To Spend Time In Cologne Is To See

To spend time in Cologne is to see at its most hedonistic.

A lively bar scene and a raft of contemporary galleries and buzzing emerging neighbourhoods all make for a pleasingly boisterous counterpart to the austere Gothic cathedral. 
With direct trains to Brussels, from where you can hop on to a high-speed connecting train, it takes around four hours from to reach the hub of the Rhineland. 
The beer glasses may be uniquely small, but the portion sizes, hospitality and air of carefree excess are all fabulously expansive.
A map showing the tourist hotspots in Cologne, including the Museum Ludwig and the city's cathedral 
Where to stay 
Art'Otel Cologne
Yachts and a chocolate museum are the main draws to the former port area today, as well as this funky charmer of a hotel.

The white lobby, drawings of oceans and mountains by Korean painter SEO, and floor-to-ceiling windows in the rooms all combine for an achingly chic, pared-back vibe. B&B doubles from £97, <a style="font-weight: bold;" class="class" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" website class="mol-para-with-font">Hotel Marsil
Somewhat unfriendly staff prevent this discreet hotel, only a ten-minute walk from the heart of the Altstadt, from being the outstanding budget hotel in Cologne. It's still a very decent option, however, with clean, white rooms (some with balconies) and an immense breakfast buffet with omelettes, cheeses and hams. Doubles from £93 room only, <a style="font-weight: bold;" class="class" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" website class="mol-para-with-font">Hotel im Wasserturm
Housed inside a gargantuan 19th-century water tower (once the biggest in Europe), these are the most original lodgings in town. The top-floor terrace bar is perfect for a cocktail at dusk, and rooms are modern with pine floors and huge windows.
Ask for a north-facing room if you want views of the mighty cathedral — one of the world's great works of Gothic architecture. B&B doubles from £98, <a style="font-weight: bold;" class="class" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" website data-track-module="am-related_carousel^related_carousel" data-track-selector=".rotator-panels a:not([class*=external])" data-dm-rotator-rotate="false" data-track-pos="static" data-preferred-shared-network-enabled="" data-dm-rotator-auto-init="" id="p-20" class="related-carousel with-fb-or-tw news" data-dm-rotator-active-class="active" data-dm-rotator-page-count="2.0" data-dm-social-article-auto-init="" data-dm-rotator-page-size="1"> RELATED ARTICLES <a href="#" data-page="prev">Previous</a> <a href="#" data-page="1">1</a> <a href="#" data-page="2">2</a> <a href="#" data-page="next">Next</a> <a href="/travel/travel_news/article-7434849/Former-Etihad-jet-saved-scrap-heap-transformed-179-night-holiday-rental.html"> Former Etihad jet is saved from the scrap heap and... </a> <a href="/travel/travel_news/article-7407599/Poignant-images-abandoned-ruins-World-War-II-scar-landscape.html"> The lasting legacy of war: Poignant images show abandoned... </a> <a href="/travel/travel_news/article-7431615/TripAdvisor-accused-failing-stop-hotels-boosted-fake-reviews.html"> TripAdvisor is accused by Which? of failing to stop... </a> <a href="/travel/travel_news/article-7430469/Huge-mega-mall-Dreamworks-Nickelodeon-theme-parks-open-outside-New-York-City.html"> Pictured: The huge mega-mall due to open near Manhattan next... </a> <a href="/travel/travel_news/article-7431103/The-70m-Project-Crystal-superyacht-comes-3m-submarine-10-metre-tender-boat.html"> Revealed: The jaw-dropping £70million superyacht that comes... </a>



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Hotel Mondial am Dom Cologne MGallery
A strong contender for the most centrally located slumbers in town — the Alter Markt, cathedral and riverside strip of bars are all less than three minutes' walk away — this smart, yet un-showy, hotel is aimed at business travellers.

