Old Town
The heart of Cologne between the cathedral, the Rhine and Heumarkt. Brewhouses, the Hohenzollern Bridge and medieval lanes.
The Old Town is Cologne's tourist center and a living quarter at the same time. Here stand the cathedral, the city hall and Groß St. Martin; here Carnival parades pass through; and in the brewhouses the local Kölsch is poured.
Attractions in Old Town
Old Town
Cologne Cathedral
A Gothic cathedral, UNESCO World Heritage Site and 515 feet tall. With 6 million visitors a year, it is Germany's most-visited landmark.
Free entry
Old Town
Hohenzollern Bridge
A railway bridge famous for its love locks. The best selfie spot, with the cathedral in the background.
Free entry
Old Town
Museum Ludwig
One of the world's most important collections of modern art. Picasso, Pop Art and the Russian avant-garde.
from 11 €
Old Town
Groß St. Martin
A Romanesque basilica with a clover-leaf choir. One of Cologne's twelve great Romanesque churches.
Free entry
Old Town
Cologne City Hall
The oldest city hall in Germany, with a Renaissance loggia and a 200-foot council tower. A carillon plays Stockhausen compositions.
Free entry
Old Town
Heumarkt
At 176,000 square feet, Cologne's second-largest square. Equestrian statue of Friedrich Wilhelm III and the Heinzels Wintermärchen market.
Free entry
Old Town
Wallraf-Richartz Museum
Cologne's oldest picture gallery, with the world's most comprehensive collection of medieval painting.
from 8 €
Old Town
Roman-Germanic Museum
Cologne's archaeology museum, home to the famous Dionysus Mosaic from the year 220 AD.
from 6 €
Old Town
NS Documentation Center
In the historic EL-DE House, Cologne's former Gestapo headquarters. A cellar prison with inscriptions left by the prisoners.
from 4.5 €
Old Town
Hahnentor
A medieval city gate on Rudolfplatz. The coronation gate through which kings passed on their way from Aachen to the cathedral.
Free entry
Old Town
St. Gereon
A Romanesque basilica with the largest self-supporting dome of the Middle Ages north of the Alps.
Free entry
Old Town
St. Aposteln
A Romanesque basilica on Neumarkt with a distinctive trefoil design and twin towers.
Free entry
Hotels in Old Town
Old Town
Excelsior Hotel Ernst
A grand hotel right by the cathedral since 1863. Michelin-starred taku restaurant and timeless elegance.
from
240 € / night
Old Town
The Qvest Hideaway
A design hotel inside a neo-Gothic former city archive. Vintage furniture and a library atmosphere.
from
165 € / night
Old Town
Humboldt1 Palais-Hotel
A 19th-century town palace, a three-minute walk from the cathedral. Classic and elegant.
from
135 € / night
Old Town
Savoy Hotel Köln
A privately run luxury hotel with a spa, library bar and 92 individually designed rooms.
from
195 € / night
Old Town
Köln Marriott Hotel
A glass-fronted hotel across from the Mediapark, five minutes from the cathedral. Skyline rooftop bar on the 16th floor.
from
155 € / night
Old Town
Dom Hotel Köln
Reopened in 2024 after a full renovation. Right by the cathedral with an unobstructed view of it.
from
280 € / night
Old Town
Mondial am Dom
Right between the cathedral and the main station. A classic four-star hotel with a breakfast restaurant.
from
119 € / night
Old Town
Hotel im Wasserturm
An 1872 water tower turned design hotel by Andrée Putman. 88 rooms inside an industrial landmark.
from
220 € / night
Restaurants in Old Town
Old Town
Früh am Dom
A traditional brewhouse pouring Kölsch on tap right next to the cathedral. Halve Hahn, Himmel un Ääd and pork knuckle.
Old Town
Peters Brauhaus
A classic brewhouse with an Art Nouveau interior. A mecca of Köbes culture on the Alter Markt.
Old Town
Gilden im Zims
A modern brewhouse in the historic Zims House. Gilden Kölsch and elevated Rhineland cuisine.
Old Town
Le Moissonnier
A two-star restaurant by Vincent Moissonnier and Eric Menchon. Top French cuisine in a Belle Époque setting.
Old Town
taku im Excelsior
A Michelin-starred restaurant in the Excelsior Hotel Ernst. Pan-Asian cuisine with European precision.
Old Town
Hanse Stube
Classic top German cuisine at the Excelsior. Wood paneling, white tablecloths and traditional service.
Old Town
Lommerzheim
A cult tavern in Deutz with giant pork chops. Päffgen Kölsch and a line out the door from 5pm.
Old Town
Restaurant Mühlengasse
A classic Italian restaurant in the Old Town. Trattoria mood, house-made pasta and a big wine selection.
Discover other neighborhoods
Belgian Quarter
A creative quarter around Brüsseler Platz. Concept stores, indie cafés and young galleries.
Ehrenfeld
A diverse, multicultural quarter with street art, cafés, Turkish markets and underground clubs.
Rheinauhafen
An architecture hotspot on the Rhine. The Crane Houses, the Chocolate Museum and a modern promenade.
Südstadt
A laid-back, student-friendly quarter with Chlodwigplatz, Severinstraße and countless small eateries.