DE · North Rhine-Westphalia · 50.94°N 6.95°E

cologne

A giant Gothic cathedral beside the station, Rhine walks and Turkish food across the city.

Best time
May–June and September are best for walks along the Rhine. December has several Christmas markets; Carnival, in February or early March, takes over the city for a week, and winter is often damp and grey.
How long
2 days
Getting there
Lufthansa flies direct from KL to Frankfurt from late October 2026, about 13 hours; otherwise it's one stop via Dubai, Doha or Istanbul. The ICE from Frankfurt airport takes about an hour. Germany is 6 hours behind KL in summer and 7 in winter.
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DE · North Rhine-Westphaliacologne50.94°N 6.95°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,A giant Gothic cathedral beside the station, Rhine walks and Turkish food across the city.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingCologneDE, North Rhine-Westphalia
KLcologne
≈ 10,068 km from KL, as the crow flies
Panorama of Cologne, including the Kranhäuser and Cologne Cathedral, as seen from the Rhine.

Photo: Martin Falbisoner · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

Cologne's twin-spired cathedral is the first thing you see as you walk out of the main station. Around it are the Rhine, an old town of beer halls and good museums, and one of Germany's biggest Turkish communities.

Makan

  1. Halve HahnDespite the name, 'half a chicken', it's a rye roll with a thick slice of cheese, mustard and onions.Map ↗
  2. ReibekuchenCrisp potato fritters with apple sauce, sold at Christmas markets and street stalls.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Cologne CathedralA Gothic giant that took over 600 years to finish; climb the 533 steps of the south tower for the view.Map ↗
  2. Hohenzollern BridgeA railway bridge covered in love locks, with the best view of the cathedral from the far bank.Map ↗
  3. Museum LudwigModern art next to the cathedral, with one of Europe's biggest Pop Art collections.Map ↗
  4. Cologne Central MosqueA modern mosque of concrete and glass domes in Ehrenfeld, open to visitors.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Keupstrasse in Mülheim is Cologne's Turkish high street, lined with grills and bakeries, many of them halal.
  • Köln Hbf is right by the cathedral; Köln Messe/Deutz is across the river, so check which one your train stops at.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.