Why go
- Largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
- Known for EDM, dance music.
- 1 curated must-see attraction on record, including Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom).
- Served by Cologne Bonn Aiport (CGN).
History
Cologne is the fourth-most populous city of Germany and the largest city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia with over 1.0 million inhabitants in the city proper and over 3.1 million people in the Cologne Bonn urban region. Cologne is also part of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region, the second biggest metropolitan region by GDP in the European Union. Centred on the left bank of the Rhine, Cologne is located on the River Rhine, about 35 kilometres (22 mi) southeast of the North Rhine-Westphalia state capital Düsseldorf and 22 kilometres (14 mi) northwest of Bonn, the former capital of West Germany.
Must-see attractions
Outdoor
33 more attractions in the Ultimate edition. See the Ultimate edition →
Where to stay
Trankgasse 1-5, 50667 Köln, Germany · excelsiorhotelernst.com
Deutz-Kalker Str. 52, 50679 Köln, Germany · hotelstadtpalais.de
Am Hof 38-46, 50667 Köln, Germany · cityclass.de
Hohe Str. 30, 50667 Köln, Germany · haa.de
Frankenwerft 31-33, 50667 Köln, Germany · rheinhotel-koeln.de
Kurt-Hackenberg-Platz 1, 50667 Köln, Germany · mgallery.accor.com
Helenenstraße 14, 50667 Köln, Germany · all.accor.com
Deutz-Mülheimer Str. 22-24, 50679 Köln, Germany · hotel-koeln-messe.dorint.com
Heumarkt 20, 50667 Köln, Germany · maritim.de
Perlengraben 2, 50676 Köln, Germany · premierinn.com
Gummersbacher Str. 6, 50679 Köln, Germany · hotel-bb.com
Johannisstraße 30-34, 50668 Köln, Germany · kommerzhotel.eu
Kennedy-Ufer 2A, 50679 Köln, Germany · hyatt.com
Johannisstraße 76-80, 50668 Köln, Germany · marriott.com
Marzellenstraße 13-17, 50668 Köln, Germany · hilton.com
Radisson Blu Hotel, Messe-Kreisel 3, 50679 Köln, Germany · radissonhotels.com
Dagobertstraße 23, 50668 Köln, Germany · marriott.com
Auf d. Ruhr 5, 50667 Köln, Germany · wyndhamhotels.com
Mathiasstraße 21, 50676 Köln, Germany · novum-hotels.com
Constantinstraße 78, 50679 Köln, Germany · skada-city.de
Hans-Imhoff-Straße 3, 50679 Köln, Germany · motel-one.com
Cäcilienstraße 32, 50667 Köln, Germany · motel-one.com
Restaurants & places to go
Regional, Restaurant · Wikipedia: de:Päffgen Kölsch · paeffgen-koelsch.de
German, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Th 16:00-23:00; Fr 15:00-24:00; Sa 12:00-24:00; Su 12:00-22:00 Features: outdoor seating, vegan options Wikipedia:… · koelscheboor.com
Hungarian, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Sa 10:00-20:00; easter -48 days,easter -46 days,easter +1 day,May 01,easter +39 days,easter +50 days,easter +51… · pusztahuette.de
Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Su 12:00+ Wikipedia: de:Bierhaus en d’r Salzgass · 50667 · bierhaus-salzgass.de
Breakfast, Cake, German, Cafe · Opening hours: Tu-Su 11:00-18:00 Features: outdoor seating, vegan options · 17 Auenweg, Köln, 50679 · parkcafe.koeln
French, Restaurant · Keine Speisekarte (Carte Blanche). Fünf-Gänge-Menü. Es gibt das, was die Küche vorsetzt. Opening hours: Tu-Sa 18:00-00:00 Features:… · restaurant-pottkind.de
Asian, Restaurant · Finest Sushi & Street Food Opening hours: Mo-Sa 12:00-15:00,17:00-22:00; Su 13:00-22:00 Features: outdoor seating, takeaway, delivery · 72… · saitoky.de
Ice Cream, Cafe · website und Telefon vermutlich outdated, jedenfalls Namen seither geändert Opening hours: Mo-Su 09:00-22:00 Features: outdoor seating,… · icedream.cologne
Pizza, Restaurant · Pizza & Burger Opening hours: Mo-Th 12:00-22:00; Fr 12:00-23:00; Sa 14:00-23:00; Su 14:00-22:00 · 36-38 Brühler Straße, Köln, 50968 · foodinicologne.de
Thai, Asian, Restaurant · Authentic Thai-food in family-run business: Tasty, affordable, fast! The ambience reflects modern street-food kitchen. Opening… · altstadt.kruathai.koeln
