[Germany] One Day in Cologne : Things To Do

[SunPanupong]

Last post I wrote about Best place to see 360° Panoramic View of Cologne, Germany. I took you to the Cologne Triangle observation deck to experience the roof top view with 3 euros entrance fee.

@AnuradhaP @HiroyukiTakisawa @KarenVChin @Noimacki @LudwigGermany 

Imagine if you have just one day in Cologne, here is a list of things to do and see based on my recommendations.

Let's take a look at Cologne City Center Map again. Many attractions are located very close to each other and you can take a walk.

Cologne Map

1. Cologne Cathedral / Kölner Dom

Address: Domkloster 4, 50667 Köln, Germany

Website: koelner-dom.de

Daily Opening Times: 

6.00 - 7.30 hours (November to April)
6.00 - 9.00 hours (May to October)
Please notice there are special opening hours on holydays

Opening times for tourists on Sundays and holidays
13.00 - 16.30 hours

Entrance Fee: Free

In front of the cathedral

Gothic-style architecture

If you would like to see another good views of Cologne, you can climb up to the top of the tower (5 euros).

Right next to the Cologne Cathedral, there is the Cologne Central Station where have been reconstructed and modernized for local, national & international services.

2. Cologne Central Station / Köln Hauptbahnhof

Address: Trankgasse 11, 50667 Köln, Germany

Website: bahnhof.de

Cologne central station is a hub for rail transportation in this region. Aprt from rail platforms, there are also shops, restaurants and kiosks inside - like a small food center. The station is always crowded during rush hours.

Koln Hauptbahnhof

Ticket & Information Counter

Shops & Ticket Machines

Inside the station

As you might know that Cologne has been very famous for fragrance, Original Eau De Cologne for over 300 years. The number 4711 came from house no. of Johann Maria Farina, an Italian living in Cologne, Germany, who created the first fragrance.

3. Hohenzollern Bridge / Hohenzollernbrücke

Address: 50679 Cologne, Germany

Website: stadt-koeln.de

Hohenzollern bridge is a bridge crossing the river Rhine It was later reconstructed to be only for rail & pedestrian traffic. Nearby, there is an Equestrian Statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I. From here, Cologne Triangle is just few steps walk. 

This is another famous photo spot for tourists - near the Equestrian Statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I.

Many couples love to put the padlocks on the bridge.

4. Gilden im Zims Restaurant

Address: Heumarkt 77, 50667 Köln, Germany

Website: gilden-im-zims.de

Opening Times: 

Monday - Thursday 12PM–1AM | Friday 12PM-3AM | Saturday 11AM-3AM | Sunday 11AM-11PM

My sister colleague recommended to us. This is an old-traditional German restaurant and we didn’t miss to order signature dishes here

- Crispy Pork Knuckle, 1200 g, served with Koelsch beer sauce, mashed potatoes and sauerkraut

- One-pound bratwurst sausage, served with a skillet with fried potatoes and a side salad

- Schnitzel (pork cutlet) with sweet pepper sauce and french fries

All three dishes are must-eat menu when you are in Germany.

Restaurant

🙂

So Yummy !

5. Frites Belgique

Address: Hohe Str. 96, 50667 Köln, Germany

Website: frites-belgique.com

Opening Times: Monday - Saturday 11PM - 8PM (Sunday Closed)

On the way between Cologne Cathedral and the Gilden im Zims Restaurant, there is a shopping street with so many brands.Frites Belgique is a place I need to stop and take some snacks. You can order Belgian fries with various toppings of your choice.

Belgian fries are crispy and tasty

Frites Belgique

Shopping Street

7. Deutzer Bridge

Address: Deutzer Brücke, 50679 Köln, Germany

This is a suspension bridge for pedestrians and vehicles. You can take good photos from this spot.

Modern buildings

Old town buildings

6. Cologne Triangle / KölnTriangle

Address: Ottopl. 1, 50679 Köln, Germany

Website: koelntriangle.de

Opening Times: Monday - Friday  11:00 - 23:00 | Saturday - Sunday  10:00 - 23:00

Observation Deck Entrance Fee: €3 

As I mentioned in my previous post, this is a must-go place.

Cologne Triangle

In my opinion, Cologne is a really nice city (not too large with transportation system in place and friendly atmosphere) and you can take a day trip or stay here for one night. 

[AnuradhaP]

@SunPanupong  Thank you for tagging me. Your photos are stunning. 

[HiroyukiTakisawa]

Good morning, @SunPanupong from Japan

Thank you for sharing this.
Beautiful photos attract me to go there:-)
And your post is not only beautiful but also informative. Really nice!

[Ggel]

Hi @SunPanupong 

Beautiful photos. Post well explained. Thanks for sharing.

[KarenVChin]

@SunPanupong - this is awesome and you definitely delivered with your second post.

Have you created a Google Maps List for your one day in Cologne? I highly recommend you create it if you have not already and add it to your post here.

Cheers,

Karen

[shantanu-kaizen]

Hi@SunPanupong,

Thanks for very helpful suggestions. At times of our travel it will certainly be of help.

Best.

[KarolT]

Hi @SunPanupong 

Nice report and pictures.

Ragards from Slovakia.

Karol

[Noimacki]

Hi @SunPanupong ,

Thanks for the 1 Day Itinerary to Cologne . Looks interesting!

Do you think it is possible to also do a short Rhine cruise in a day together the sight seeings?

Did you have all those delicious meat dishes without German beer? 🙂

Please keep sharing! Your pics are fantastic.

Thank you!

[SunPanupong]

@AnuradhaP  You're welcome 😄

[SunPanupong]

@HiroyukiTakisawa  thanks. Many places in Europe are nice and waiting for your visit.