Top Tourist Places to Visit in Cologne, Germany, Europe

Top Tourist Places to Visit in Cologne, Germany, Europe

Cologne is the 4^th largest city of Germany after Berlin, Hamburg, and Munich. It is located towards the western part of the country, around 190 km northwest of Frankfurt and 575 km southwest of Berlin, the capital of Germany. Cologne is renowned for its Cologne Cathedral and the University of Cologne, one of the reputed universities in Europe.

Situated on the banks of the Rhine River, Cologne is spread over an area of 405.15 square kilometers with an average altitude of 37 meters. Cologne coordinates with 50°57′ N latitude and 06°58′ E longitude.

History of Cologne:

According to the historical sources, Cologne was originally founded by the Cisrhenian Germanic tribe, Ubii, in 38 BC. Later Romans rebuilt the city in 50 AD and renamed ‘Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium’. Cologne also served as the capital of the Germania Inferior, the Roman province, in the past.

Connectivity to Cologne:

Cologne is served by Cologne Bonn Airport. This airport is situated about 15 km away from the midpoint of the Cologne city and handles flights to most of the major European cities including Bern, Madrid, Munich, Parish, Amsterdam, Dublin and Rome.

Köln Hauptbahnhof, and Köln-Deutz are the two major railway stations in Cologne. There are high speed trains plying from Cologne to Amsterdam, Brussels, and Paris.

Intercity bus network in Cologne is well developed and a single ticket cost is €2.70 and a day full ticket is €7.80.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Cologne:

Cologne is rich in culture and tradition, housing around 30 museums, 100 galleries and dozens of grand festivals. The major events in Cologne include the Cologne Gay Pride, Kölner Karneval and Kölner Seilbahn.

Cologne houses all sorts of shops and one of the prominent shopping options in the city is Globetrotter, where tourists can purchase anything what they like ranging from clothing and books to house hold.

Some well known food corners in Cologne are as follows:

Bado La Poele D
Bulgogi Haus
Pizzeria Piccola L’Originale
Hanse-Stube

What to do in Cologne?

Day tours
Festival celebrations
Shopping

What to see in Cologne?

Museum für Angewandte Kunst:

The Museum für Angewandte Kunst or Museum of Applied Art boasts a great collection of design items and also conducts exhibitions occasionally. It is open for tourists from 11AM – 5PM (Tuesday – Sunday) and the entrance fee is €6 and additional fee for exhibitions.

Cologne Cathedral:

Cologne Cathedral is worth a visit site in Cologne. It is recognized as the most visited historical landmark in Germany, which receives around 20,000 tourists per day. Tourists can visit this amazing site between 6.00 and 19.30 on all days of the week. Don’t miss this master structure.

Römisch-Germanisches Museum:

Located at Roncalliplatz 4 near Cologne Cathedral, the Römisch-Germanisches Museum is concentrated on showcasing the Roman history in Cologne. The general entrance fee is €8. Worth a visit.

List of other places of interest in Cologne include:

12 Romanesque Churches
Die Kölner Synagoge
Veedel – City Quarters
Hohenzollern Bridge
Rheinauhafen
Museum LudwigWallraf-Richartz-Museum & Fondation Corboud
Museum Schnütgen,
Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum – World Cultures
Kolumba – Diocesan museum
Church of the Assumption
Schokoladenmuseum
NS-Dokumentationszentrum
Basilica of St. Severin
Great St. Martin Church

Ideal time to visit Cologne:

Probably September and October are the best months to visit Cologne while the weather remains pleasant and dry.

Where to stay in Cologne?

Being a world class city, Cologne is packed with loads of world class hotels with superior facilities and services. Hostels are ideal for those who seek budget options. Price for hotel rooms per day ranges from €115 – €400. The major hotels in Cologne include: