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How many days in Cologne? 3 days, the cathedral, Kölsch and the Rhine
By Tony Panopoulos · travel-agency planner in Greece · Updated
Cologne was bombed almost flat in the Second World War, and much of what you see was rebuilt in a hurry. What survived is extraordinary: the cathedral, twelve Romanesque churches and two thousand years of Roman, medieval and modern layers under the pavement. The other half of the city is its people, who drink Kölsch in small glasses and celebrate Carnival as a sixth season. Give it three days: one for the cathedral and the old town, one for museums and the neighbourhoods west of the ring, and one for Bonn or the palaces of Brühl.
Short answer
Two days covers the cathedral, the Altstadt, Museum Ludwig and an evening in the brewery taverns. A third day adds the Belgian Quarter at a slower pace and a short train trip to Bonn or Brühl.
The 3-day plan, day by day
Day 1: The cathedral and the Altstadt
Morning. Enter Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom) when it opens at about 6:00-10:00 depending on the day; entry is free. See the gilded Shrine of the Three Kings behind the altar and the Gero Cross of about 970. Then climb the south tower, 533 steps to a platform at about 100 metres (about €6-8).
Afternoon. Walk 5 minutes into the Altstadt to Groß St. Martin, whose square tower defines the Rhine skyline, and the squares of Alter Markt and Heumarkt. Continue to the EL-DE-Haus (about €5), the former Gestapo headquarters, where prisoners' inscriptions survive on the cell walls.
Evening. Cross the Hohenzollern Bridge, hung with tens of thousands of love padlocks, to the KölnTriangle viewing platform in Deutz (about €5) for the cathedral at sunset. Back across the river, dine at Früh am Dom or Peters Brauhaus on pork knuckle and Kölsch.
The cathedral closes to sightseeing during services; mornings before 10:00 on weekdays are quietest.
Day 2: Museums and the Rhine harbour
Morning. Start at Museum Ludwig (about €13-15) next to the cathedral, with one of Europe's largest Pop Art collections and a major Picasso holding. Next door, the Römisch-Germanisches Museum has the Dionysus mosaic; it is under long-term renovation, with part of the collection shown in a temporary venue, so check what is open.
Afternoon. Walk 20 minutes south along the river to the Chocolate Museum (Schokoladenmuseum, about €15-20) on the Rheinauhafen, with a working production line and a three-metre chocolate fountain. Continue past the Kranhäuser, three office buildings shaped like upturned harbour cranes.
Evening. Take a one-hour Rhine cruise (about €15-18) from the landing below the old town, or head to the Südstadt around Chlodwigplatz for neighbourhood pubs.
The KölnCard (24 or 48 hours) gives free public transport and discounts at most museums; it pays off on a museum day.
Day 3: Belgian Quarter and a day trip: Bonn or Brühl
Morning. Take the train to Bonn (about 20-30 minutes, around €8-10) for Beethoven's birthplace (Beethoven-Haus, about €10-12), the market square and the former government quarter on the Museumsmeile. Or go to Brühl (15 minutes) for Augustusburg Palace, a UNESCO-listed rococo palace with a grand staircase by Balthasar Neumann (guided visits only, about €10).
Afternoon. Back in Cologne, walk the Belgian Quarter (Belgisches Viertel), whose streets are named after Belgian towns, for independent shops and cafés around Brüsseler Platz. Ride the tram 10 minutes west to Ehrenfeld for street art and the old Helios lighthouse tower.
Evening. Spend the last night in the Altstadt taverns or the Belgian Quarter bars, or catch a concert at the Philharmonie under the Museum Ludwig.
In Brühl, the Phantasialand theme park is 10 minutes away by bus; families often combine it with a morning at the palace.
Only have 2 days?
With 2 days, do Day 1 as written and combine Museum Ludwig with the Chocolate Museum and the Belgian Quarter on Day 2. You lose Bonn or Brühl.
Got extra days?
A 4th day goes to Aachen (about 35-55 minutes by train) for Charlemagne's octagonal Palatine Chapel, or up the Rhine to the castles of the Middle Rhine Valley around Koblenz and Bacharach (about 1-1.5 hours).
