Boat tours on the Rhine

A boat tour on the Rhine is one of the most exciting ways to visit the city. One of the companies that offer this kind of experience is KD, with up to 6 tours a day departing a few steps away from the Cologne Cathedral and the Hohenzollern Bridge.

• Web:

  www.k-d.com/en

• E-mail:

  info@k-d.com

• Address:

  Frankenwerft 35, Cologne

• Phone:

  +49 0 221 2088 318

Cologne cable cars

Take a cable car over the Rhein and experience Cologne from above. Rides start from Cologne Zoo or from the Rhein Park, so you can visit both in one afternoon.

• Web:

  www.koelner-seilbahn.de/english

• E-mail:

  info@koelner-seilbahn.de

• Address:

  Sachsenbergstraße 3, Cologne

• Phone:

  +49 221 5474184

• Opening hours:

  April till October 10.00-18.00 everyday

Cologne Cathedral

Work on the Cologne Cathedral began in 1248, and it was the largest building project undertaken in the Middle Ages. A large, spacious church was needed to accommodate the influx of pilgrims who came to visit one of the most important shrines in the Catholic Church holding the relics of the Three Wise Men. Their bones are kept in a casket, which is the most precious treasure in the cathedral and a masterpiece of medieval goldsmith's art.

• Web:

  www.koelner-dom.de/en

• E-mail:

  dompropstei@metropolitankapitel-koeln.de

• Address:

  Domkloster 4, Cologne

• Phone:

  +49 221 17940555

• Opening hours:

  November-April 6.00-19.30, May-October 6.00-21.00

Cologne Opera

The Germans have always been big music lovers, and Cologne is no exception. Cologne Opera is the main opera house in the city, featuring modern architecture, a resident opera company and a rich cultural program. It can accommodate up to 1,300 spectators and 100 orchestra musicians.

• Web:

  www.oper.koeln/de

• Address:

  Rheinparkweg 1, Cologne

• Phone:

  +49 221 221 28 400

Cologne Zoo

Cologne Zoo houses more than 750 different species from all over the world, making it a popular excursion destination for families and animal lovers. Some of the animals you can see here are hippos, elephants, penguins, flamingos, baboons and sea lions. If you arrive at the right time, you can also watch the animals being fed.

• Web:

  www.koelnerzoo.de/en

• E-mail:

  info@koelnerzoo.de

• Address:

  Riehler Str. 173, Cologne

• Phone:

  +49 221 7785114

• Opening hours:

  Summer 9.00-18.00 everyday, Winter 9.00-17.00 everyday

Flora and Botanical Garden

This botanical garden housing about 10,000 types of plants dates back to the 19th century and is beautifully located along the Rhine River. The main greenhouse alone, with its great assortment of plants, is worth a visit. It'll feel like you're in South America's rain forest surrounded by its exotic vegetation.

• Web:

  www.freundeskreis-flora-koeln.de

• E-mail:

  botanischer-garten@stadt-koeln.de

• Address:

  Am Botanischen Garten 1a, Cologne

• Phone:

  +49 221 560 890

• Opening hours:

  Daily from 8.00 to sunset (max 21.00)