Travel tips Cologne

5 travel tips for Cologne

Sommer Köln: art & culture

During the Sommer Köln festival (Cologne Summer), approximately 600 artists perform at more than 50 different festival activities. These include theatre performances of the ‘Odyssee’ and ‘Alice in Wonderland’, but you can also learn to meditate at a temple or participate in a yoga or tai chi session. Many of the activities take place outside and are always free of charge. The festival is from 21 June to 9 August.

Amongst others, in the Volksgarten and Stadtgarten parks, the Chocalate museum and the Media Park, www.sommerkoeln.de.

Beach sensation on the Rhine

It great to just chill out on the white sand or in the reclining chairs of Philippe Stark at the Cologne Beach Club / Km 689. On Fridays and Saturdays there are performances by guest djs. Of course, delicious snacks and cocktails are always available!

Open daily from 12.00-01.00 hrs, Tanzbrunnen/Rheinterrassen, Rheinparkweg 1, 50679 Cologne www.km689.rhein-terrassen.de.

 

Walk along the river bank

Take a walk from the city centre to the former fishing village of Rodenkirchen (approximately 5 km). You walk along the bank of the Rhine, right through the completely renovated, 1.5 km long Rheinauhafen. Anyone who loves spectacular and modern architecture should not miss this place. You can take your first break at cafe and restaurant Kap am Südkai. As soon as you have passed beneath the green hanging bridge, it's just a few more steps to the outdoor cafe of Villa Wippenbekk, where you can sit and enjoy the view over the river or spend the night here. From Rodenkirchen can the boat back to Cologne, if you don't want to walk anymore.

Kap am Südkai, Agrippinawerft 30, 50678 Cologne, tel.: +49 (0)221 356 833 33; open Monday–Friday from 8.00-24.00 hrs and Saturday and Sunday from 10.00-24.00 hrs; www.rheinauhafen-koeln.de.
Restaurant Wippenbekk, Karlstraße 7-9, 50996 Keulen-Rodenkirchen, tel.: +49 (0)221 935 3150 www.wippenbekk.de.

 

 

Trendy shopping

If you enjoy trendy and alternative shops, you should not miss the shopping streets in the vicinity of the ‘Belgisches Viertel’ (Maastrichter Straße, Antwerpener Straße, Ehrenstraße and Apostelnstraße). You will hardly be able to believe your eyes when you see all the beautiful clothing and shoes – and the rest of the shopping public. Here you can also find many small bars and cafes. A beautiful place to rest for a while is cafe Hallmackenreuther. The interior decoration is designed in the retro style of the 1960s and 70s and the visitors tend to be hip and young. Here you will also find a large outdoor cafe shaded by the St. Michaels church and high plane trees, where you can relax until midnight.

Cafe Hallmackenreuther: Brüsseler Platz 9, 50674 Cologne, tel.: +49 (0)221 517 970; open daily 11.00 1.00 hrs, kitchen open 11.00-16.00 hrs and 18.00-23.00 hrs.

 

Going to the movies on sultry summer evenings

The entire summer movies are shown at various outdoor locations in the city – obviously starting only once it is dark. The best known ‘open air theatres’ are the Open Air Biergarten Kino in Yachthafen (BAY), Filmbar Museum Ludwig (on the roof of the museum!), the Open Filmhaus and the Open Air Kino in the Chocolate museum. The prices vary between € 4 and € 7.50.

• BAY, Harry-Blum-Platz 1, 50678 Cologne, www.bay-cologne.de.
• Filmbar Museum Ludwig, Museum Ludwig, Bischofsgartenstr. 1, 50667 Cologne, www.filmbar.info.
• Open Filmhaus, Filmhaus Köln, Maybachstr. 111, 50670 Cologne, tel.: 0049-221-222-710-22, www.koelner-filmhaus.de.
• Open Air Kino Schokoladenmuseum, Rheinauhafen 1a, 50678 Cologne, tel.: 0049-221-9318-880, www.schokoladenmuseum.de.

 

* Price based on 2nd class, single, Low Fixed Superdiscount Fare. Limited availability.