Things to do in Cologne go well beyond the cathedral everyone photographs from the station steps: a compact historic centre you can cross on foot, alternative neighbourhoods covered in street art, riverside walks along the Rhine, and a food scene that genuinely caught us off guard.
This guide brings together the best things to do in Cologne, organised as a ready-to-follow 2-day itinerary — the unmissables, a day-by-day plan, and the practical tips we wish we’d had before going.
What to do in Cologne in 2 days? Here’s the short version: the cathedral, a walk along the Rhine, the Belgian Quarter and Ehrenfeld, and the Kölsch breweries locals actually drink in.
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What to See in Cologne in 2 Days: Quick Overview
Here’s a simple overview of your weekend in Cologne to get straight to the essentials:
Day 1: Historic Cologne and Must-Sees
- Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom)
- Old Town (Altstadt) and its typical little streets
- Walk along the Rhine
- Hohenzollern Bridge and its love locks
- Sunset with a view of the cathedral
Day 2: Local Neighborhoods and Alternative Vibes
- Ehrenfeld district and street art
- Belgisches Viertel and its cafés
- Your choice of museums (chocolate or Roman-Germanic Museum)
- Shopping and wandering through lively neighborhoods
- One last walk along the Rhine
This itinerary lets you discover Cologne’s essentials in 48 hours, alternating between iconic monuments, local neighborhoods, and a more authentic atmosphere.
Practical Information for Visiting Cologne
Cologne is located in western Germany, in the North Rhine-Westphalia region, and is very easy to reach from France, especially by direct train from Paris in about 3.5 hours. It’s an ideal weekend destination, whether you’re traveling by train, by plane, or on a road trip from Belgium or northern France.
Once there, the city is very easy to explore on foot or by public transportation. The historic center, the cathedral, and the banks of the Rhine are home to most of the main points of interest, which makes a 2-day stay more than enough to enjoy the essentials without rushing.
Cologne has a lively, cultural, and student-friendly atmosphere, with an interesting mix of historic heritage and more modern neighborhoods. It’s a perfect destination for a short city trip, whether you’re discovering Germany for the first time or simply want an easy, refreshing weekend getaway.
What to Do in Cologne Over a Weekend?
There are quite a few visits to do, but we also really enjoyed walking along the Rhine, through the Street Art district, in the heart of the old town… You can easily fit in one or two visits on the first day, and spend the rest of your stay strolling around. If we were to do it again, we would probably take a guided tour, because the city seems full of secrets!
Cologne Cathedral
It was the first thing we saw when we came out of the train station, and what a sight ! It is simply gigantic, majestic, imposing… The Kölner Dom is a Gothic Catholic church whose construction lasted from 1248 to 1880, and what makes it so impressive is, of course, its size ! At 157 meters high, it is the second tallest in Germany, but also in the world thanks to its towers, just after Ulm Church. It is the most visited monument in the country ! We also attended a kind of group vigil on Saturday evening ; hundreds of candles lit up the cathedral while songs echoed through the vast space. We had never seen such a celebration before.
The Historic Center – Altstadt
Cologne Cathedral is located right next to the old town, Altstadt. This “neighborhood” is full of old stone buildings, churches, ancient gates, and even sections of ramparts. You’ll find several remarkable historic monuments in the center, but in reality, the whole city of Cologne has gems to discover. If I go back, I think I’ll book a private walking tour or a group tour, but in any case with a guide to learn more about its history.
The Perfume Museum or Maison 4177
Both claim to have created the famous Eau de Cologne…
The Perfume Museum offers a fairly immersive visit explaining how perfumes are made. Maison 4711, for its part, still embodies part of the country’s heritage. Founded in 1792, historical records mention its famous Eau de Cologne, which has endured for centuries…
We have to admit that the visit didn’t tempt us that much, so we simply stopped by the Maison 4177 shop near the cathedral. And still did a little shopping there! (It’s also a chance to bring back a typical souvenir at a low price !)
Street Art in Cologne
In reality, we’re not huge street art fans! Maybe because we had never really gone “hunting” for artworks before… Because in the end, it’s probably one of the activities I enjoyed the most here ! We had seen that there was quite a lot of it in Cologne, so we followed several articles to find it ! Of course, this is something that changes a lot, but you’ll find most of the street art in the Ehrenfeld district and the Belgian Quarter, the Belgisches Viertel. I’m sharing one of the articles we used, even though some works may no longer be current : here.
The Sightseeing Bus
We took advantage of a gray, rainy spell to hop on the sightseeing bus that goes around the city. The first part of the route is quite interesting in the heart of the historic city, with plenty of explanations about the old stone buildings, the history, and the monuments I mentioned above. On the other hand, we found the second part, which takes you to the outskirts of the city, much less enjoyable ! Usually, we don’t do this kind of activity, but, as I told you in the intro, I wasn’t in the best physical shape ! You can book in advance here.
The Triangle Tower
This weekend in Cologne was more about taking things slowly, so we didn’t go visit it. But it offers a magnificent view over the city, for €3 ! (Adult price in 2018.)
Hohenzollern Bridge, the Love Lock Bridge
This metal arch bridge is now reserved for trains and pedestrians, and is also one of the city’s symbols. It connects the two banks of the city by crossing the Rhine. We took our time walking across it, looking at the locks and photographing everything. We recommend going over to the other side of the riverbank; you’ll get a magnificent view of Cologne!
