Things to do in Cologne: cathedral, museums and brewhouses
Cologne is a Rhine city built around one enormous cathedral, with good museums, a rebuilt old town and brewhouses that serve a local beer in small glasses. Two days cover the main sights. The one thing to know is the calendar: during carnival and the big trade fairs, hotel prices jump and rooms run out.
The short answer
- First trip
- Climb or at least enter the cathedral, walk the Rhine promenade, visit one museum, and spend an evening in a brewhouse.
- Where to stay
- The Altstadt for sights, the Belgisches Viertel for cafes and shops, Ehrenfeld or the Südstadt for a local feel.
- How many days
- Two days cover the center. A third adds a museum, the zoo or a trip to Bonn or Düsseldorf.
- Best time to go
- May to September, or late November to December for the Christmas markets. Avoid fair and carnival weeks unless that is the plan.
- Book ahead
- Hotels in carnival and trade-fair weeks, and a table for a group in a brewhouse on Friday or Saturday.
- From the airport
- Cologne Bonn airport is about 15 km south-east. The S19 runs to the main station in about 14 minutes.
Where to stay in Cologne, in brief
Altstadt
sights and first-timers
The old town between the cathedral and the river, with the brewhouses on your doorstep. Everything is on foot. It is busy and noisy on weekend nights.
Belgisches Viertel
cafes, shops and bars
A quarter of small boutiques, cafes and wine bars west of the Ring. Lively but friendly, and about 25 minutes on foot from the cathedral.
Südstadt
a local feel and the river
A mixed residential district south of the center with pubs, bakeries and a good square at Chlodwigplatz. Fewer hotels, more apartments.
Deutz
fairs and quiet nights
Across the Rhine, next to the trade-fair grounds and with a view back to the cathedral. Practical in fair weeks and less lively in the evening.
Things to do in Cologne
Cologne Cathedral
The Gothic cathedral that dominates the city. Entering the nave is free. The south tower climb is more than 500 steps and worth it on a clear day.
Hohenzollern Bridge and the Rhine promenade
Walk across the railway bridge, covered in padlocks, to Deutz and back for the classic view of the cathedral. The promenade on the Altstadt side is good at dusk.
Romano-Germanic Museum
A museum built around a Roman mosaic, beside the cathedral, covering Cologne's time as a Roman colony.
Museum Ludwig
Modern and pop art next to the cathedral, with a large Picasso collection.
Altstadt and Alter Markt
The rebuilt old town around the town hall, with narrow lanes and brewhouses. It is pleasant by day and loud at weekends.
Chocolate Museum
A museum on the Rheinau harbor peninsula with a chocolate fountain and a glasshouse. It suits families and a wet afternoon.
Rheinauhafen
A former harbor with modern buildings, including the three Kranhäuser. It is quiet and good for a walk along the water.
Kolumba
The diocesan art museum, built over ruined church foundations. A calm, well-lit building for a short visit.
Eau de Cologne
Cologne is the home of eau de Cologne. A fragrance museum near the town hall tells the story, and several old shops still sell it.
Cologne Zoo and the cable car
A zoo north of the center. The Rhine cable car runs from Rheinpark across the river to the zoo, but check its season before you plan around it.
What to book before you go
These sell out. Most of the rest of Cologne can be decided on the day.
Every tour and ticket in Cologne, and which to pick- Hotels in carnival and fair weeksseveral months ahead
Carnival in February and big trade fairs such as gamescom in August fill the city and push prices well above normal.
- A brewhouse table for a groupa few days ahead
Brewhouses seat walk-ins at shared tables, but groups of more than four or five on a Friday or Saturday should reserve.
- Christmas market weekends1 to 2 months ahead
The markets bring day visitors and weekend stays, and hotels fill on Fridays and Saturdays in December.
What to skip in Cologne
- Carnival Thursday to Tuesday, unless you mean it
Street carnival in the Altstadt is crowded, loud and drunk, and many shops and sights shut. Come for it on purpose, or pick another week.
- A full dinner on the cathedral square
The restaurants beside the cathedral are priced for tourists. Walk ten minutes into the Altstadt or the Belgisches Viertel instead.
Best time to visit Cologne
May to September is the easiest, with long evenings and beer gardens along the Rhine. Spring and early autumn are mild and quieter. Late November and December bring the Christmas markets, which are cold and crowded but very atmospheric.
Plan around two things. Carnival peaks in February: in 2027 the street celebrations run from Thursday 4 February, with the big parade on Monday 8 February. Large trade fairs, including gamescom in August and Anuga in October of odd-numbered years, can empty hotels and double rates at short notice, so check the Koelnmesse calendar before you book.
- From Cologne Bonn airportThe S19 runs from under Terminal 2 to the main station in about 14 minutes, every 20 minutes on weekdays and every 30 minutes on weekends. A single ticket is about €4 on secondary sources, so check vrs.de.
- Trams and U-BahnThe KVB network of trams and underground lines covers the whole city. Buy tickets at machines or in the app before you board.
- On footThe cathedral, the Altstadt, the museums and the Rhine bank are all within a 10 to 15 minute walk of each other. The main station is next to the cathedral.
Cologne in two or three days
- Day 1
The cathedral and the tower, the Romano-Germanic Museum, the Altstadt and Alter Markt, then dinner in a brewhouse.
- Day 2
Museum Ludwig or Kolumba, the Rhine promenade and Hohenzollern Bridge, the Rheinauhafen and the Chocolate Museum, then the Belgisches Viertel in the evening.
- Day 3
A day trip to Bonn or Düsseldorf, or the zoo and the Südstadt.
Day trips from Cologne
- DüsseldorfA rival city with a long Rhine promenade and an Altbier tradition, about 25 to 35 minutes by regional train.
- BonnBeethoven's birthplace and the former West German capital, about 25 to 30 minutes by train.
- BrühlThe UNESCO-listed Augustusburg palace, about 15 minutes by train.
Cologne: questions people ask
How many days do you need in Cologne?
Two days cover the cathedral, the old town, a museum and the river. A third is worth it for a day trip to Bonn or Düsseldorf, or for slower museum time.
Is Cologne worth visiting?
Yes, for the cathedral, the museums and the brewhouse culture. It is less polished than Munich and less crowded than Berlin. Parts of the center were rebuilt after the war and are plain.
What is the best time to visit Cologne?
May to September for weather, or December for the Christmas markets. Check the carnival and trade-fair dates, because they affect prices more than the season does.
Is Cologne expensive?
Moderately. Brewhouse food and beer are good value, but hotel prices can double in fair and carnival weeks.
Is Cologne Cathedral free to enter?
Yes, the nave is free. The south tower climb and the treasury have separate tickets.
How do you get from Cologne Bonn airport to the center?
Take the S19 train from under Terminal 2 to the main station in about 14 minutes. Taxis are quicker only off-peak.
Does Cologne charge a tourist tax?
Yes. The city levies an accommodation tax of 5 per cent of the room price on private and business stays. The hotel collects it.