City breaks along the Rhine

Cologne has many different faces: it’s a university town, a media hub, a city of art and an economic powerhouse with one of Germany’s largest exhibition centres. In short, Cologne lives and breathes history and culture, with something to discover around every corner.

Thanks to its cathedral (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), 12 Romanesque churches and Roman sites, this old city on the Rhine has become a major centre of Western cultural heritage. And when it comes to having a good time, there’s nowhere else quite like Cologne. Every celebration – whether it’s a television gala, a press ball, a carnival party or a student club night – is guaranteed to feature Kölsch, the local top-fermented beer.

Travel to Cologne on an A-ROSA river cruise

Step aboard one of the A-ROSA cruise ships, and discover the city of Cologne from the water. You’ll travel along the Rhine to Amsterdam, Basel or Antwerp.

During your Rhine cruise, the A-ROSA AQUA, the A-ROSA BRAVA, the A-ROSA SILVA, the A-ROSA FLORA and the A-ROSA SENA will dock directly in central Cologne. You can walk into town, where you can kick off your visit straight away by visiting the famous Cologne Cathedral.

Why not pop into one of the many bars in the old town and enjoy a glass of draught Kölsch beer?

Then, discover even more of Cologne with A-ROSA by visiting the Chocolate Museum or the Museum Ludwig.

A-ROSA river cruises to Cologne in 2023

To Rhine Mini Cruise: Rhine Mini Cruise Main & Lorelei 2023

4

nights

Rhine Mini Cruise Main & Lorelei 2023 International

From Cologne to Rüdesheim, Frankfurt and Koblenz to Cologne.

from 627 pp

To Rhine Cruise: Rhine Mini Cruise Netherlands 2023

4

nights

Rhine Mini Cruise Netherlands 2023 International

From Cologne to Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Emmerich to Cologne.

from 599 pp

To Rhine River Cruise: Rhine Metropolises 2023

5

nights

Rhine Metropolises 2023 International

From Cologne to Willemstad, Antwerp, Amsterdam and Düsseldorf to Cologne.

from 934 pp

To Rhine River Cruise: Romance on the Rhine 2023

5

nights

Romance on the Rhine 2023 International

From Cologne to Rüdesheim, Germersheim (Speyer), Strasbourg (Kehl), Mainz and Koblenz to Cologne.

from 934 pp

To Moselle River Cruise: Experience the Moselle 2023

5

nights

Experience the Moselle 2023 International

From Cologne to Cochem, Trier-Mehring, Bernkastel-Kues and Koblenz to Cologne.

from 934 pp

To Rhine & Moselle River Cruise: Rhine Christmas Markets 2023

5

nights

Rhine Christmas Markets 2023 International

From Cologne to Rüdesheim, Germersheim (Speyer), Strasbourg (Kehl), Mainz and Koblenz to Cologne.

from 934 pp

To Rhine River Cruise: Rhine Enchanting Christmas 2023

5

nights

Rhine Enchanting Christmas 2023 International

From Cologne to Rüdesheim, Germersheim (Speyer), Strasbourg (Kehl), Mainz and Koblenz to Cologne.

from 1,234 pp

To Rhine River Cruise: Rhine Christmas Markets City Experience 2023

5

nights

Rhine Christmas Markets City Experience 2023 International

From Cologne to Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Utrecht to Cologne.

from 1,134 pp

To Rhine River Cruise: Rhine City Experiences 2023

5

nights

Rhine City Experiences 2023 International

From Cologne to Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Utrecht to Cologne.

from 1,134 pp

To Rhine Cruise: Rhine Enchanting New Year's 2023

6

nights

Rhine Enchanting New Year's 2023 International

From Cologne to Rüdesheim, Germersheim (Speyer), Strasbourg (Kehl), Frankfurt and Mainz to Cologne.

from 1,541 pp

To Rhine River Cruise: Rhine Christmas City Experience 2023

7

nights

Rhine Christmas City Experience 2023 International

From Cologne to Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Dordrecht, Antwerp and Cruising Day to Cologne.

from 1,848 pp

To Rhine River Cruise: Rhine New Year's City Experience 2023

7

nights

Rhine New Year's City Experience 2023 International

From Cologne to Rotterdam, Antwerp, Dordrecht, Amsterdam and Cruising Day to Cologne.

from 2,698 pp

To Rhine River Cruise: Experience the Southern Rhine 2023

7

nights

Experience the Southern Rhine 2023 International

From Cologne to Rüdesheim, Germersheim (Speyer), Breisach, Basel, Strasbourg (Kehl), Mainz and Koblenz to Cologne.