Light wood and red furnishings give the rooms a comfortable, albeit slightly bland, feel. Be warned that the larger rooms don't offer views of the cathedral, <a href="https://weareliferuiner.com/korean-chocolate-milk-how-to-make/">weareliferuiner.com</a> so opt for a ‘classic' if you want to wake up with the Dom. Doubles from £74 room only, <a style="font-weight: bold;" class="class" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" website class="mol-para-with-font">What to see and do
Explore the coolest quarter
Ehrenfeld was once the sweetest-smelling neighbourhood in the country, home to the perfume factories that made eau de Cologne. These days, the aromas range from ale to schnitzel to Turkish pide, and exploring the area's wealth of quirky bars, restaurants and galleries could easily absorb a whole day.
Don't miss sampling local vinos at IMI Winery (<a style="font-weight: bold;" class="class" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" website and a superior espresso at Van Dyck (<a style="font-weight: bold;" class="class" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" website with its unique barber-shop-meets-milk-bar interior.
Kolsch calling
By German law, Kolsch beer can be brewed only in Cologne. A notably fruity, light ale, it's pretty much the only draft beer you'll find in the city and is best enjoyed with a riverside view. 
Peters Brauhaus serves a particularly zesty drop in distinctive cylindrical glasses known as stange (<a style="font-weight: bold;" class="class" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" website Expect to pay around £1.50 for a 200ml glass, which the waiter will keep replacing until you put your beer mat on top of it.
The bill, in a noble act of trust, is calculated by the waiter marking your mat with a pen every time he serves you.
Pop goes the easel
Museum Ludwig, above, is home to the biggest collection of Pop Art outside the U.S.
Museum Ludwig punches well above its weight with the big-hitters in its permanent collection (tickets £10, <a style="font-weight: bold;" class="class" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" website Works by Pop Art masters Roy Lichtenstein and Peter Blake are here — and it even has Andy Warhol's Brillo Boxes. It's the biggest collection of Pop Art outside the U.S.  
Bunker down
On the site of a former synagogue in a quiet side street in Ehrenfeld sits an almost sinister-looking metal door. This is the entrance to a hochbunker, a surviving above-ground World War II shelter.
The thick, concrete walls now house the art gallery Bunker k101 (admission varies, but never exceeds £5, <a style="font-weight: bold;" class="class" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" website which hosts an array of eclectic temporary shows.
Hit the sculpture trail
A small forest of stone cacti, an immense ladder that seems to lead straight into the clouds and a giant fried egg simmering on a rock — surreal surprises at every turn are assured at the outdoor Skulpturen Park (free, <a style="font-weight: bold;" class="class" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" website which features an immense convex mirror by Anish Kapoor right by the main entrance.
Fine wine on the Rhine
Eventually — though it could take some time — you may find that you don't want a bartender to fill up your stange again. This means only one thing: it's time to move on to the hugely under-rated wines from this region.
Bacchus (<a style="font-weight: bold;" class="class" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" website is a secluded bolthole with wine barrels built into the walls. Try a bottle of the zesty, dry 2017 Weissburgunder for £22.
Where to eat
Beef Brothers
The wallpaper of graffiti-covered train carriages and the almost heroically hirsute staff ensure the hipster box is firmly ticked at this bijou joint.
But ignore such fripperies and concentrate on the burgers: hands down the best in the city. The Don Vito is a towering creation crammed with mozzarella, tomatoes, rocket and pesto. There's room for veggies, too. Mains from £3.80, <a style="font-weight: bold;" class="class" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" website class="mol-para-with-font">Jaely's
This much-loved locals' haunt in the heart of the Ehrenfeld neighbourhood is a superb option for brunch. Parquet floors, vintage watercolour prints in antique gold frames and slow-turning ceiling fans make for a cool vibe. The outdoor seats are great for people-watching on the Venloer drag, with an accompaniment of butter chicken wraps and courgette risotto. Mains from £7.30, <a style="font-weight: bold;" class="class" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" website class="mol-para-with-font">Dank Augusta
Dank Augusta in the heart of the city's botanical gardens is usually packed with families at the weekend
Looking like a miniature version of London's long-lost Crystal Palace, Dank Augusta, in the heart of the city's botanical gardens, is usually packed with families at the weekend. Sustainability is important here, with the salads and soups all served in huge glass jars in their own reusable picnic baskets. 
Try the Garden Flora, with chicken, parmesan and cashews, and the carrot and coconut soup. Mains from £4.20, <a style="font-weight: bold;" class="class" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" website class="mol-para-with-font">Hellers Brauhaus
The back-room restaurant to this legendary brauhaus is more like a greenhouse, festooned with huge hanging baskets. But the menu is defiantly carnivorous — the local dish Himmel un Aad (heaven and earth) is a particularly lusty mountain of fried black pudding with fried potatoes, stewed onions and apple sauce. Mains from £7.50 (<a style="font-weight: bold;" class="class" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" website class="art-ins mol-factbox travel" data-version="2" id="mol-60db9c90-d143-11e9-a19a-cb50b734e2be" website to visit Cologne for under £100 a night