The Most Unique Experiences to Have in Cologne

The sewers in Cologne were first built when the Romans were in town, so they’ve seen a lot… of stuff and, more importantly, worked just fine until a population explosion in the 19th century pushed the 1800 year old infrastructure past its capacity. The new system, unveiled in 1890 was so impressive, the King decided to visit, and what does a sewer worthy of royalty need? A chandelier. Or two.

In the end the King didn’t show, but the chandeliers stayed. In the 21st century there are tours of the sewers and a regular concert has been happening every year since 2000. The German word – Kronleuchtersaal – may be a help with any Google searching.

A delight for kids of all ages, the Weiß-Zundorf ferry, called the Krokodil crosses the Rhine in the south of Cologne after it makes a bend towards Bonn. The trip takes about 10 minutes and cuts straight across the river, it’s a great way to see cargo ships up close as they come careering around the corner. The ferry as the midpoint in a bike ride from the main station along the left side of the Rhine to Zundorf and then back into town through Weiss, makes a great day out.

Cologne has two famous perfume houses: 4711 and Farina. It is possible to buy a bottle from either, but for a special souvenir, head to 4711’s headquarters in Glockengasse and design your own signature scent in one of the workshops. Given every Thursday at 3pm and lasting one hour, the workshops are usually in German. If that’s a bit too much for you, it’s possible to arrange a private English tutorial.

In the centre of the road, in the centre of town lies a secret encased in cement. In 1989, an artist called Wolf Vostell covered an old Opel Captain with cement and hid it in plain sight on an island in the middle of the road. For days after the car’s entombment, the radio could still be heard. Find this strange piece of Cologne history between Friesenplatz and Rudolfplatz, right near the Rewe supermarket.