from 1,898 pp

To Rhine River Cruise: Experience the Northern Rhine 2023

7

nights

Experience the Northern Rhine 2023 International

From Cologne to Willemstad, Ghent, Antwerp, Amsterdam, Hoorn and Emmerich to Cologne.

from 1,548 pp

To Rhine & Main River Cruise: Romance on the Main Nuremberg - Cologne 2023

7

nights

Romance on the Main Nuremberg - Cologne 2023 International

From Nuremberg to Bamberg, Würzburg, Wertheim, Frankfurt and Koblenz to Cologne.

from 1,798 pp

To Rhine & Main River Cruise: Romance on the Main Cologne - Nuremberg 2023

7

nights

Romance on the Main Cologne - Nuremberg 2023 International

From Cologne to Koblenz, Frankfurt, Wertheim, Würzburg and Bamberg to Nuremberg.

from 1,798 pp

To Rhine Cruise: Rhine Discovery St. Goar 2023

7

nights

Rhine Discovery St. Goar 2023 International

From Cologne to Koblenz, Speyer, Strasbourg (Kehl), Mainz and Boppard to Cologne.

from 1,998 pp

To Rhine River Cruise: Rhine Discovery Amsterdam & Rotterdam 2023

7

nights

Rhine Discovery Amsterdam & Rotterdam 2023 International

From Cologne to Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Dordrecht, Antwerp and Cruising Day to Cologne.

from 1,648 pp

To Rhine Cruise: Rhine Experience Amsterdam - Basel 2023

7

nights

Rhine Experience Amsterdam - Basel 2023 International

From Amsterdam to Hoorn, Emmerich, Cologne, Rüdesheim, Germersheim (Speyer) and Breisach to Basel.

from 1,998 pp

To Rhine Cruise from Basel: Rhine Experience Basel - Amsterdam 2023

7

nights

Rhine Experience Basel - Amsterdam 2023 International

From Basel to Strasbourg (Kehl), Mainz, Koblenz, Cologne, Willemstad, Ghent and Antwerp to Amsterdam.

from 1,998 pp

To Romance in the Middle Rhine Valley 2023: Romance in the Middle Rhine Valley 2023

7

nights

Romance in the Middle Rhine Valley 2023 International

From Cologne to Rüdesheim, Nierstein, Strasbourg (Kehl), Mainz, Koblenz and Bonn to Cologne.

from 1,548 pp

To Rhine River Cruise, Moselle River Cruise: Experience the Northern Rhine & Moselle 2023

9

nights

Experience the Northern Rhine & Moselle 2023 International

From Cologne to Cochem, Trier-Mehring, Bernkastel-Kues, Koblenz, Nijmegen, Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Emmerich to Cologne.

from 2,212 pp

To Rhine River Cruise: Experience the Rhine & the Sea 2023

9

nights

Experience the Rhine & the Sea 2023 International

From Cologne to Willemstad, Antwerp, Ghent, Dordrecht, Lelystad, Harlingen, Hoorn and Emmerich to Cologne.

from 2,212 pp

To Rhine Cruise: Rhine Panorama 2023

9

nights

Rhine Panorama 2023 International

From Cologne to Rüdesheim, Germersheim (Speyer), Strasbourg (Kehl), Mainz, Koblenz, Nijmegen, Rotterdam and Emmerich to Cologne.

from 2,212 pp

The best sights and destinations in Cologne

Cologne Cathedral

Cologne Cathedral

Today, Cologne Cathedral is still one of the most important buildings in the Christian world. The walls of this masterfully designed place of worship give way to large window areas and delicate tracery. The Gero Crucifix on the north side of the ambulatory is one of the oldest remaining large-scale sculptures from the Middle Ages, and the window designed by Gerhard Richter is one of the most recent highlights.

The Chocolate Museum

The Chocolate Museum sits like a ship made of glass and metal in the Rheinauhafen, directly in front of the old town and close to Cologne Cathedral. Special facilities for children make for an unforgettable visit: youngsters can go on a tour and learn everything worth knowing about this sweet treat at the chocolate school. They can also take part in special chocolate workshops and have a go at making their own.

Museum Ludwig

This building houses Cologne’s entire 20th- and 21st-century municipal art collection and is considered the city’s flagship museum. It is named after the collectors Irene and Peter Ludwig, who donated their pop art collection to the city in 1968. Thanks to a generous gift by Irene Ludwig in 2001, following Peter’s death, the museum now has the world’s third-largest Picasso collection, among others.

The old town

South of Cologne Cathedral is Roncalliplatz, with Heinzelmännchenbrunnen on its south-west corner. From here, the old town stretches down to the river, with its cobbled squares and winding alleyways all eventually leading to the Frankenwerft – a promenade along the Rhine lined with typical bars, restaurants and small shops.