International, Local, Restaurant · Sion Kölsch Opening hours: Mo-Sa 17:30-01:00 · 18 Kyffhäuserstraße, Köln, 50674 · mannisraestorang.de
Greek, Fast Food · Grieche (Name nachtragen) Opening hours: Mo-Sa 12:00-22:00; Su 13:00-22:00 Features: outdoor seating · 138 Venloer Straße, Pulheim, 50259 · grillhaus-pulheim.de
Tex-Mex, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Fr 12:00-21:00; Sa 15:00-21:00; Su 17:00-21:00 Features: delivery, vegan options · 6-20 Schanzenstraße, Köln, 51063 · chidonkey.de
Cake, Cafe · Opening hours: Mo-Sa 12:00-18:00; Su, PH off Features: takeaway, vegan options, step-free access · 48 Benesisstraße · gesundundsuess.com
Burger, Restaurant · Opening hours: Su-Th 12:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 12:00-23:00 Features: outdoor seating, vegan options · 1 Im Mediapark, 50670 · hansimglueck-burgergrill.de
Sandwich, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Fr 10:00-22:00; Sa,Su 12:00-22:00 Features: takeaway · 2 Friedrich-Ebert-Platz, Leverkusen, 51373 · subway.com
Coffee Shop, Cafe · Opening hours: Mo-Sa 08:00-24:00, Su,PH 09:00-02:00 Features: outdoor seating, takeaway, vegetarian options, step-free access · 28-32… · cafe-extrablatt.de
Chinese, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Sa 11:30-22:00; PH,Su 13:00-22:00 Features: outdoor seating, takeaway, delivery · 57 Uhlstraße, Brühl, 50321 · china-wok-bruehl.de
Mexican, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Th 11:30-24:00; Fr-Sa 11:30-01:00; Su 14:00-24:00 · 80 Friesenstraße, Köln, 50670 · enchilada.de
American, Restaurant · Opening hours: Su-Th 12:00-24:00; Fr-Sa 12:00-1:00 Features: vegetarian options, step-free access · 8 Gürzenichstraße, Köln, 50667 · hardrock.com
Kebab, Pizza, Noodle, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Th 11:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-24:00; Su 12:00-23:00 Features: takeaway, vegan options · 53 Olpener Straße,… · istanbulgrill.metro.rest
Chicken, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Su 11:00-00:00 Features: takeaway · 12 Rudolfplatz, Köln, 50674 · kfc.de
Italian, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Th 11:00-23:00; Fr,Sa 12:00-24:00; Su,PH 12:00-23:00 Features: outdoor seating · 146 Luxemburger Straße, Hürth, 50354 · losteria.net
Waffle, Cafe · Opening hours: Mo-Fr 12:00-22:00, Sa 12:00-22:30, Su 12:00-21:00 Features: outdoor seating, takeaway, vegetarian options, step-free access · 78… · wonderwaffel.de
Japanese, Restaurant · Opening hours: We-Fr 17:00-22:00; Sa,Su 14:00-22:00 Features: outdoor seating, takeaway, vegan options · 25 Josephskirchstraße, Köln,… · nobiko.de
Spanish, Steak House, Restaurant · Opening hours: Tu-Su 18:00-24:00, Su 12:00-14:30 · 362 Lützenkirchener Straße, Leverkusen, 51381 · castrocarne.de
Turkish, Mediterranean, Restaurant · Opening hours: Su-Th 09:00-22:30; Fr, Sa 09:00-23:00 Features: outdoor seating, vegetarian options · 1096 Olpener Straße,… · damlabruck.de
Panamerican, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Th 06:30-24:00, Fr 06:30-01:00, Sa 07:00-01:00, Su 07:00-24:00 Features: outdoor seating, step-free access · 35-39… · el-carrito.de
Indian, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Fr 11:30-22:30 Features: delivery, vegan options · 3 Roonstraße, Köln, 50674 · royalindia-koln.de
Vietnamese, Cafe · Opening hours: Mo-Fr 12:00-22:00; Sa off; PH,Su 12:00-19:00 Features: outdoor seating · 28 Bobstraße, Köln, 50676 · cafe-1980.de
Malaysian, Restaurant · Opening hours: We-Th 17:00-21:30; Fr-Sa 17:00-22:00 Features: takeaway, delivery, vegan options, halal, step-free access · 557 Neusser… · abangtotos.de
Indonesian, Restaurant · Opening hours: Tu-Fr 12:00-15:00, 17:00-22:30; Sa-Su 17:00-22:30 Features: outdoor seating, vegan options, step-free access · 50677 · aura-eatery.de
Arab, Lebanese, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo 17:30+; Tu off; We-Su 17:30+ Features: outdoor seating, takeaway, vegetarian options · 8 Lenauplatz · restaurant-bethlehem.de
