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 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: Top Sights Rhine River Cruise

2. 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. On additional evening trips (from 5:30 p.m.) you can enjoy the sunset on board with chilled lounge music and relax during the tour! (These tours are conducted without explanations of the sights.)

Cologne: 24h Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus Ticket

3. Cologne: 24h Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus Ticket

Come and join this 90-minute ride through Cologne and learn more about the eventful history of the city, associations, and personalities. Climb on board a double-decker bus for a tour of all of Cologne's essential spots. Use this 24h 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. The stops for the bus tours are: - Cathedral (first bus leaves at 10 a.m., the last bus at 5 p.m.) - Old Town - Gürzenich - Rothgerberbach - Chlodeigplatz - Chocolate Museum - Triangle tower - Lanxess Arena - Odysseum/Köln Arcaden - Zoo/Flora - Eigelstein - Mediapark - Friesenplatz - Neumarkt - Cathedral (the first bus arrives back at 11:30 a.m., and the last bus arrives at 6:30 p.m.) Every 30 minutes a new bus arrives at each stop.

Cologne: Brewery Tour with Three "Kölsch" Tastings

4. 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: 2-Hour Evening Cruise on the Rhine River

5. Cologne: 2-Hour Evening Cruise on the Rhine River

Hoist anchor in the evening to glide past the exquisite backdrop of Cologne, the cathedral city. Get the best seats in town for touring the romanesque churches of St. Kunibert, Groß St. Martin, St. Maria Lyskirchen, and the massive Cologne Cathedral as the sun sets and the city lights up. Witness the charming atmosphere when twilight envelops the city and the sights of the Rhine metropolis shimmer like jewels in the light. See how the cathedral crowns the city skyline with unearthly beauty, glowing in green light. In good weather, take a seat in a beach chair or deckchair on the spacious open deck and enjoy the panoramic view of Cologne. Head below deck for comfortable seats away from the wind and see the city from the large windows. Enjoy live lounge music throughout your 2-hour journey for an extra dose of bliss. Check out the bar for a selection of cocktails, beers, or tasty snacks.

Cologne: Chocolate Museum Entrance Ticket

6. 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: TimeRide VR Time Travel Experience Ticket

7. 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 to Königswinter: Siebengebirge Cruise

8. Cologne to Königswinter: Siebengebirge Cruise

Explore the spectacular Siebengebirge on a fascinating boat tour. Climb aboard in Cologne and cruise past Bonn and the legendary Drachenfels to Königswinter. Admire the stunning views of the countryside and the towns along the way. Departing the ship in Königswinter: The Drachenfels is the most famous mountain in the region surrounding Cologne and Bonn. At the top of the summit is a ruined castle which, together with the Drachenfels plateau, is one of the most popular recreation areas in the Rhineland. Stroll along the waterfront or head up the mountain with the Drachenfels Railway to enjoy the breathtaking views over the Rhine Valley and the Rolandsbogen. You can choose between a one-way cruise from Cologne to Königswinter or a roundtrip cruise from Cologne to Königswinter and back. If you opt for the roundtrip cruise, you’ll have sufficient time to explore Königswinter on your own. Please note: On Tuesdays and Wednesdays the cruises are operated by our partner ship the MS Beethoven. This ship provides the same quality level as our own KD ships, but may differ in certain ways. It is smaller (max capacity 300pax) than our MS Loreley and MS RheinFantasie and does not offer the same F&B options. Please be aware: Departure from Cologne at 9.30am, arrival in Königswinter at 13:30 Return from Königswinter back to Cologne: Sunday to Thursday at 16:40 (arrival in Cologne at 19:00) and Friday & Saturday at 15:40 (arrival in Cologne at 18:00)

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

9. 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: City Cruise on the Rhine along Old Town

10. Cologne: City Cruise on the Rhine along Old Town

All tours lead along the old town panorama and past the Rheinauhafen with the crane houses and back down the Rhine to Cologne-Mülheim. Continue up the Rhine to the zoo/cable car, where you can also get on and off. Finally, the cruise returns to the starting point, the pier at Dom/Hohenzollernbrücke where the trip ends.

Add dates

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

Top activities

Top sights in Cologne

All activities

162 activities found
Sort by:
Page 1 of 11

Immersive experiences

Go beyond Cologne

Explore all

Frequently asked questions about Cologne

What top attractions are a must-see in Cologne?

What are the best deals and discounts on activities and attractions in Cologne?

Other Sightseeing Options in Cologne

Want to discover all there is to do in Cologne? Click here for a full list.

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!