Where to stay in Cologne
| Budget | Area | Why | Typical double/night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Deutz | Cheaper rooms across the river, 10 minutes' walk over the bridge to the cathedral. | €80-120 |
| Mid-range | Altstadt / around the cathedral | Next to the main station and the old town taverns. | €130-220 |
| Mid-range | Belgian Quarter | Design hotels on leafy streets near restaurants, a short tram ride to the centre. | €120-200 |
| Comfort | Domplatte grand hotels / Rheinauhafen | Historic hotels facing the cathedral, or modern ones on the harbour. | €230-450 |
Getting around
The centre is compact: the cathedral to the Chocolate Museum is about 20 minutes on foot. KVB trams and U-Bahn lines cover the rest; a single city ticket costs about €3-4 and a day ticket about €9-10. The Deutschlandticket (about €63 a month) covers all local transport in Germany. Köln Hauptbahnhof sits next to the cathedral, with ICE trains to Frankfurt in about 1 hour. From Cologne Bonn Airport, the S-Bahn reaches the main station in about 15 minutes.
What to eat in Cologne
Cologne has its own pub culture, built around Kölsch, a light top-fermented beer served in 0.2-litre glasses (Stangen) by waiters called Köbes. They replace your glass until you put a beer mat on top; each costs about €2.50-3. Order Halve Hahn (not half a chicken, but a rye roll with Gouda and mustard), Himmel un Ääd (black pudding with mashed potato and apple), Reibekuchen (potato pancakes) and Sauerbraten. Brewery taverns such as Päffgen and Malzmühle serve mains for €15-25. Turkish food in Ehrenfeld and Keupstraße is cheap and excellent.
Best time to visit
May to September, with highs of 20-25°C and beer gardens open on the Rhine. Late November to 23 December brings several Christmas markets, at the cathedral and on Alter Markt and Heumarkt. Carnival peaks on the Thursday before Lent (Weiberfastnacht) and on Rose Monday with the big parade; hotels triple their prices and book out months ahead. Winters are grey and mild, around 3-6°C.
Month-by-month weather for Cologne →
What a day costs
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing a double) | €45 | €85 | €170 |
| Food & drink | €30 | €55 | €100 |
| Sights & tickets | €10 | €30 | €50 |
| Local transport | €5 | €10 | €25 |
| Total per person, per day | about €90 | about €180 | about €345 |
Approximate 2026 prices in euros. Cologne charges a culture and tourism tax (Kulturförderabgabe) of 5% on the room price per night, including for business stays.
Before you go
Common questions
Is the cathedral free to visit?
Yes. Entry to the nave is free, though you should avoid wandering during Mass. You pay separately to climb the south tower (533 steps, no lift) and for the Treasury, which holds reliquaries and liturgical gold. Guided tours run daily in German and English, and are the only way to see some areas behind the choir.
How does ordering Kölsch work?
In a brewery tavern, you do not normally order: the Köbes brings a fresh 0.2-litre glass as soon as yours is empty and marks a tick on your beer mat. To stop, put the mat on top of your glass. You pay at the end by the ticks. Asking for a large beer is a joke locals enjoy, but they will not serve one.
When is Cologne Carnival?
The season officially opens on 11 November at 11:11, but the street carnival peaks in the week before Ash Wednesday, usually in February or early March. The biggest days are Weiberfastnacht (the Thursday) and Rose Monday, with a parade of several kilometres. Expect costumes, closed streets and very full trains.
Can I visit Düsseldorf from Cologne?
Yes. Trains take about 20-30 minutes, with several an hour. Düsseldorf has the Rhine promenade, the Königsallee shopping avenue and the Altstadt's brewpubs, where they serve the rival dark Altbier. Be careful mentioning Kölsch there, and vice versa; the rivalry between the two cities is old and mostly friendly.
How this guide was made
Compiled by TonyPlan from official tourism, transport and attraction sources and on-the-ground travel knowledge. Prices are approximate for 2026 and change with season; anything we could not confirm is marked as approximate.
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