One day in Cologne, Germany: top things for your itinerary
The largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Cologne is home to one of Germany’s most recognisable and popular tourist attractions, Cologne Cathedral (Kolner Dom), famous for its soaring twin spires.
Most travellers will recognise the often-used photograph taken from the opposite bank of the Rhine River. This shows the city’s gothic-styled cathedral standing behind a massive triple-arched metal bridge, the Hohenzollernbrucke.
The cathedral is quite rightly a UNESCO World Heritage site. But there is much more to the city of Cologne than this must-see attraction. There’s certainly plenty to do on a short break here or with just one day in Cologne.
Most sights are located centrally around the cathedral or close to the banks of the Rhine. So it’s really easy to see a lot in a short space of time.
Whether you are planning to spend one day in Cologne, your visit is part of a wider exploration of the surrounding area, or it’s a long layover on the way to another destination, this post gives you all the vital information you need to plan your Cologne itinerary.
It covers all the main attractions, as well as ideas for things to consider that may not automatically be top of your list.
At the end, you’ll also find information on how to get to Cologne and the best time to visit.
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About Cologne
Cologne is located in Northern Europe in North-Rhine Westphalia and close to the border with Belgium and the Netherlands. It is one of several significant German cities located along the length of the mighty River Rhine, one of Europe’s great waterways.
This means it provides an excellent base for exploring other cities nearby via river cruises if you have more time on your hands.
Despite significant damage during the Second World War, much of the city’s rich history has been carefully preserved and notable buildings have been restored. Among these are the Old City Hall (Altes Rathaus), many of the city’s distinctive Romanesque churches that date back to the Middle Ages, and even parts of the old City Wall.
As you wander the city centre you’ll also find some fine examples of Gothic architecture. These stand next to cutting-edge modern designs.
The latter includes the remarkable Crane Houses and the glittering skyscraper (the KohnTriangle) that houses the Cologne View tourist attraction. This offers arguably the best vantage point for enjoying Cologne’s skyline from the opposite bank of the River Rhine. In particular, it gives an unrivalled bird’s eye view of the cathedral and the Hohenzollern Bridge.
You will also find a rich museum scene and great opportunities to shop, especially for the city’s famous Eau de Cologne perfume.
The KolnCard
Depending on what you want to see and do on your one day in Cologne, you should purchase the KolnCard.
This gives visitors a 50% discount on top sights and museums like the Fragrance Museum, the NS Documentation Centre, and the Chocolate Museum. There’s also 20% off some restaurants. Importantly, it also provides free public transport.
For further details about this great cost saver, and to buy tickets, click here.
How to get around Cologne
Although Cologne has an excellent public transportation system, you may prefer to walk around the main sights. This is really easy to do as many of the top attractions are located around the old town or are not that far away.
You can book walking tours here.
However, If you are traveling on public transport and don’t have this included as part of the Koln Card, you can purchase KVB tickets separately (including as mobile phone tickets).
Although many of the main sights are close to each other in the centre, some are a bit further away. This includes the cable car and the Zoo/Botanical Garden. So it’s good to know the public transport is efficient and well connected.
The hop-on hop-off bus
Like all major cities, Cologne offers a Hop-on Hop-off sightseeing bus service.
This can be purchased for a 24 hour period and will take you around the main sights and areas in the city, including the old town, cathedral, Triangle Tower and the zoo area.
Guided tours
There is a good range of guided tours you can take while in Cologne. These are good if you have limited time and is often the best way to get more information about the city as they are often accompanied by a tour guide.
There are walking tours, river cruises, as well as other tours catering for specific interests (for example, brewery tours, food tours, and e-bike guided tours).
You can explore more guided tours here.
Top things to do on one day in Cologne
Below, I have listed the best things to do in one day in Cologne, based on my recent trip. There’s a lot to choose from!
Wander around Cologne’s Old Town
When you spend one day in Cologne, you should definitely put aside some time to explore the city’s old town area (Altstadt). Roughly speaking, this covers the historical area right next to the River Rhine in between the two central bridges – the Hohenzollern and the Deutzer.
