Germany · COLOGNE TOURS
The cathedral is free, the tower is not, and the river is what most people forget to do. These 15 cover the Gothic and the Rhine underneath it, with prices, sailing times and the brewery walks that end the day.
Spend one relaxed hour on the Rhine with KD Deutsche Rheinschiffahrt GmbH, passing Cologne Cathedral, the Old Town, Hohenzollern Bridge, South Bridge, Rheinauhafen, and the chocolate museum. You’ll have German and English commentary, covered and open-air seating, toilets, and table service for drinks and snacks at extra cost.
“Great boat trip giving excellent views of the waterfront”
Meet near Cologne Cathedral for a two-hour guided walk through the old town, stopping at three breweries for Kölsch tastings. Guides such as Julian, Helena, Emre, and Felix mix beer lore, city history, jokes, and practical tips. The route may change with group wishes and brewery crowds.
“Enjoyed this tour, met some interesting people from around the world. The guide (Johnathan) was very friendly and knowledgable and made sure everybody was happy.”
Spend 90 minutes aboard MS Rheinperle or MS Rheinland, cruising from Cologne Cathedral and Old Town to Rheinauhafen, Rodenkirchen, and five Rhine bridges. English and German recorded commentary points out key sights, while table service offers drinks and snacks. You can sit inside or on two open decks.
“The tour was enjoyable! With a good selection of refreshments on board. We really enjoyed it and the scenery is great. Only downside is the boat gets busy so we could not really hear the guide. However, there was a stag party next to us. Not complaining though it was great!”
Visit Cologne’s self-guided Chocolate Museum for a look at 5,000 years of cocoa and chocolate. You’ll see a tropical house, pre-Columbian objects, Baroque porcelain and silver, working factory machines, and chocolate made by hand. Samples are offered along the way, and the riverside café and shop make good finishing stops.
“A very good, informative museum, was very hot on the day of visit and wished we could have stayed a bit longer but we needed air conditioning. lovely chocolate we will visit again.”
Ride a double-decker bus around Cologne on a 90-minute circuit with 14 stops, including the Cathedral, Old Town, Chocolate Museum, Zoo, and KölnTriangle. Hop off to explore, then rejoin a later bus. Commentary is available in nine languages, with German live commentary, and the lower deck is wheelchair accessible.
“We visit the cathedral, zoo, schocolate museum. Was really good.”
Spend two hours exploring Cologne’s Melaten Cemetery with a live German-speaking guide such as Ede. See ornate graves, famous local figures, the former leprosy hospital area, and 400,000 square meters of peaceful parkland. The tour is wheelchair accessible, runs in most weather, and costs $16 per person.
Follow hatter Tessa and streetcar driver Pitter through Cologne in 1926. A short film, a period hat shop, and a 360-degree VR tram ride reveal the city before World War II. The $23 experience is mostly visual, wheelchair accessible, and offered in English or German.
“Unfortunately a few little tech issues. However it was really interesting and the VR trip was excellent, just wished it lasted longer,”
Meet the traditionally dressed night watchman at Cologne Rathaus and walk the Old Town for 1.5 hours by lantern light. You’ll hear about medieval work, churchside pig-beating, well-fed stray dogs, local resistance, and Cologne legends. The tour is in German, welcomes guests age 16 and up, and is wheelchair accessible.
See Cologne from a modern bus while German comedians such as Keirut Wenzel, Jessica Sinapi, Dirk Volpert, Timo Hübsch, and Cem Ali Gültekin provide jokes, stories, and city anecdotes. The 90-minute ride leaves from Gereonstraße 16, passes major sights, includes one beer, and returns to the same stop.
Meet Sascha or another English- or German-speaking guide by Cologne Cathedral for a two-hour walk through the old town. See Roman remains, the cathedral facade, Hohenzollern Bridge, Rhine views, a Holocaust memorial, Romanesque churches, old markets, and the Town Hall. Entry tickets are not included.
“Our guide was excellent. A mix of humor and history! He was very knowledgeable about the history of Cologne. I would do this tour again if I brought others to Cologne.”
Walk Cologne’s old town with an English- or German-speaking local guide. See the Gothic Cathedral, Dionysos mosaic, Rhine, St. Martin’s church, Alter Markt, and City Hall. Guides such as Andrea, Monika, Oliver, and Tobias have led informative tours, though the meeting point can take some care to find.
“We really enjoyed our English language walking tour around the old city of Colgone (Koln). Our guide, Oliver, was very well informed and led us to all the best spots to see and hear a little of this remarkable old city. Oliver provided lots of inside information and explained a great deal about the history and development of the city and the buildings, great information and with just the right amount of humour. Highly recommended.”
This three-hour Cologne bike tour covers about 15 kilometers with guides such as Sander, Sarah, Tobi, Ulrike, and Christian. You’ll see the cathedral, Hohenzollern Bridge, Rhinepark, Old Town, and Rheinauhafen, plus quieter corners most visitors miss. Bikes, helmets, and rain ponchos are included.
“Excellent overview of the city, exactly as described in the itinerary. When you get to Cologne, do this tour first. We covered much more ground than you could possibly see in a walking tour, and we saw saw lots of sites that we will want to revisit. Our guide Ulrike was excellent, and the bikes were quite comfortable and easy to ride.”
Walk Cologne’s old town with guides such as Sascha or Ralf, linking the cathedral, Roman ruins, Rhine promenade, Hohenzollern Bridge, and lively local legends. Expect an English-language group tour of up to 30 people, with plenty of humor and exterior sightseeing. The route returns to the Petrus Fountain meeting point.
“a very informative walking tour and Sasha made it very entertaining i would totally recommend this tour”
Spend two hours cruising Cologne’s Rhine at sunset, passing the cathedral, Romanesque churches, bridges, and old town. Choose an open-deck beach chair or a window seat below, with lounge music throughout and cocktails, beer, snacks, and simple food available for purchase. The cruise is wheelchair accessible and infants under four ride free.
“Lovely relaxing good d j beautiful weather and nice snack and drink”
Head to Cologne’s IceBar near Friesenplatz, collect a jacket, gloves, and hat, then enter a compact frozen room filled with ice sculptures of Cologne landmarks and FC Köln’s mascot. Three drinks are included, usually one before entering and two inside. Expect good photo opportunities, friendly staff, and a very cold 10 to 15 minutes in the ice room.
“It was very unique. We recommend it without any doubts. You get 3 drinks. One outside the iced bar and the other 2 inside the bar. We took beer and cocktails, and they were very nice.”
A city, a river, a castle ridge, a brewery.
