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Local gems in Cologne

Cologne has plenty to offer beyond its cathedral, and this collection of local gems reflects that breadth. The Belgian Quarter and Ehrenfeld are two neighbourhoods with their own distinct atmospheres, while Alter Markt and the Romanesque church of Groß St. Martin anchor the city's historic core. The Flora provides a calm botanical retreat, and the Claudius Therme invites longer stays. Kolumba weaves art and archaeology into a quietly striking museum experience, and the Geister Rikscha offers an unconventional way to explore the city. Add the Chocolate Museum, Lentpark ice rink, Lanxess Arena and the Köln Messe/Deutz station to the mix, and a fuller, more layered picture of Cologne begins to emerge.

86 places · Cologne, Germany · Editorially curated

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  • Flora Cologne
    Google · Flora und Botanischer Garten

    Flora Cologne

    Cologne

    architectureculturenature+6

    Laid out 1864, ballroom in greenhouse-meets-palace style, plus four themed gardens and a tropical house.

  • Alter Markt
    Wikimedia Commons

    Alter Markt

    Cologne

    architectureculturehistory+3

    Medieval square ringed by historic brewhouses, the carnival tunnel and the Jan-von-Werth statue.

  • Belgian Quarter
    Wikimedia Commons

    Belgian Quarter

    Cologne

    architectureculturenature+4

    Hipster quarter west of the ring road, Brüsseler Platz as the city's outdoor living room in summer.

  • Chocolate Museum
    Wikimedia Commons

    Chocolate Museum

    Cologne

    architectureculturenature+5

    Glass pavilion at the Rheinauhafen with a living tropical greenhouse and a 3 m chocolate fountain.

  • Claudius Therme
    Wikimedia Commons

    Claudius Therme

    Cologne

    naturehistoryoutdoor activities+2

    Indoor and outdoor pools in Rheinpark with brine baths, saunas and a view of the cathedral skyline while swimming.

  • Ehrenfeld
    Wikimedia Commons

    Ehrenfeld

    Cologne

    architectureculturehistory+3

    Streetart stronghold with backyard galleries, Turkish bakeries and a night-café scene.

  • Groß St. Martin
    Wikimedia Commons

    Groß St. Martin

    Cologne

    architectureculturenature+5

    12th-century Romanesque with the distinctive four-tower crossing — one of Cologne's twelve great Romanesque churches, by the Rhine.

  • Kolumba
    Wikimedia Commons

    Kolumba

    Cologne

    architectureculturehistory+3

    Diocesan art museum built over Romanesque church remnants and WW2 rubble — by Peter Zumthor.

  • Lanxess Arena
    Wikimedia Commons

    Lanxess Arena

    Cologne

    architectureculturehistory+2

    1998 hall in Deutz, 20,000 seats, home of the Kölner Haie and concert venue — the 'Henkel' arch is a Deutz landmark.

  • Lentpark
    Wikimedia Commons

    Lentpark

    Cologne

    architecturehistoryoutdoor activities+1

    Modern sports complex on the Inner Green Belt — swimming pool, ice rink and beach-volleyball courts.

  • Severins Bridge
    Wikimedia Commons

    Severins Bridge

    Cologne

    architecturenaturehistory+2

    Distinctive A-shaped pylon, links the southern districts to Deutz, with a walk over the Rhine.

  • Südstadt
    Wikimedia Commons

    Südstadt

    Cologne

    architectureculturenature+5

    Creative neighborhood around Chlodwigplatz and Severinsstrasse — where the locals actually drink their Kölsch.

  • Kölnischer Kunstverein
    Google · Walter Freiherr von dem Bussche Streithorst

    Kölnischer Kunstverein

    Cologne

    architectureculturehistory+1
  • Brüsseler Platz
    Google · Tarek Ojjeh

    Brüsseler Platz

    Cologne

    architectureculturenature+3
  • Rathenauplatz
    Google · Ingrid Odenthal

    Rathenauplatz

    Cologne

    architecturenatureromance
  • ruhender Verkehr
    Google · Patrick Schallert

    ruhender Verkehr

    Cologne

    architectureculturehistory+2
  • Ehrenstraße
    Google · Mischi

    Ehrenstraße

    Cologne

    architecturecultureshopping+1
  • Hohenzollernring
    Google · Walter Freiherr von dem Bussche Streithorst

    Hohenzollernring

    Cologne

    architectureculturenature+3

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