By the river, it includes the area known as the Fischmarkt (fish market). Here you will get some good photos, particularly of the short row of brightly coloured buildings dating from the Middle Ages.
These stand below the imposing Romanesque church, the Great (Gross) St Martin.
Although the Old Town was badly damaged during the Second World War, you’ll find plenty of restored historic buildings. These include churches and colourful terrace buildings, as well as narrow cobblestone streets and attractive squares.
You’ll also find a great traditional beer hall called Brauhaus Sünner Im Walfisch and many international restaurants around here.
One of the most eye-catching buildings is the aforementioned Great St Martin. It features a distinctive central spire surrounded by four turrets.
According to the plaque on the entrance, construction began in 1150. The work was completed in the mid-13th century.
It is worth popping inside and looking around this noteworthy building.
Another restored landmark is the old City Hall (Altes Rathaus) located in Alter markt (old market). If you wander around this area, you’ll no doubt hear its tower’s bells ringing at various times.
You may also want to check out the Praetorium (the remnants of a Roman governor’s palace), located underneath the City Hall, while in this area. Part of a larger archaeological zone, this unique attraction showcases Roman relics and a planned new Jewish Museum. Click here for more information.
Visit the famous Cologne cathedral
You cannot spend one day in Cologne without exploring inside the city’s iconic twined-tower cathedral (Kölner Dom), which miraculously survived the devastation of the Second World War.
Together with Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate, it is arguably Germany’s most recognisable site of historic interest and is the country’s largest cathedral. Some websites also say that it is Germany’s most visited tourist landmark.
It’s fair to say that you can’t really miss the cathedral on the city’s skyline. Centrally located, it stands right next to Cologne’s central train station. It is a short walk from the Old Town and the River Rhine.
Although the foundation stone for this gothic-style cathedral was laid in the mid-1200s, its completion is relatively recent in historical terms: the last stone was placed more than 600 years later on 15 October 1880.
According to the cathedral’s information brochure that I picked up, this made Cologne Cathedral the world’s tallest building at the time, with the ornament at the top of the North Tower rising to a height of just over 157 metres.
It is now the world’s third largest Gothic cathedral. It has been built with 300,000 tonnes of stone and has more than 10,000 square metres of windows.
Inside the cathedral
When I visited the cathedral, I was astounded by the sheer scale and beauty of its interior. It’s not an exaggeration to say the stained glass windows, particularly Gerhard Richter’s design in the cathedral’s south transept, are truly illuminating.
The tourist site notes that Richter’s design utilises 11,263 colour squares in 72 colours. Apparently, the ‘play of colours’ inside when the sun is shining is an experience you won’t forget quickly (unfortunately it wasn’t sunny on the day I visited!).
As for the other highlights to look out for, perhaps the most intriguing is the Shrine of the Three Kings. As the name suggests, this relates to a sarcophagus that supposedly contains the remains of the three kings who gave gifts to the baby Jesus.
If you want to explore more of the cathedral treasures, you can book a guided tour. Adult tickets were 10 euros when I visited in February 2024, with discounts for various groups.
Climb Cologne Cathedral’s South Tower
If you’re visiting Cologne and have a head for heights, don’t miss the chance to climb its South Tower to get some of the city’s best views.
To do this, you need to walk round to the right side of the entrance. Here you’ll find a short, open staircase leading down to an underground entrance.
You then pass what is the only remaining Roman cellar left here before entering a short tunnel that takes you to the ticket office. I paid 6 euros when I visited.
On the way up, you can stop and see eight of Cologne Cathedral’s 11 bells. When you finally reach the end of the stone spiral staircase, you enter a large octagonal tower chamber. A flight of modern iron stairs then winds up to the roof and the entrance to the viewing gallery.
As you ascend the stairs, you can look out to each side of the octagonal chamber. Here you can see through large unglazed windows.
A word of advice for those who don’t like heights: you may well want to climb up to the viewing gallery around the South Tower’s spire on a still, sunny day. Although most of the 533 steps are inside an enclosed narrow stone spiral staircase, when you reach the final stage it can be quite a bit nervy, particularly on a windy day.
