- Destinations
- Cologne
- On a budget
Cologne on a budget
From its cultural highs to its cathedral – via famous local beer Kölsch – here’s how to do a trip to Cologne for less.
How to plan your journey
Pondering your next city break in Europe? A trip to Cologne is a great idea year-round, even on the tightest of budgets. Dominated by its twin-spired cathedral, it has so much more to offer, from masterpiece-filled museums to laidback beer gardens, and unmissable events like carnival. Travelling from London to Cologne by train is easy, too: just head to Brussels and change on to another Eurostar service. Or you can just go direct from Brussels. To get the best deals on tickets, book ahead, and travel midweek if you can. If you’re travelling with kids, there are discounted fares for four to 11s, while younger children go free.
The best of Cologne on a budget
There’s lots to do without going into the red, from gargoyle-spotting in the Old Town to strolling by the Rhine, with a stop to see the lovers’ locks on Hohenzollernbrücke bridge. To get your bearings, take a walking tour; with Freewalk Cologne and you pay what you can at the end.
Don’t-miss sights and museums
The cathedral, or Kölner Dom, is Germany’s most visited attraction – and it’s free to explore this Gothic masterpiece. Nearby, the Picasso-packed Museum Ludwig is well worth the price of admission (€11, or free for under-18s). It shares a home with the Philharmonic Hall, which sometimes stages free rehearsals on Thursday lunchtimes. Across the river, it costs €3 to ascend the KölnTriangle for panoramic Old-Town views. Other local landmarks don’t cost a cent to see, from the bold Kranhäuser (crane houses) to the decagon-domed St Gereon’s. Need more tips? Read our guide to the ultimate weekend in Cologne, or score great deals on tickets and activities with our partner Musement.
Parks and green spaces
Over a quarter of Cologne is swathed in greenery, starting with its century-old grüngürtel (green belt). The inner section curves round the city centre, criss-crossed with paths and cycling trails, while the wooded outer belt’s home to Lindenthaler Tierpark, with deer, ducks and goats for kids to feed. On the Rhine’s right bank, meanwhile, the sprawling Rheinpark has splendid cathedral vistas. Afterwards, take a sunset stroll along the Rheinpromenade, or hop into a canary-yellow cable car (€5). It’ll whisk you back across the river to the free botanical gardens, with their lily ponds, pergolas and palm-fringed glasshouses.
Only in Cologne
One of the city’s more unusual sights is St Ursula’s, whose baroque Goldene Kammer (Golden Chamber) is adorned with bones – said to belong to 11,000 martyred virgins. If you’re into architecture, head to Ehrenfeld’s soaring Central Mosque or the Kolumba Museum of religious art. The latter charges an admission fee, but it’s worth it just for the setting: an elegantly-perforated building by Swiss architect Peter Zumthor. For something more action-packed, consider Surf Langenfeld, which – in a world first – generates a standing wave on a lake. It’s under an hour north of Cologne by train, and while surf sessions aren’t free, they’re fairly priced given the novelty.
Discover the food scene in Cologne
Prices are fair and portions generous at the city’s brauhaus (brewhouses): feast on sauerkraut and sausage, or pork knuckle with potato dumplings. Beyond that, Cologne’s affordable eats run from pho to kebabs: for the best addresses, see our eating guide.
Where to eat and drink for less
To find the city’s best cheap eats, go where the locals go. Habibi is a classic, serving falafel wraps and Lebanese shawarma in a pumping, poster-lined room, while Kyffhäuserstrasse is a hotspot for cheap eats, from Thai canteen Khun Mae to homespun Columbian café Rosa & Paula. For cask Kölsch and the best pork chops in town, cross the river to Deutz, home to the iconic Gaststätte Lommerzheim. Stay on a beer theme by hopping between Cologne’s thousand-odd büdchen (kiosks): think corner shops doubling as makeshift bars. More in the mood for a cocktail? They’re €10 at the late-opening Zum Scheuen Reh; when the music gets too loud, decamp to its leafy terrace.
Standout street food
The city’s signature street food has to be the kebab, delivered to perfection at joints like Mem-Et, Kebapland and Oruc. Keep your eyes peeled for food trucks like Goodman’s, with its burgers and plant-based patties, and the family-run Los Carnales, which rustles up excellent tacos. If it’s more a snack you had in mind, dinky takeaway Rievkoochebud specialises in rievkooche– traditional potato fritters with sauces or smoked salmon on the side. For a snapshot of the local street-food scene, the Meet & Eat market pops up on Rudolfplatz on Thursday evenings (4pm–9pm). Alternatively, eat your way around Cologne’s Street Food Festival, held in Ehrenfeld.
