Cologne Old Town (Altstadt) Tours and Tickets

There are plenty of ways to experience Cologne Old Town. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• Cologne City Tour Experience Cathedral City on the Rhine

• Entertaining Brewery Tour: Feel Good Package including Local Beer

• Cologne Night Tour "Torch Tour Alternative Night Watchman"

• Private Walking Tour of Cologne's Old Town

• Cologne Scavenger Hunt and Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour

It’s free to visit Cologne Old Town but there are lots of tours available that offer a cost-effective and informative way to discover its highlights. Self-guided audio tours start at US$6, brewery tours are upwards of US$33, and private walking tours typically begin at US$95.

Yes, Cologne Old Town is definitely worth visiting. It's home to the Cologne Cathedral, cobbled streets, lively squares, and local breweries where you can sample the famous Kölsch beer. Most people head straight to the Old Town, but to maximize your time in the city, consider booking a walking tour. These tours are a great way to get your bearings while learning about the city's history.

Per one customer who booked the Cologne City Tour Experience Cathedral City on the Rhine, "Sascha was a great guide. He explained everything well and was fun and interactive with us. He pointed out the little things that made the tour interesting and I learned a lot about the history of Cologne. We even got to stop at a quaint coffee shop along the way. Would recommend this tour."

Cologne Old Town’s standout attraction is Cologne Cathedral, renowned for its Gothic architecture. Other notable landmarks include the Old Town Hall, Roman-Germanic Museum, Museum Ludwig, and Great St. Martin’s Church. For photography fans, a riverside walk leads to Hohenzollern Bridge, which boasts stunning views of the Old Town’s architecture.

Yes, a popular local dish is halve hahn—a traditional sandwich with rye bread, cheese, onions, and mustard. For something more substantial, himmel und aad is mashed potatoes, apple puree, fried black pudding, and onions. Of course, don’t forget to wash everything down with the local alcoholic specialty—a Kolsch beer.

Yes, there are lots of different guided tours available in Cologne Old Town. Walking tours take you down atmospheric alleyways that are inaccessible by car or bus. Bike tours allow you to check off more sights in less time, and boat tours along the Rhine offer incredible city views.

For mild weather, without the huge summer crowds, spring (April through June) and fall (September through October) are great months to visit Cologne. Outside of these months, you can enjoy festivals like Cologne Carnival in February or the annual Christmas Market in December, which centers around the Old Town.

It depends on what you’re looking for. If you’re after 5-star luxury and a perfect location near Cologne Cathedral, then Excelsior Hotel Ernst is a great choice. However, there are also plenty of apartments and affordable hotels to suit different budgets, such as the 3-star boutique Stern am Rathaus hotel.

Shoppers will find diverse shopping opportunities in Cologne. The Alter Markt, a marketplace at the heart of the city, is a great place to go souvenir shopping. Alternatively, the Schildergasse is a long, pedestrianized shopping street with a range of shops, from trendy boutiques to internationally known stores.

There are tons of things to do when you're done visiting Cologne Old Town. According to travelers, these are some of the top attractions in Cologne:

• Cologne Cathedral

• Hohenzollern Bridge

• Roman-Germanic Museum

• Museum Ludwig

• Cologne Chocolate Museum

View Viator's guide to all the best attractions in Cologne.