If you don’t want to climb the cathedral’s South Tower, there are plenty of other great options for fabulous views over the city during one day in Cologne, some of which are at ground level.
Walk across the Hohenzollern Bridge
One of Cologne’s most photographed cityscapes can be seen by walking more than 400m across this iconic steel bridge from the old town side of the city to the Deutz side of the River Rhine.
As you approach the pedestrian walkway alongside the railway section, it’s impossible to miss the massive sea of love locks. These cover the entire fence of the pedestrian walkway right across to the other side of the bridge.
Completed in 1911, this iconic bridge weighs 24,000 tonnes and consists of three side-by-side truss arch bridges. As you walk across the bridge, you’ll no doubt notice the statues of Prussian kings and emperors on horses from the House of Hohenzollern, hence the name.
There is also the statute of Emperor Wilhelm II next to the Museum Ludwig on the cathedral side.
Once on the Deutz side of the river, you’ll be rewarded with amazing views of Cologne’s skyline. This includes the cathedral, the Great St Martin Church, and the bridge itself.
You can wander along the riverside to the next bridge further south (Deutzer) and marvel at this view from different vantage points.
Go up the KohnTriangle (Cologne Triangle) building
If you want to enjoy arguably the best bird’s eye view of the city’s skyline during one day in Cologne, then immediately after walking over the Hohenzollern Bridge to the Deutz side of the river, head for the glittering skyscraper in front of you. This is the KohnTriangle building.
On the 29th floor, standing more than 100m above ground level, you’ll find a tourist attraction called the Cologne View (or ‘Triangle’). This glass-enclosed observation deck offers incredible 360-degree views, including back over the river to the city and all its landmarks.
Apparently on a clear day, you can even see as far as Düsseldorf.
You can purchase tickets on the ground floor, which cost 5 euros for an adult when I visited. You then take the lift up to the 28th floor and walk up a short way to the observation deck.
Learn about the city as the birthplace of Eau de Cologne
As the name suggests, Cologne is the birthplace of the famous Eau de Cologne, a perfume invented by Johann Maria Farina, who was living in the city. So, if you’re a lover of perfume and want to find out more on your one day in Cologne, you’ve come to the right place.
You can discover more on a visit to the Fragrance Museum. This is located at Farina House, a short walk from the Old Town.
Note that you can only visit this museum as part of a guided tour, and reservations are required for both groups and individuals.
Once inside, the tour promises you will ‘discover three centuries of fragrance and cultural history’. This starts from the time of Farina (hence the name of the building in which the museum is housed) in the 18th century.
Adult tickets cost 8 euros, while children under 9 have free admission.
Wander along the River Rhine
As mentioned above, you will be rewarded with superb views of Cologne’s skyline from the Deutz side of the River Rhine, most notably if you walk between the Hohenzollern and Deutzer bridges.
However, there are also some popular attractions you may want to fit into your one day in Cologne by walking along the River Rhine on the cathedral side.
If you are at the fischmarkt, then head south towards the Deutzer Bridge. Continue under this bridge and head to a small island on your left. Here you’ll find the Chocolate Museum and the Deutsches Sport & Olympia Museum.
The Cologne Chocolate Museum
This museum takes the visitor on the journey from the cocoa plantation to the chocolate factory, documenting the entire chocolate-making process.
You can taste fresh Lindt chocolate at the chocolate fountain and visit the chocolate workshop.
The Deutcsches Sport & Olympic Museum (German Sports and Olympic Museum)
As its name suggests, the Deutsches Sport & Olympia Museum covers the history of athletics and the Olympic Games.
It has an extensive range of exhibits and memorabilia covering a 2,000 square metres site.
The Crane Houses
Further south along the same side of the river, you’ll come to a redeveloped harbour. This is known as the Rheinauhafen and it sports a line of three gigantic 17-storey ‘Crane Houses’ (Kranhauser).
These are based on Russian artist and designer El Lissitzky’s ground-breaking skyscraper design, the ‘Cloud Iron Towers’.
