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Things to do in Cologne

From the iconic cathedral to Gothic architecture and a charming old town, this German riverside city awaits.

Our most recommended things to do in Cologne

Cologne: Panoramic City Cruise

1. Cologne: Panoramic City Cruise

Journey through the charming city of Cologne and discover its sightseeing highlights from the water. Grab some snacks and drinks from the onboard bar (at your own expense), and relax as you look out at Cologne’s historic landmarks and bridges. Get to know Cologne's Old Town, characterized by its beautiful churches and historic buildings. You'll also spot impressive modern buildings here and there, such as the Lindt chocolate museum.  Take in views of bridges from the water like the Hohenzollern, Deutz Suspension Bridge, and the South Bridge. Pass by the the German Sports and Olympic Museum and cruise through the ultra-modern Rheinauhafen urban regeneration project.  Admire the beautiful Cologne Cathedral and snap some photos from afar to capture the structure in all its glory.

Cologne: Brewery Tour with Three "Kölsch" Tastings

2. Cologne: Brewery Tour with Three "Kölsch" Tastings

Explore the beautiful city and history of Cologne in a fun and interactive way. Visit the famous breweries and taste 3 Kölsch beers during the tour. You can choose from a private or group tour and soak in the brewing culture of the city. Take part in a tour where the guides have the freedom to choose which breweries to take you to. Allow these Kölsch connoisseurs to make decisions based on the group dynamic, ensuring that everyone is entertained and satisfied Begin your experience near the cathedral's grand entrance by the Kreuzblumen monument. Start the thirst-quenching journey to 3 different breweries, where you will taste 3 delicious local beers to find the one that best suits you. Learn about the breweries and the local brewing culture as well as taste hundreds of years worth of brewing experience. Visit traditional breweries such as the 700-year-old Brauhaus Sion, as well as younger upstarts like Früh am Dom, Cologne's largest.

Cologne: TimeRide VR Time Travel Experience Ticket

3. Cologne: TimeRide VR Time Travel Experience Ticket

Set out on a thrilling journey with TimeRide and experience the undestroyed Cologne and the fascinating lifestyle of the legendary twenties! Together with the charming hatter Tessa and the Cologne streetcar driver Pitter, you will discover the exciting time after the end of the First World War, the British occupation, and the Spanish flu. Your time travel in three steps: · The Cinema: In the 1920s, more and more movie theaters evolved into massive movie palaces. The cinema was a ubiquitous and glamorous part of everyday life and an important source of information. Step into our “Lichtspielhaus” and take a seat together with the fine society: an entertaining short film in the style of that time will show you the historical development of Cologne in the twenties. · The Hatter's Store: In the hatter’s store of the Riedschneider family you will dive together with Tessa into the world of glamorous fashion of the twenties. In the 1920s, everyone wore a hat and the choice of hat said a lot about the wearer! In the lovingly decorated store, the art of wearing and making hats is illustrated using numerous originals from the Diefenthal family of hat makers in Cologne. You’ll also learn more about Tessa’s urgent special order… Will her important delivery arrive on time at Neumarkt thanks to Pitter? · The VR-Ride: The highlight of your journey back in time to 1926: On your virtual ride with the first electric Cologne streetcar, you will experience the beauty of the city before its destruction in World War II. With your VR goggles, you’ll enjoy a 360° panoramic view and discover iconic landmarks of old Cologne, many of which have disappeared or are barely recognizable today: Cologne Cathedral’s surroundings at the time, the old main train station, the Schauspielhaus theater, the city hall led by Konrad Adenauer, and much more. At Neumarkt, your trip ends in the colorful carnival hustle and bustle with a “Grand Finale”.

Cologne: Chocolate Museum Entrance Ticket

4. Cologne: Chocolate Museum Entrance Ticket

Awaiting the visitors is a walk-in tropical house, natural history information on cocoa, exhibits from the pre-Columbian cultures of Central America, an important porcelain and silver collection from the Baroque period, as well as numerous old machines from the time of industrialisation. In a glass chocolate factory and in the chocolate atelier, visitors can experience how chocolate products are made industrially, but also individually by hand. And: there is a 3-meter-high chocolate fountain in which 200 kg of delicious chocolate constantly bubble up for tasting. Tasting is expressly encouraged!

Cologne: Top Sights Rhine River Cruise

5. Cologne: Top Sights Rhine River Cruise

See Cologne's top sights from the water on a city cruise. Spot the world-famous Cologne Cathedral, cruise under 5 bridges, and take in the running commentary from the ship's speakers. Start your Rhine cruise with the ship MS Rheinperle, MS Rheinland, or MS Rheintreue. After taking in a view of the iconic Cologne Cathedral and Old Town, cruise to the Rheinauhafen, where you can spot its distinctive crane houses. Pass under 5 bridges to reach Rodenkirchen in the south. The cruise will then take you to the main sights of the city north of the Dome, such as the Zoobrücke bridge. During the cruise, discover more about the sights of Cologne with on-board commentary and English and German. If you want, relax with a local Kölsch beer or a strong coffee and a piece of cake.