Korean, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo off; Tu-Th,Su 18:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 18:00-23:00 Features: vegetarian options · 654 Neusser Straße, Köln, 50737 · bulgogi-haus.de
Portuguese, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Th 18:00-22:00, Fr,Sa 18:00-23:00; Su off Features: outdoor seating, step-free access · 20 Werkstättenstraße,… · casa-portuguesa-lev.de
Noodle, Momo, Restaurant · Opening hours: Tu-Su 16:00-21:00+ Features: vegan options · 175 Berrenrather Straße, Köln, 50937 · downtoearthnoodles.de
Poke, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Th 11:30-22:00; Fr 11:30-23:00; Sa 13:00-23:00; Su 13:00-21:00 Features: outdoor seating, vegetarian options · 5 Im… · goodfood-koeln.de
Sushi, Restaurant · Opening hours: Tu-Th 11:30-15:00, 17:00-23:00, Fr-Sa 12:00-24:00, Su 12:00-23:00 Features: outdoor seating · 200 Bismarckstraße,… · sushi-hana.de
Croatian, Restaurant · Opening hours: Tu-Sa 11:30-15:00,17:30-23:00; Su,PH 11:30-23:00 Features: outdoor seating, step-free access · 225 Alte Landstraße,… · haus-reuschenberg.de
Oriental, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Fr 11:00-23:30; Sa-Su 11:00-01:00 Features: outdoor seating, vegetarian options · 14 Aachener Straße, 50674 · nish-nush.de
Health Food, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Fr 10:30-18:00 Features: takeaway · 6 An St. Germanus, Wesseling, 50389 · smoothie-werkstatt.com
Steak House, Restaurant · Opening hours: Tu-Th 12:00-14:30,18:00-22:00; Fr 12:00-14:30,18:00-23:00; Sa 18:00-23:00; Su 18:00-22:00 Features: outdoor seating,… · steakhausangus.de
Tapas, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Sa 17:00-01:00 Features: outdoor seating · 38 Lindenstraße, Köln, 50674 · tapeoundco.de
Balkan, International, Restaurant · Opening hours: Tu-Sa 11:00-23:00 Features: outdoor seating · 35 Duisburger Straße, Köln, 50735 · restaurant-antin.de
Bavarian, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Su 11:00-24:00 Features: outdoor seating, vegetarian options, step-free access · augustiner-am-heumarkt.de
405 more places in the Ultimate edition. See the Ultimate edition →
Airports
Cologne Bonn Aiport (CGN) 15 km to the centre
Köln (Cologne), NW, DE — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 26 airlines (Germanwings, Air Berlin, TUIfly, Norwegian Air Shuttle…) · direct flights to 92 destinations incl. Antalya, Berlin, Palma de Mallorca, Gran Canaria, Tenerife… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Serves Frankfurt (137 km) — the low-cost way in
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 26 airlines, 92 direct destinations
- Germanwings 4U (A319, A320, CRJ) · 66 routes: Algier, Antalya, Athens, Barcelona, Bari, Bastia, Berlin, Bologna, Budapest, Cagliari, Calvi, Catania, Dresden, Dublin, Dubrovnik, Edinburgh, El Aroui, Faro, Friedrichshafen, Gran Canaria, Hamburg, Heraklion, Heringsdorf, Ibiza, Istanbul, Jerez, Kavala, Kerkyra/corfu, Klagenfurt, Kos, Laage, Lamezia, Leipzig, Lisbon, London, London, Manchester, Marrakech, Milano, Mykonos … +26 more
- Air Berlin AB (737-800, 737-700, A320, A319, A321, A330-200) · 18 routes: Antalya, Arrecife, Berlin, Calvi, Enfidha, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Hurghada, Ibiza, Istanbul, Kerkyra/corfu, Kos, Malaga, Menorca, Munich, Olbia, Palma de Mallorca, Tenerife
- TUIfly X3 (737-800) · 11 routes: Antalya, Boa Vista, Fuerteventura, Funchal, Gran Canaria, Heraklion, Kos, Munich, Palma de Mallorca, Rhodos, Tenerife
- Norwegian Air Shuttle DY (737-800) · 5 routes: Alicante, Gran Canaria, Malaga, Oslo, Tenerife
- Ryanair FR (737-800) · 5 routes: Faro, Gerona, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, Tenerife
- Austrian Airlines OS (A319, Fokker 100, A320, CRJ, F70) · 3 routes: Klagenfurt*, Salzburg*, Vienna*
- Wizz Air W6 (A320) · 3 routes: Gdansk, Katowice, Skopje
- Condor Flugdienst DE (757) · 2 routes: Antalya, Palma de Mallorca