If you have time to wander this far during your one day in Cologne, it’s worth exploring around these three monumental towers. They are configured a bit like an upside-down L and are intended to resemble massive harbour cranes.
For those who don’t want to walk, you can get trams 15 and 16 to the Ubierring stop. Alternatively, bus number 133 drops you right by the Crane Houses.
Sail along the river
When you wander down to the River Rhine from the cathedral, you can’t miss the large river cruise boats moored against the river bank.
There are lots of boat tours you can book during one day in Cologne.
This cruise lasts for an hour and a half and takes you along the river and under 5 bridges. It includes a commentary which gives you more information about the city, and you can purchase snacks and refreshments while on board.
Or if time is tight, you could book this 1 hour river cruise.
You can also book evening cruises if you fancy a trip at night while listening to live music.
To explore all boat trips in Cologne, click here.
Take a leisurely stroll through the botanical garden and go to the zoo
If you’re interested in other places you can stroll around, you should head to the city’s spacious botanical garden.
This covers an area of around 5.5 hectares. It has several different sections, including a French baroque garden, Italian Renaissance garden, an English landscape and a large collection of camellias.
The botanical garden is also where you’ll find Cologne Zoo. This is the third largest zoo in the country and it has a large array of different animals.
These include 10 Asian elephants, hippos, crocodiles and antelopes. There’s also a Jungle House with various primates, a Rainforest House, a terrarium and birds. The zoo is also home to one of my favourite animals, the Red Panda!
Both are a little way out of the centre. You can reach them from the main train station by taking U-Bahn 18 or via bus 140 which runs from Ebertplatz. You can also go via the cable car that you can catch from Rheinpark across the other side of the river.
The zoo is open 365 days a year from 9 am to 5pm (winter) and 6 pm (summer).
Ride on a cable car
For those with a good head for heights, you have the opportunity during one day in Cologne to see the city from an entirely different perspective – and from a bird’s eye view that moves!
The 930 metre long cable car ride travels across the river. It operates from Kölner Seilbahn and takes about six minutes to get from the Deutz side to near the botanical garden/zoo.
The cable car runs every 18 seconds, so you never have to wait long to jump on one. However, note that it does not operate between the start of November and the end of February.
You can find out more about tickets and opening hours here.
Learn about the city’s history
If you want to learn about some of the city’s history, there are several places you could consider visiting.
The Romano-Germanic Museum (Römisch-Germanisches museum)
This archaeological museum merges the Roman collections of the Wallraf-Richartz Museum and those in the Prehistoric Museum.
Normally, you’d find it standing in the cathedral’s shadows on the former site of a Roman urban villa, a very short walk from Museum Ludwig.
However, the current site is being renovated and is therefore closed. You can still see some of its exhibits on Roman Cologne in the Belgian House though. This is located near the New Market (Neumarkt) U-Bahn station. You can admire, among other things, the world’s largest collection of Roman glass.
The NS-Documentation Centre
During my one day in Cologne, I only had time to go to the National Socialism (NS)-Documentation Centre at the EL-DE-House. According to the plaque outside, this was named after the building’s architect, Leopold Dahmen.
Over a period of ten years (1935-1945), this rather drab-looking building was where the Nazis’ secret state police, the Gestapo, brought various groups of people for interrogation and torture in the prison cells in the basement. It’s also where they organised the deportation of Jews to extermination camps.
As the largest regional memorial site in Germany for the victims of the Nazis, this is an incredible historical resource. At the same time, it is a challenging experience because of the subject matter.
The sheer volume of information and historical detail presented here is quite overwhelming, and it’s worth knowing that most of the annotations are in German with no translations.
For this reason, you should purchase the audio guide when you visit; this is an extra two euros on top of the 4.50 euros entry, but it’s definitely worth it.
The museum offers a fascinating account of one of history’s most harrowing periods. There are a lot of personal accounts that will leave a lasting impression on you.
You can also visit the prison cells in the basement where some of the political prisoners scribbled messages on the walls.
