Cologne's Old Town with Great St. Martin church and Cologne Cathedral - Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany 1144623412

Getty Images

Cologne

Cologne (Köln) offers a mother lode of attractions, led by its famous cathedral whose filigree twin spires dominate the skyline. The city’s museum landscape is especially strong when it comes to art but also has something in store for fans of chocolate, sports and even Roman history. Cologne's people are known for their liberalism and joie de vivre; it’s easy to have a good time with them in the beer halls of the Altstadt or during Carnival.

Best Things to Do

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Interior Of Cologne Cathedral

    Kölner Dom

    Cologne

    Cologne’s geographical and spiritual heart – and its single-biggest tourist draw – is the magnificent Kölner Dom. With its soaring twin spires, this is…

  • Römisch-Germanisches Museum

    Römisch-Germanisches Museum

    Cologne

    Sculptures and ruins displayed outside the entrance are merely the overture to a full symphony of Roman artefacts found along the Rhine. Highlights…

  • Kolumba

    Kolumba

    Cologne

    Art, history, architecture and spirituality form a harmonious tapestry in this spectacular collection of the Archdiocese of Cologne's religious treasures…

  • Schokoladenmuseum

    Schokoladenmuseum

    Cologne

    This boat-shaped, high-tech temple to the art of chocolate making has plenty of engaging exhibits on the 5000-year cultural history of the ‘elixir of the…

  • NS-Dokumentationszentrum

    NS-Dokumentationszentrum

    Cologne

    Cologne's Third Reich history is poignantly and exhaustively documented in the NS Documentation Centre housed in the very building that served as the…

  • Museum Ludwig

    Museum Ludwig

    Cologne

    A mecca of modern art, Museum Ludwig presents a tantalising mix of works from all major genres. Fans of German expressionism (Beckmann, Dix, Kirchner)…

  • MiQua Archaeological Zone

    MiQua Archaeological Zone

    Cologne

    The square in front of Cologne's historical town hall has for years been ripped open as archaeologists unearthed fabulous finds from Roman times and the…

View more attractions
  • placement: fullWidth
  • path: destinations/top
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [300, 250], [320, 50], [1, 1],
  • targeting: 
    {
  "destination": "Cologne",
  "city": "Cologne",
  "region": "Central-Europe",
  "country": "Germany",
  "continent": "Europe"
}

Articles

Latest stories from Cologne

The Christmas markets at Nuremberg and Cologne are worth a visit.

Shopping

Nuremberg vs Cologne: which is the best Christmas market in Germany?

Nov 7, 2024 • 6 min read

Read more articles

in partnership with getyourguide

Book popular activities in Cologne

  • placement: fullWidth
  • path: destinations/bottom
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [300, 250], [320, 50], [1, 1],
  • targeting: 
    {
  "destination": "Cologne",
  "city": "Cologne",
  "region": "Central-Europe",
  "country": "Germany",
  "continent": "Europe"
}