18 Things to Do in Cologne – 48 Hours with Kids in Cologne
18 Things to Do in Cologne – 48 Hours with Kids in Cologne – This smart German city combines a few of my favourite things, perfume (well, cologne), chocolate, beauty and beer. We took our kids with us everywhere, no problem. Here are the places you can’t miss.
Eau de Cologne / Love Lock Bridge / Splash Park / Botanic Garden / Drink Kölsch / Chocolate Museum / Crane Buildings / Cologne Cathedral / Old Town / Belgian Quarter / Aqualand / Phantasialand / Köln Triangle / Cable Car / River Cruise / Cologne Zoo
1 Discover ‘Eau de Cologne’ in Cologne
Cologne the scent is named after the city it was created in. So we visited the house where it all started, the House of Farina, which runs regular tours explaining how Johann Maria Farina invented the world’s first Cologne fragrance. It’s a relatively interactive tour, the children loved smelling the base scents –bergamot, musk — and I particularly liked hearing which celebs wore Farina. The client list ranged from Napoleon and Queen Victoria to Oscar Wilde, Marlene Dietrich and Princess Diana. At the end of the tour, each guest receives a cute 4ml sample of the original scent, described as ‘a spring morning after the rain in Italy’. If you don’t wish to undergo a tour you can simply visit the gift shop.
4711 is another popular Cologne house, with its fragrance house and shop situated near the cathedral at Glockengasse 4. The amount of colognes here is extensive, so get your nose ready! My German grandmother wore this scent, and while I find the original too strong for my tastes, my children enjoyed helping me pick up a more modern variation, the ‘Nouveau Cologne’.
2 Love Lock Bridge – Things to Do in Cologne
FREE The jury can be out on lock bridges, but I found Cologne’s Hohenzollern Bridge really aesthetically pleasing. The kids liked looking at the names and dates, many of them from before they were born, and imagining the people’s stories. We chose not to add to the padlocks!
3 Splash Park – Things to Do in Cologne
FREE Just before you cross the Love Lock bridge there’s a Splash Park for kids to play in, and for all ages to have a paddle.
4 Chocolate Museum – Things to do in Cologne
It’s not hard to persuade children to go to a chocolate museum. Here you get several tastings as you tour the building, step inside a hot house with the temperatures suited for cacao beans, learn about the global labour issues and environmental pressures in the chocolate world, and get snapshots at the Instagramable chocolate fountain. There’s also a cafe, serving light bites and chocolate treats.
5 Crane Buildings/Olympic Museum – Things to Do in Cologne
On the same island as the chocolate museum you come across the quirky, modern Crane Buildings designed by Alfons Linster and Hadi Teherani. You may as well take a look and try to figure out why they don’t just topple over. The German Sport and Olympic museum is also on this stretch of island.
6 Cologne Cathedral or Dom – Things to Do in Cologne
FREE – OK, in every city we’re advised to visit cathedrals, but I swear, Cologne’s cathedral is something else. It’s on another level, it’s epic! The scale and size of this place is inspiring. It’s one of the biggest Gothic cathedrals in Europe, look out for over 160 stained glass windows, with the most modern one depicting pixels, reminding the kids of Minecraft. If you wish to ascend the tower (97 metres, 533 steps) it costs €8 for adults, €6 for kids, and €20 for a family ticket.
7 Dine, Drink or Take Afternoon Tea in the Lap of Luxury
Right next to Cologne Cathedral is the Excelsior Hotel Ernst. Five stars, and the service is exceptional. If you can’t afford to stay here, then get a taste of the lifestyle by experiencing afternoon tea, a drink in the Charles Bar, or book a table in either the French/German Hans Stube restaurant or the Michelin-starred Asian inspired taku.
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8 Drink Kölsch & Eat German Food in a Beerhall
The local bier is called Kölsch, and it’s served in dinky glasses, for roughly €2.50. The beer halls are attractively Germanic, picture traditional wooden interiors. We visited three venues, all were child friendly and relaxed. Fruh am Dom is the most central and busy (the second biggest brewery bar in Germany). Mühlen Kölsch with its windmill motif welcomed us for drinks and dinner one night. And Brewery Reissdorf was slightly out of the centre of town but near our hotels (Wasserturm and Motel One Altstadt), it also houses a bowling alley! In high season it’s best to book ahead, especially if you wish to dine.