When I visited, I was surprised to discover that you could only pay with cash, so make sure you have enough euros to cover your entrance fee. However, there is a cash machine on the shopping street, a five-minute walk away, if you forget.
Cologne City (Kolnisches Stadtmuseum) Museum
As the name suggests, this museum covers the history of the city of Cologne. It goes as far back as the Middle Ages, covering Cologne’s eventful history up to the modern day.
When I visited the city in February 2024, the museum – which was closed while the exhibition moves to its new location – was housed in a dark brick building literally a two-minute walk from the NS-Documentation Centre.
According to the Tourist Office website, the museum reopens in the former fashion house Franz Sauer this spring (2024). At this point, a new permanent exhibition will present Cologne’s story with a fresh perspective.
This is not far from the Kolumba Art Museum, so you could combine a visit to both during one day in Cologne when the museum reopens at its new address.
View some art
Cologne boasts a thriving creative scene. This is reflected in the breadth and diversity of its fabulous art museums. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to go to any of these on my one day in Cologne, but if you’re an art lover, you could choose from the below.
Museum Ludwig
It’s impossible to miss this uniquely designed building as you walk from Cologne Cathedral towards the Hohenzollern Bridge.
This modern art museum showcases an impressive body of 20th century and contemporary artworks. It spans everything from avant-garde to German expressionism, and it holds Europe’s most extensive collection of pop art.
Inside the permanent collection, you’ll find works by the likes of Pablo Picasso (the world’s third largest collection), Sigmar Polke, Mark Rothko, and Andy Warhol, to name just a few artists of note.
The museum also puts on lots of temporary exhibitions. So it’s worth visiting its website to see what’s coming up for when you spend one day in Cologne.
Adult tickets are 11 euros. Children and young people under 18 get free admission.
Kolumba
This intriguingly-named and award-winning art museum of the Archdiocese of Cologne is quite unlike many art attractions.
Showcasing a collection of works that date from late antiquity to the present day, the thinking behind this museum is that you use your senses to truly appreciate the exhibits on display.
If that sounds somewhat vague, the Tourist Office website explains that you’ll find no labels or explanations by exhibits. Rather, you need to take a ‘contemplative approach’.
The museum is located a short walk from the central train station.
Adult tickets are 8 euros.
The Museum of Applied Art
Also known as MAKK for short, this fascinating museum traces the development of applied art such as home décor and jewellery. It is Cologne’s second oldest museum, having been founded in the 1880s.
The historical collection, currently closed to the public, showcases around 250,000 objects. The collection spans from the Middle Ages through notable historical periods, including the Renaissance, the Rococo and Art Nouveau, to the modern day.
However, if you still want to visit MAKK to see its design department, you can do this. Inside, you’ll find designs by illustrious names like Charles and Ray Eames, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Joe Colombo.
Try some German beer and food
Like other German cities, Cologne is home to traditional brauhaus pubs, particularly prevalent in the Old Town. These brewery houses or beer halls are a drinking institution and if you have time during your one day in Cologne, you may want to visit a few of them and try the local beer.
You’ll also find hearty German meals on the menu. Often, these beer halls have great vintage posters inside on the walls.
The local beer in Cologne is called Kölsch lager. This clear and very light beer is easy to spot on people’s tables because it’s served in small 0.2 litre glasses.
The barman will mark your beer mat each time you are served one. They then use these pen marks to count how much you owe once you tell them you’ve had enough. This crisp lager is really refreshing, so you could find yourself polishing off quite a few before asking for the bill!
There are quite a few beer halls in the Old Town. This includes the traditional beer hall called Brauhaus Sünner Im Walfisch.
Another of the popular ones I visited during my day in Cologne was the Brauhaus FRÜH am Dom. Here you can also try some typical German specialities. These include grilled knuckle of pork with fried potatoes, pork schnitzel with fried egg, and various sausages.
Brewery tours
For a bit of fun, you can book a brewery tour as part of your day out in Cologne.
This tour takes you to the top breweries in the city and includes 3 tastings of the local Kölsch beer.
Or you could book this tour which includes visits to 3 of Cologne’s beer houses.
