Cologne Old Town (Altstadt)
- Admission:Free
Cultural Experience, Good Place to Drink, Good Place to Eat, Popular with Locals, Neighborhood
8:59 AM Saturday, May 26
Partly cloudy. Cool.
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Old Town is in many ways, the heart and soul of the city. It's near the Köln Dom, surrounded by "the Ring," a ring of streets, botanical space, and promenades following the path of the old city's walls. Inside the ring and along the Rhine is a vibrant scene of bars, pubs, and restaurants. While it can get crowded, Old Town is known for its hustle and overall friendly vibe.
Tours of Old Town include tours of the Cathedral, a brewpub tour (expect to drink a lot of Kölsch), or a cruise on the Rhine. However, the best way to experience Old Town is on foot. Confident travelers may want to practice their German in this area; if you do, pay attention to speakers - Kölsch is a beer, but it's also an accent, both of which being native to Cologne. In Alter Markt Square, you'll find plenty of both, as brew pubs and bars are plentiful.
Beyond the rhythm of the bars and shops are seemingly innumerable small streets and alleys that wind through the old buildings. It is sectioned into several squares, providing visitors with ample opportunities to explore and soak in Cologne's culture.
Latest Reviews All Cologne Old Town (Altstadt) Reviews »
A nice trip but it did not depart until 3.40pm, in fact, the actual official KD Line start time is 3.30pm although the timing on our Viator schedule was 3pm. Thus we were hanging around on the boat for the best part of an hour, having arrived about 2.45pm. Also, you need to check once you board what table you have been allocated, we thought you could sit where you like on identical tables, but this is not the case and we had to stand around in a rather embarrassed manner and deal with at least three crew members before the man with the list arrived ! We were expected to know this information in advance but did a good impression of Silly Brits abroad. The coffee and waffles with cream and hot cherries were very nice as well the general ambience of the trip. The route back was was nice, darkness having descended and we could see the many floodlit buildings and Christmas decorations. Santa came around and had a chat , he liked the English and we exchanged views about the Euro. There was some nice, low key live Christmas music and you could order more food and drinks if you wished. Take a map with you if you want to find out where you are as no commentary is given. The boat is a typical KD Line boat. spotless and well run. With the slight warnings to future travellers as detailed above, we would recommend this trip. It would be wise to check at the KD Line office at the jetty where the boat sails from about the timings though.
Continue Reading »Practical Info
Get on the bus! If you're tired of walking, excursion buses (actually trams) will take passengers from Cathedral Square to the Rheinauhafen, the Chocolate Museum and back.
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