Other Things to See and Do in Cologne
- The Ludwig Museum (with works by Picasso)
- The Chocolate Museum
- Cologne Zoo
- Cologne Carnival.
Where to Stay in Cologne?
The choice of neighborhood mainly depends on the atmosphere you’re looking for during your weekend.
Altstadt-Nord: So You Don’t Miss Anything in the Historic Center
This is the most convenient neighborhood for a first stay: the cathedral, the main museums, and the Rhine promenade are all within walking distance. This is also where you’ll find the biggest selection of hotels, from simple options to high-end stays, such as Sandmanns am Dom, just a few minutes from the cathedral.
Belgisches Viertel: For a Lively Local Atmosphere
Slightly outside the center, this lively shopping district is perfect if you want to go out in the evening, enjoy cafés and independent boutiques, while still staying within walking distance of the center.
Deutz: For the View of the Cathedral
On the other side of the Rhine, this neighborhood offers a magnificent perspective of the cathedral and the old town, for a slightly quieter stay.
Ehrenfeld: For Street Art Lovers
The neighborhood we mentioned above for street art is also a good option for staying in a more local and alternative atmosphere, slightly away from the tourist flow.
👉 As for us, we had chosen a hotel near the central train station for practical reasons (luggage before departure) — but we were disappointed by the welcome and service. If that’s an important criterion for you, we recommend choosing Altstadt-Nord or the Belgian Quarter instead, where the hotel offering is generally higher quality. [Compare hotels in Cologne on Booking]
Where to Eat in Cologne ?
Typical Restaurants and Beer Halls
After hearing my family say over and over that the food in Germany is bad… Well, I believed it ! In fact, it turned out to be quite a foodie weekend ! We chose to have quick lunches, sandwiches and pretzels. We found a delicious chain for that: Kamps. They’re everywhere, it was good and inexpensive !
For dinner, we opted for a typical beer hall ! If you want to eat in silence, run away from this place ! Large wooden tables that you share, beer glasses refilled as soon as they’re empty… The food was very good: XXL pork knuckle for Alcino, schnitzel for me ! Worth trying at least once so you can make up your own mind! Guaranteed immersion !
➺ Gaffel by the Cathedral, Gaffel am Dom GmbH
➺ Kamps Bakery, there are several in the city, the logo is a pretzel. 🙂
➺ An ice cream shop offering lactose-free and gluten-free products: Die Eisdielerin, Venloer Str. 402, 50825 Köln
Local Specialties to Try
Here’s a little roundup of the dishes we tasted and/or saw around the city. In any case, we ate really well, at very reasonable prices—a nice surprise !
➺ Pork knuckle, then, a great specialty of the city.
➺ Schnitzel, although it is a Viennese specialty, is very common in restaurants.
➺ Flammekueche
➺ Pretzels (plain, with cheese, with almonds, pizza-style… there’s something for everyone!).
➺ Sausages
➺ Beer, of course!
➺ Cakes (apple cakes), Berliners
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This weekend in Cologne was a truly wonderful surprise ! The city is beautiful, lively, easy to reach by train… and delicious !! I think it suits both children and adults, so you can easily go there as a family or as a couple! The city is very cultural and has many bars and pubs, so you could just as easily go with friends!
And you, do you know Cologne? Have we made you want to visit ?
FAQ – Cologne in 2 Days
Click here to see the FAQ about Cologne
How many days do you need in Cologne?
Two days is the sweet spot for Cologne. It gives you time for the essentials — the cathedral, the historic centre (Altstadt), the Hohenzollern Bridge — plus a couple of museums and the more alternative neighbourhoods like Ehrenfeld or the Belgian Quarter (Belgisches Viertel). A single day feels rushed and you end up skipping the parts that make the city interesting.
What are the best things to do in Cologne in 2 days?
Over a weekend in Cologne, the essentials are:
– Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom), the city’s landmark
– a walk through the historic centre (Altstadt)
– the Hohenzollern Bridge and its love locks
– the Belgian Quarter for its atmosphere and street art
– a stroll along the Rhine
– the Chocolate Museum or the Ludwig Museum, depending on your mood
Cologne is easy to cover on foot, which makes it ideal for a 2-day city break.Is Cologne worth visiting for a weekend?
Yes — Cologne is one of the better weekend destinations in Europe, and it tends to surprise people who arrive with low expectations, as we did. It is cultural, lively, easy to get around and genuinely pleasant to walk. It also works well as a short break from the UK, the Netherlands or Belgium, with direct connections from several cities.
Is Cologne walkable?
Very. Most of the sights are concentrated in the city centre, around the cathedral and the Altstadt, and you can walk between them in minutes. For neighbourhoods further out such as Ehrenfeld, the tram or bus is quicker.
What is the best time to visit Cologne?
Cologne works year-round, but spring and summer are the most enjoyable for walks along the Rhine and terrace season. Winter has its own appeal thanks to the Christmas markets, which are among the best known in Germany. February is worth flagging too: Cologne Carnival takes over the whole city, which is either the reason to go or the week to avoid, depending on what you are after.