Learn about the history of chocolate
Chocolate may be something you’d associate more with Belgium and Switzerland, but one of the most visited museums in Cologne is dedicated to this popular snack.
The Cologne Chocolate Museum takes the visitor on the journey from the cocoa plantation to the chocolate factory, documenting the entire chocolate-making process. You can taste fresh Lindt chocolate at the chocolate fountain and visit the chocolate workshop.
Visit the Belgian quarter
The Belgian Quarter is one of the most desirable neighbourhoods in the city and is known locally for being home to young creatives.
Aside from its excellent choice of hip bars, speciality shops, and trendy boutiques, you’ll also find a great selection of cafes, restaurants, galleries, and theatres. When I visited, I was expecting a Belgian community here, but in fact, the quarter’s name reflects different Belgian provinces and cities – many of the street names are Belgian places.
With its attractive Art Nouveau houses, pretty squares, and calm, relaxing atmosphere, this is a great place to go window shopping during the day and to chill out at night.
Go on a day trip
There a lot of great day trips you can make from Cologne if you have enough time on your visit. I have highlighted three very different destinations I visited; all are roughly 30 minutes away by train from the city’s main train station.
Bonn
Classical music lovers and Cold War enthusiasts should consider making the short trek to Bonn, the capital of the former West Germany.
While here, you can explore the birthplace of renowned composer Beethoven and walk around the “Federal Quarter”. Here you’ll see the former seat of the West German Parliament during the Cold War years.
When I visited the house where Beethoven was born and first lived, I paid 12 euros. I would thoroughly recommend it and would say it’s a must-visit attraction if you’re in Bonn.
This relatively small city looks like it emerged more unscathed from the Second World War than many other German cities. You’ll find some attractive period buildings in the city centre, including the beautiful university, the old town hall (Rathaus), and the stunning cathedral (Munster).
You can see these on a trip around the city on its hop on hop off bus.
Bonn is located on the same side of the River Rhine as Cologne but is further south. You can therefore also do river cruises here.
This tour sails for 1.5 hours down the river to the village of Konigswinter.
This one goes to the pretty town of Linz.
Düsseldorf
North of Cologne on the River Rhine and straddling the opposite side of this huge waterway is Düsseldorf, home, among other things, to techno legends Kraftwerk. The main train station is a little walk from the city centre, but the city has an excellent transportation system with buses and trams.
There’s also a sightseeing hop on hop off bus.
You’ll find a small picturesque old town next to the river that is worth wandering around. It is packed full of fabulous eateries and bars. In particular, make sure you walk along the Rheinuferpromenade on the riverfront.
Sites of historical and cultural interest include the Schloss Benrath and the art museum Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen. This houses work by Klee, Picasso, and Magritte.
There is certainly enough to see and do here for a day trip from Cologne.
Wuppertal
One of the most unique places you should consider visiting is Wuppertal, which incorporates a number of smaller cities and towns in a picturesque valley. It’s one of the best day trips from Cologne for train lovers.
Wuppertal is unlike anywhere else in the world because it is home to a fascinating suspension monorail service that is one of a kind (a sort of hanging train): the Schwebebahn.
The monorail network covers 13.3 kilometres and features 20 suspension railway stations. The entire journey from one end to the other takes about 30 minutes.
The place to get a train to is Wuppertal Hauptbahnhof. Once you exit, it’s a short five-minute walk down to the Monorail station, which is located opposite Wuppertal’s tourist office.
If you want to spend some time in central Wuppertal, there are a few other notable sites and interesting things worth seeing, including the Von Der Heydt Museum. This has paintings by Vincent Van Gogh and Claude Monet. I paid 9 euros to enter when I visited in February 2024.
You should also spend a little time wandering around the main market square (Laurentiusplatz) in the Elberfeld district and its two main streets, Friedrich-Ebert-Strasse and Luisenstrasse.
However, the main attraction is undoubtedly the monorail. You can have lots of fun travelling on this driverless two-carriage train suspended from the rail and which largely follows the contours of the Wupper River.
