.

Freewalk Cologne offer a variety of free tours in Cologne. See their website to choose a tour from walking around the city to thematic ones such as the The Legendary Kölsch Tour and the National Socialism & Third Reich Tour.

Discover the area of the Cathedral and Old Town with this walking tour. Many of Cologne's most important attractions are concentrated within one square kilometre around the Cathedral, including the town hall and the old town with the Romanesque church of Groß St. Martin. In the old town's narrow cobblestone lanes and lively squares such as Alter Markt, you will get a taste of life in the Cathedral city, both past and present.

During this entertaining walk through Cologne's old town with the Kölschtour, you'll get to know the many facets of Kölsch. You'll find out everything about the top-fermented specialty beer and delicacies such as Himmel un Ääd or Kölscher Kaviar. Many enjoy the much-heralded amber nectar fresh from the tap as a quick beer at the bar.

The stars are within your reach at the Guided-tour through the European Astronaut Centre. Discover the European Astronaut Centre (EAC) at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Cologne-Wahnheide.

There are so many churches in Cologne, for which you can go on guided tours, such as: St Andrew; Saint Apostoles; Saint George; Saint Kunibert; Saint Maria Lyskirchen; St. Maria im Kapitol; Saint Panaleon; St Ursula and Golden Chamber.

For the family / kids

Cologne Zoo is one of the oldest and most popular zoos in Germany. More than 10,000 animals are at home here. This makes it one of the most diverse in all of Europe. Its motto is: "Enthusiastic about animals".

The Cologne cable car has been in operation for over 50 years and was the first cable car in Europe to cross a river. Since 1957 more than 15 million passengers have enjoyed the unforgettable experience of the unique panoramic view of the city from the air.

The stars are within your reach at the Guided-tour through the European Astronaut Centre. Discover the European Astronaut Centre (EAC) at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Cologne-Wahnheide.

Finkens Garten is a nature adventure garden for preschool children. Interested guests of all ages are welcome. On the grounds of the 5 hectare nature adventure garden many plants are cultivated especially for the little visitors, which are fun for children.

Parks & Green Spaces

As early as in 1912, the park was landscaped for an exhibition and later extended in 1914 and 1928. In the aftermath of World War II, the Rheinpark was enlarged to its current dimensions on the occasion of the first Federal Garden Show in Cologne. On its 50th anniversary in 2007, the park was nominated “The most beautiful German Park”.

On hot summer days and mild summer nights, those who want to see and be seen flock to this small section of the “green belt” that encircles the centre of Cologne. In the Biergarten am Aachener Weiher, visitors can satisfy their hunger and thirst. On the Aachener Kulturdeck, which is located directly next to the beer garden and the pond, live music and electronic dance music are regularly offered in the summertime.

Would you like to take a stroll through Cologne’s oldest and most traditional public park? If so, go to the Botanical Garden, which is located in Riehl, a northern district of Cologne near the left bank of the Rhine. It was established in the 19th century and is visited by more than a million people every year.

The Stadtwald forest in the borough of Lindenthal belongs to the so-called “Äußerer Grüngürtel”, the outer green belt. In 1895, the forest was first planted on the premises of the former Kitschburg manor. Boasting three artificial ponds, the Stadtwald forest is very popular for its enchanting ambiance. The Adenauer Weiher pond is located in the northern part and further to the east there is a small pond, which was connected to another pond by a channel in 1920.

In the 20s, the City of Cologne created the “Inneren und Äußeren Grüngürtel”, the inner and outer green belt, on the land of former fortresses. The Innere Grüngürtel begins in the borough of Riehl; it covers the boroughs of Mauenheim and Ehrenfeld as well as the university campuses up to Luxemburger Straße street.

Eating & Drinking

Lommerzheim For a true taste of Cologne, visit the beloved restaurant “Lommi”. It was opened in 1959 by Hans and Annemie Lommerzheim and although the restaurant was renovated in 2008, the original charm of the building survived.

Le Moissonnier This Michelin-starred French restaurant has been an institution in Cologne’s fine dining scene for nearly 30 years. It offers très creative gourmet cuisine and a wine list to match.

Brauerei zur Malzmühle Located in the heart of the Old Town, this 150-year old family-run brewery and its adjacent restaurant are famous for hearty regional fare and classic German food.

Hanse Stube, set in the Excelsior Hotel Ernst next to the Cologne Cathedral, serves haute cuisine for haute prices. Chef de cuisine Bernhard Stütze prepares innovative French fare combined with regional flavours.

Früh am Dom Again in the centre of the city beneath the towering Cologne Cathedral, you will find Früh am Dom. This traditional restaurant is housed in a former brewery and serves good old-fashioned German food on three different levels.

Bei Oma Kleinmann The namesake oma (grandma), Paula Kleinmann, led the kitchen well into her 90s and the family-run restaurant still offers bargain prices and giant schnitzels with homemade sides. Make a reservation as this local favourite is often filled to capacity.