Cologne: Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus Ticket

6. Cologne: Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus Ticket

Climb on board a double-decker bus for a tour of all of Cologne's essential spots. Use this hop-on hop-off ticket to get off the bus at any of its 14 stops to see sights like the Cathedral, Zoo, old town, and Chlodwigplatz. Get on the bus and get ready to explore the city. Head up to the top deck, or stay down below as the bus cruises through the streets of Cologne. Listen to informative commentary as the bus tours around the scenic city. Come and go from the bus as you please, with a choice of 14 stops to enter or exit. Explore the city at your leisure without having to plan to a timetable, allowing you to be spontaneous in deciding what to see. Discover the city as you glide past sights like the Cologne Chocolate Museum, the Gürzenich convention center, and the Eigelstein Gate. Encounter the tall Cologne Triangle building, as well as the Odysseum, and Lanxess Arena.

Cologne: Rhine River Cruise Through the Old Town

7. Cologne: Rhine River Cruise Through the Old Town

See Cologne's top sights from the water on a city cruise. Admire views of the world-famous Cologne Cathedral from the water and dive deeper into the sites with the running commentary from the ship's loudspeakers. Start your Rhine cruise by boarding on of the spacious river boats, the MS Rheinperle, the MS Rheinland, or the MS Rheintreue. Set off on your sightseeing adventure. Capture pictures of views of the iconic Cologne Cathedral and Old Town, cruise to the Rheinauhafen where the Schokoladenmuseum and Sportmuseum are located. Pass by the distinctive crane houses of the harbor area. Pass under 5 bridges to reach the Rodenkirchen borough in the south. During the cruise, discover more about the sights of Cologne with on-board commentary in both English and German.  Indulge in an onboard treat with the option to purchase a local Kölsch beer or a strong coffee and a piece of cake. Return to your meeting point at the end of your relaxing cruise. 

Cologne: The Melaten Cemetery, Life, Love and Death Tour

8. Cologne: The Melaten Cemetery, Life, Love and Death Tour

Wander through Melaten Cemetery in Cologne and see the tombs of the city's most prominent personalities on a walking tour. Immerse yourself in the tranquility and rich history of the large park with a guide. Discover a place of silence embedded in a beautiful park with incomparable flora and fauna in the middle of Cologne. Visit the Melaten cemetery and stroll through the complex, which has an area of over four hundred thousand square meters and around 55,000 gravesites. Enjoy moments of peace and quiet during the guided tour and experience how close love, death, and suffering as well as art culture are to each other. Learn interesting facts and curiosities about historical personalities and impressive tombs and monuments and visit the former "Leprosenanstalt".

Cologne: 1.5-Hour Comedy Bus Tour

9. Cologne: 1.5-Hour Comedy Bus Tour

Discover a comedy tour through Cologne onboard a moving stand-up stage. Laugh out loud to a showcase that started in Hamburg before conquering the German capital and now bringing joys to Cologne. Giggle your way through a discovery of the city during the comedy show in a modern bus. Listen to endless jokes, stories, and partake in some extraordinary activities make this tour an innovative comedy adventure. Pass by all the major sights of the cathedral city and experience the origins of the jokes you hear. Be treated to various comedians, including Keirut Wenzel, Jessica Sinapi, Dirk Volpert, Marcel Höfs or Klaus Teigel. Uncover an entertaining mix of information and comedy with this tour covers everything from spontaneous humor to historical anecdotes.

Cologne: 3-Hour Harbor Tour Cruise

10. Cologne: 3-Hour Harbor Tour Cruise

Discover some of Cologne’s harbors and their facilities on a harbor cruise. Listen to interesting facts about how the harbor functions from your local guide en route. Sit back and relax as you take in the sights from the water, as you make your way in and out of harbors like the Niehl container harbor—one of Germany's largest inland ones. Become a pro at the history of the Rheinau Harbor, hear fascinating insights about the Deutz and Mülheim harbors, and head into the Niehl container harbor, one of Germany’s largest inland harbors on this cruise. During your cruise, listen as your guide offers information and exciting anecdotes about Cologne's harbors, their history, dates, and figures.

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What people are saying about Cologne

Overall rating

4.5 / 5

based on 12,258 reviews

Covered not only how chocolate is made, but also all about the origins of chocolate consuming, trade issues, social status, and early moulds/packaging and advertising. Really comprehensive and worth the visit!

Nice trip on the Rhine with festive atmosphere and entertainment. Nice and warm inside the boat. Food and drink orders served in good time. Enjoyed this trip and would do again and recommend.

La mostra è estremamente completa, interattiva e ben studiata. La location è particolare e lo spettatore è trattato con estrema gentilezza.

Great tour with very good guides, and excellent beers.

wonderful tour very nice group and guide was great!