- Lufthansa Cargo LH (Fokker 100, A319, A320, A321, Embraer 195, F70) · 2 routes: Munich, Vienna*
- Pegasus Airlines PC (737-800) · 2 routes: Ankara, Istanbul
- SunExpress XQ (737-800) · 2 routes: Antalya, Izmir
- Air Arabia Maroc 3O (A320) · 1 route: El Aroui
- Alitalia AZ (F70) · 1 route: Amsterdam*
- British Airways BA (A319, A320, 737-800, 737-700) · 1 route: Berlin*
- easyJet U2 (A319) · 1 route: London
- Finnair AY (A319, A320, 737-800, 737-700) · 1 route: Berlin*
- Flybe BE (Dash 8-400, Embraer 175) · 1 route: Birmingham
- Hainan Airlines HU (A319, A320, A321, 737-800, 737-700) · 1 route: Berlin
- Iran Air IR (313) · 1 route: Tehran
- KLM Royal Dutch Airlines KL (F70) · 1 route: Amsterdam*
- Meridiana IG (A320) · 1 route: Olbia
- SkyWork Airlines SX (D38) · 1 route: Bern
- Swiss International Air Lines LX (A319, A320) · 1 route: Zurich
- Turkish Airlines TK (A320, A321) · 1 route: Istanbul
- Ural Airlines U6 (A320) · 1 route: Moscow
- Wizz Air Ukraine WU (A320) · 1 route: Kiev
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
Leverkusen Airfield 8.8 km to the centre
Leverkusen, NW, DE
Wipperfürth-Neye Airfield 35 km to the centre
Wipperfürth, NW, DE
Bergheim Airfield 25 km to the centre
Bergheim, NW, DE
Lindlar Glider Field 29 km to the centre
Lindlar, NW, DE
Getting there by ferry
Weiß - Zündorf
Ferry terminal · 9 km from the centre · KS Personenschifffahrt GmbH
Zündorf - Weiß
Ferry terminal · 9.4 km from the centre · KS Personenschifffahrt GmbH
Lülsdorf
Ferry terminal · 13 km from the centre · Stadtwerke Niederkassel;Stadtwerke Wesseling GmbH;Weisbarth Schifffahrt oHG
Wesseling
Ferry terminal · 13 km from the centre · Stadtwerke Niederkassel;Stadtwerke Wesseling GmbH;Weisbarth Schifffahrt oHG
Langel - Hitdorf
Ferry terminal · 13 km from the centre
Hitdorf - Langel
Ferry terminal · 13 km from the centre
Personenfähre Köln-Deutz
Ferry route
Fähre Weiß-Zündorf
Ferry route
KD Koblenz - Köln
Ferry route · Köln Düsseldorfer Deutsche Rheinschiffahrt AG
Where things are
Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping
base map © OSM
Photographs
credit: Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons · See source page
When to go
Tourist season
May – September
The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.
Shoulder season
April, October
Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.
Worth avoiding
Deep winter
Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.
Getting there & around
Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Cologne Bonn Aiport (CGN); 4 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: CGN has direct flights to 92 destinations on 26 airlines (incl. Antalya, Berlin, Palma de Mallorca, Gran Canaria, Tenerife…). By water: 6 ferry terminals within 20 km (nearest: Weiß - Zündorf, 9 km); routes include Personenfähre Köln-Deutz, Fähre Weiß-Zündorf, KD Koblenz - Köln.
Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Cologne (Köln), Germany. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.
Local transit
Rail · Aachen, Nordrhein-Westfalen · Schedules & GTFS data (official feed)
Bus · Nordrhein-Westfalen · Schedules & GTFS data (official feed)
Bus · Bayern · Schedules & GTFS data (official feed)
Trains & rail
Rail operator
National rail
National rail
Coaches & shuttles
Intercity coach
Private aviation
On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.
Charter · Embraer Legacy & Praetor, Falcon, Global · Germany's largest charter operator by fleet.
Charter, management · Light to large-cabin · Charter and management from Stuttgart and Munich.
Charter · Cessna Citation · German business-jet charter operator.
Broker · Any aircraft via operators worldwide · Global charter broker with 30+ offices; private jets, group charters and cargo.
FBO, charter, management · Managed fleet · FBO network and management across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.
Tours & experiences
Sightseeing