Very close to Wuppertal Barmen stop, you can also visit philosopher Frederick Engel’s house. There are also lots of other attractions located along the monorail’s route.
How to get to Cologne
As Germany’s fourth largest city, it is really easy to fly to Cologne, with more than 100 cities operating flights into the jointly-named Cologne Bonn Airport. This is located less than 20 km from the city centre, and there are regular train services to Cologne’s large central station (Hauptbahnhof).
When you leave the main entrance, you will find yourself standing right under the shadow of the city’s iconic cathedral.
The overground train (S19) leaves the airport regularly; the train journey is about 20-25 minutes. I paid 3.50 euros for a single journey. I got my ticket from the Deutsche Bahn AG (German train) office in the airport arrivals area, but you can purchase them from the ticket machines located on the level above the platforms.
If you want to travel to Cologne from another German city or from a neighbouring country such as Belgium or the Netherlands, you will also find that the city is well serviced by intercity bus and train services.
You can reach Cologne from Brussels by train in just under two hours; this connects to Eurostar services to London if you don’t want to fly and can afford it.
You can also catch fast intercity train services from other places across Germany.
From the central railway station, you can jump on to Cologne’s efficient public transport system, with its extensive network of buses, overground trains (S-Bahn), underground trains (U-Bahn), and trams.
The best time to visit Cologne
Cologne is a city that can generally be visited all year round. As many of the attractions you will want to see are inside – for example, Cologne Cathedral and the wealth of museums here – the weather doesn’t really have any bearing on your visit. However, footfall can increase significantly in the summer, and accommodation costs will rise accordingly.
For this reason, spring and autumn may be the best times of year to visit. The weather is generally mild, and you can avoid the inflated hotel and flight prices during the busiest months – July and August.
When planning your trip, it’s also worth noting that the UEFA Euro football competition takes place in Germany from 14 June to 14 July 2024. Cologne is one of the host cities.
If you plan to build in a river cruise during your stay, you would be advised to do some forward planning. Clearly, the best time to do this is when it is sunny and warm and there are more services. You’ll be rewarded with some fabulous unparalleled views of the city skyline from the water.
Despite the cold, winter can also be a magical time to spend one day in Cologne. This is especially the case in the festive season when the Christmas markets pop up, some underneath the gaze of Cologne Cathedral.
It’s a great place to pick up presents for loved ones back home and revel in the festive cheer.
You may also want to experience the city during the annual Cologne Carnival. Main festivities kick off in February.
There are street parades and stage shows, among other things. Because the carnival draws such large crowds every year, you should be mindful that hotel prices will reflect its popularity, as will the availability of rooms. You may also have to reserve a table in a restaurant.
Is Cologne worth visiting?
Cologne is definitely worth visiting, whether just to explore the city and its attractions on a day trip or short break, or as part of a wider tour taking in places of interest that are within each reach.
There are things to do during one day in Cologne that cater to all age groups and interests. Many of the highlights are located near each other so you can easily potter around the city centre on foot. This includes the old town and the magnificent Cologne Cathedral.
For history buffs, you’ll find many fascinating and very unique museums, alongside lots of historical places of interest. Art lovers will also not be short of cultural attractions to explore. And shoppers will enjoy indulging in retail therapy, particularly along the pedestrianised Schildergasse.
And for those looking for some fresh air, Cologne is home to several large parks, including Rheinpark, the massive Hiroshima-Nagasaki Park, and the botanical garden next to the zoo.
For breathtaking views, you can climb Cologne Cathedral’s South Tower. You can also ride a cable car over the River Rhine, take a boat tour, wander along the riverside, or take a lift to the top of the KolnTriangle and marvel at the city below.
And finally, there are some great places to eat and drink, particularly around the scenic Old Town, not to mention a museum dedicated to chocolate.
One day in Cologne: other ideas for short European breaks
If you’re looking for more ideas for short breaks in Europe, check out my posts covering some other recent trips. Some of these also cover other destinations in Germany.
For other ideas, check out my website.
Written by Nick Warburton with Emma Marshall