Where to stay on a budget
Hotel rates are generally moderate, with familiar chains and cool budget brands competing for your custom. The city centre has its bargains, especially if you’re travelling midweek, but Cologne’s charismatic veedels (neighbourhoods) are also a good bet.
The best areas to stay in Cologne
By the river, the medieval Aldstadt (Old Town) is perfectly placed for sightseeing, as are the Belgian Quarter and Neumarkt – both shopping and dining hubs. For lower prices and a slice of local life, venture a little further out. Near the botanical gardens, Nippes is known for its fleamarket and live music venues, while southerly Südstadt is family-friendly, laidback and home to some superlative restaurants. Dotted with cafés and street art, northerly Ehrenfeld draws a hipster crowd, while Deutz is central but quiet, with skyline views of the Old Town, just across the Rhine.
Wallet-friendly stays
Ruby Ella combines a central location with a ‘lean luxury’ ethos – which translates to stays from around €150, in sleek, boutique-hotel surrounds. The Flandrischer Hof has lower rates and a plum location in the Belgian Quarter, while the polished Mercure Hotel Severinshof Köln is handy for the old harbour, and 20 minutes’ walk from the cathedral. If you don’t mind roaming further, the Ibis Köln Frechen (set off the autobahn west of Cologne) is something of a steal. Happy to kip in a hostel? Die Wohngemeinschaft sets the bar high, with its Belgian-Quarter setting, sleek café-bar and design-forward dorms.
Top tips for Cologne
Sightseeing in the compact city centre is easy on foot: walk out of the train station and the cathedral’s the first thing you’ll see. For wider explorations, there’s a slick public transport system, along with a comprehensive network of cycle paths.
Getting around
It’s best to stick to your own two feet in the city centre, but for longer trips, KBV run the public transport network, spanning trains, trams and buses. Single tickets start at €2.50, while a 24-hour pass is €8.50 (comparable to the cost of a KölnCard, which adds museum discounts to free public transport). Thanks to Cologne’s flat terrain, extensive bike lanes and riverside promenades, it’s tailor-made for taking to two wheels. If you’re planning to rent a bike, your Eurostar ticket gets you 15% off bike rentals and tours at Radstation Köln, based at the main train station.
Standout seasonal events
Visiting a Christmas market in Cologne is unbeatably atmospheric. It’s also free in theory – though few can resist the glühwein, or a whizz around the open-air ice rink at the magical Heinzelmännchen market. Come Easter, the carnival is a city-wide free party, with the Kölsch-fuelled celebrations climaxing in the colourful Rose Monday parade. Avoid pricey beach clubs in summer months and cycle south to the Rodenkirchen Riviera, with plenty of grass to spread your towel on. The Rhine’s currents are too strong for a swim, so instead hit the natural pool at Lentpark, or Naturfreibad Vingst, with its lake and fine sand beach.
Cheap hotels in Cologne
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FAQs
If you are flexible with your travel dates and can book well in advance, you’ll easily snap up cheap train tickets to Cologne. Find out how to book cheap Eurostar train tickets.
Inexpensive – and sometimes notably stylish – hotels aren’t hard to find in Cologne, and the city also has some brilliant hostels. The pick of the bunch is Die Wohngemeinschaft, a Belgian-Quarter address with its own theatre and a buzzing café-bar.
Eating street food for lunch, visiting a brewhouse for dinner, and sharing a double room (with the odd museum thrown into the mix), you can comfortably get by in Cologne for €75 a day.
Walking and biking are the most economical – and enjoyable – ways to get around, though the public transport network is easy to use and reasonably priced.
Cologne Cathedral, for a start. You should also check out monuments like the Hohenzollern Bridge, districts like the waterfront Rheinauhafen, and the city’s parks and gardens: don’t miss the riverside Rheinpark, or free botanical gardens.
For culture lovers, the Museumscard (€20, or €32 for a family of four) covers free admission to Cologne’s municipal museums. You can use it on two consecutive days, with free public transport on the first day. The 24- or 48-hour KölnCard (€9/€18), is another option, offering discounts on museum admission and free public transport.
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