Museum
Museum Ludwig
The museum next to the Dom displays 20th and 21st-century art from the Irene and Peter Ludwig collection, including the world's third-largest Picasso collection. On the first Thursday of each month, it's open until 10 PM.
Germany
Köln
CityCultureUNESCO
With over a million inhabitants, Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city and the center of the Rhineland. Its landmark is the Cathedral (Dom), which was built from 1248 to 1880 and whose spires rise a good 157 meters.
With over a million inhabitants, Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city and the center of the Rhineland. Its landmark is the Cathedral (Dom), which was built from 1248 to 1880 and whose spires rise a good 157 meters. Since 1996, it has been a UNESCO World Heritage site and preserves the relics of the Three Magi.Around the Dom, you'll find twelve Romanesque churches, museums like the Museum Ludwig with one of the world's largest Picasso collections, and the Old Town by the Rhine with its breweries. There, you drink Kölsch from a tall, slender glass, served by a Köbes. Between Weiberfastnacht (Women's Carnival) and Ash Wednesday, the city is dominated by Carnival.
Cologne has over a million residents, yet its main attractions are clustered together. The main station is right next to the Cathedral, and from there you can reach the Old Town in just a few minutes, nestled between Groß St. Martin, Rathausplatz, and Heumarkt. Following the Rhine southwards, you'll find the Rheinauhafen with its Kranhäuser and the Chocolate Museum. West of the Old Town, around Brüsseler Platz, lies the Belgian Quarter with its cafés and small shops. For nightlife, also worth exploring are the Kwartier Latäng on Zülpicher Straße, Ehrenfeld with its clubs, and the pubs of the Südstadt. And from Deutz, on the opposite side of the Rhine, you get views of the Old Town and Cathedral.
More districts in Köln
Cologne's Old Town, on the left bank of the Rhine, is considered the city's birthplace: Even before the year 50, when Cologne was elevated to Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium, there was a settlement here, and the Roman harbour was located around Groß St. Martin. It is bordered by the Rhine and the semi-circular Ringe, while the axis formed by Hahnenstraße, Neumarkt, and Cäcilienstraße separates Altstadt-Nord and Altstadt-Süd.Here you'll find Alter Markt and Heumarkt, the City Hall, and the alleys of the Martinsviertel with their breweries, as well as museums and Romanesque churches. The Hauptbahnhof, the city's most important railway hub, is itself located in Altstadt-Nord; from there you can walk.
Deutz is on the Rhine's right bank, opposite the Old Town. You cross from the Cathedral via the Hohenzollern Bridge's pedestrian and cycle path. Around 310, Emperor Constantine built the Divitia fort here to protect a Rhine bridge. The formerly independent town was incorporated into Cologne in 1888. Today, Koelnmesse (first halls 1922) and the Lanxess Arena define the district.At the Rheinboulevard, opened 2015, sit directly by the water facing the Old Town. North of it, the Rheinpark adjoins, and the KölnTriangle's 29th floor offers city views. Köln Messe/Deutz station serves many trains and tram lines 1, 3, 4, and 9.
Sights in Köln
Discover the most important sights and attractions
Museum
Cologne Dom
Built 1248-1880, the Gothic cathedral's towers are a good 157m high. It houses the Three Kings' relics; UNESCO World Heritage since 1996. From July 1, 2026, interior visits cost €12 (adults); children up to 13 free. The South Tower can be climbed.
Church
Gt. St. Martin
The Romanesque church, with its striking tower, shapes the Old Town panorama on the Rhine and is one of the twelve great Romanesque churches within the former city wall.
Church
St. Gereon
One of the city's twelve Romanesque churches, known for its large ten-sided dome.
Attraction
Crane Houses in Rheinauhafen
After the port closed around 2000, a new district emerged on the Rhine. The Kranhäuser incorporate bridge construction techniques and are a popular photo motif. The Chocolate Museum is located at the northern tip of the Rheinauhafen.
Attraction
Flora and Botanical Garden
The late 19th-century garden showcases over 10,000 plant species from all climate zones, plus greenhouses. A tranquil contrast to the city center.
Restaurants in Köln
Vegetarian spot with falafel, shawarma variations and Middle Eastern cuisine on Zülpicher Straße.
Historic brewpub in Deutz on the right Rhine bank, with rustic decor, Rhenish cuisine and beer garden.
Cozy vintage-style brewpub with traditional German cuisine paired with Kölsch and other drinks.
Café with its own coffee roastery, breakfast, baked goods, and seasonal, regional dishes in a relaxed atmosphere.
Food & Drink in Cologne
At the brewery restaurant, Rhenish cuisine classics are served with Kölsch.
Kölsch
The bright, top-fermented beer is served in a slender 0.2-liter Stange; the Köbes delivers it in a Kranz holding up to 19 glasses. Since 1997, Kölsch holds protected EU geographical indication status; per the Kölsch Convention, only Cologne-area beer may bear this name.
Halve Hahn
Despite the name, no chicken is involved: It's half a rye bun with butter, a thick slice of medium-aged Gouda, mustard, and a gherkin, sometimes with onion rings. One explanation traces the name back to a joke at a Cologne birthday party in 1877.
Heaven & Earth
Mashed potatoes with apple pieces: The apples come from the tree, so from heaven, the potatoes from the earth. In Cologne, fried Blutwurst and roasted onions are served with it.
Rhenish Sauerbraten
Originally made from horse meat, today mostly from beef, which marinates for several days in a sour marinade. The sauce is seasoned sweet and sour, for instance with beet syrup, apple syrup or Aachener Printen, and served with potato dumplings and applesauce or red cabbage.
Reibekuchen
In the Rhineland, they're called Kartoffelpuffer; in Cologne, also Riefkooche. Grated potatoes and onions are fried crisp in hot fat, served with applesauce or sugar beet syrup.
Culture and Way of Life
Cathedral and Romanesque ChurchesThe Cathedral's foundation stone was laid in 1248, but it was only completed in 1880. Gerhard Richter's 2007 window in the south transept comprises 11,263 squares in 72 colours. Within the former city wall, there are also twelve large Romanesque churches from the 10th to 12th centuries, including St. Gereon and Groß St. Martin.Brauhaus and KölschKölsch, a pale, top-fermented beer, is traditionally served in a slender 0.2-litre 'Stange'. At the Brauhaus, a 'Köbes' (the local term for waiter) serves you. The 1986 Kölsch Convention dictates what can be called Kölsch.CarnivalHighlights of the season are Weiberfastnacht on Thursday, the Rosenmontagszug, and the Nubbelverbrennung before Ash Wednesday.
Nightlife
Traditional brewpub a few steps from the Dom, with Kölsch on tap and traditional cuisine.
Brewhouse with its own Kölsch in a stepped-gable house in the Old Town.
Quaint house brewery on Friesenstraße with old wood paneling and freshly tapped Kölsch.
Traditional brewpub near the Cathedral with regional dishes, garden terrace, and live music.
Irish Pub with beer, whiskey, hearty dishes, sports broadcasts and live entertainment.
Arrival and Around
Train: Köln Hauptbahnhof is right by the Dom. From here, long-distance trains run in many directions, as do regional and S-Bahn services to Bonn and Düsseldorf. Aachen is about a 50-minute regional train ride away.In the City: Explore the city center on foot. For longer journeys, use the Stadtbahn and buses.Dom Visits: From July 1, 2026, the interior will be chargeable for tourist visits. No visits are possible during services.
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