9 Cologne Botanic Garden
FREE For an elegant day out (that’s on budget too) take a stroll around the Botanic Gardens. They’re outwith the heart of the city centre, so jump on a tram or drive (ample parking on arrival). Expect a hot house, lily pond, palm avenue and elegantly laid out formal gardens.
10 Rooftop Bar – Wasserturm
For cocktails with a view, head to the rooftop Bar Botanik of Hotel Wasserturm. This modern bar offers imaginative mocktails too, with sharing platter style food on the menu – a highlight was the Cheesy Philly Brioche. A DJ plays chilled beats on weekends. Lovely spot to hang out and toast the sunset. Ample indoor seating available too.
11 Old Town – Things to do in Cologne
Cologne’s Old Town didn’t feel like an extensive warren of attractive little streets. The highlight for us was the Fish Market.
Book an Old Town Walking Tour here.
12 Explore the Belgian Quarter
Fantastic for shopping and food, wander the streets and drop into independent fashion boutiques, gift shops and stores for a touch of the Belgian life in Germany.
Things We Didn’t Have Time to Try, but Maybe You Can
13 Phantasialand
This amusement park is a mecca for kids. Expect to explore different lands, from Deep in Africa to Mexico and Mystery. Rollcoaster-tastic!
14 Aqualand/Swimming Bad
Choose between the flumes and buzz of the vast indoor water park that is Aqualand. Or head to a traditional swimming ‘Bad’ for more indoor and outdoor pools.
15 Köln Triangle
If you have a head for heights, head up the Köln Triangle for 360 degree views. We’re talking a lift up 28 floors, then ascend a further flight on foot.
16 Cologne Zoo and Aquarium
Another popular choice with youngsters, and boasts over 10,000 animals. Look out for creatures great (such as the massive elephant enclosure) and small.
17 Cable Car
Don’t fancy crossing the river on foot, then catch the cable car. It’s over 900m long and takes just over 5 mins for the crossing. A handy crossing point for the zoo as well. [Seasonal.]
18 River Cruise
Always a relaxing way to explore a city. Hit the water to see Cologne from a different perspective. We did this in Dusseldorf and really enjoyed it.
Where to Stay
We have three choices for your consideration.
Budget/Mid Range – Motel One
Motel One is a German brand, and they have three branches in Cologne. Motel One Neumarkt is probably the most central, Motel One Messe is on the other side of the river, and we stayed in Motel One Altstadt as it’s relatively central and also offers parking (for a fee). Expect simple but smart, contemporary rooms, decorated with images of the city’s famed Eau de Cologne. The hotel bar is lively enough, and the outdoor terrace was a welcome sun trap, so we sat enjoying a glass of German vino. No evening meals are served, but a buffet breakfast is available.
Self-Catering/Hotel/Trendy – Hotel Wassurterm
We loved Hotel Wassterturm as it’s set within a converted water tower. It’s quirky and the architecture makes imaginative use of this cylindrical shape. Some of the rooms are more like apartments, ideal for families and longer stays. A highlight is the rooftop Bar Botanik, with views over the city. It’s a great spot to hang out with a cocktail, and DJs play chilled beats at weekends. Bar Botanik serves sharing snacks, such as popcorn chicken, prawns and Philly Cheese brioche that make for nibbly sociable dining.
Luxury – Excelsior Ernst Hotel
Three things stand out regarding the remarkable Excelsior Hotel Ernst. Firstly, the location right next to the grand cathedral (this is one smart address). Secondly, the sheer quality and excellent service you receive. Thirdly, the food – choose between the French/German Hans Stube restaurant, or Michelin star Asian inspired taku. Also worth noting that the rooms are beautiful, and even the children are treated so well here. One of the best hotel stays I’ve experienced.
Additional Cologne info – Parking is very expensive, we just sucked it up and paid for the convenience, but if you can park and ride, or travel car-free it’ll save you pennies.
Enjoy Cologne!
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