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Christmas market in Cologne

Dates and opening hours: 

Cologne Cathedral Christmas Market

17th November to 23rd December

Mon-Wed & Sun: 11am-9pm

Thu-Fri: 11am-10pm

Sat: 10am-10pm

Please note that dates and opening hours may vary. You can visit the Christmas market's own website with current information.

Every year, Cologne's beautiful city centre is transformed into a magical Christmas landscape filled with festive activities. When Cologne's Christmas markets open on the last Monday before Advent, it's in the company of millions of visitors - both locals and visitors from all over the world. Christmas music, crafts and art, toys, Christmas decorations and the smell of the many Christmas bakeries create a wonderful atmosphere in the city. Cologne has several Christmas markets to offer and there is certainly something for everyone.

In front of the city's landmark, the impressive cathedral, more than 150 charming wooden stalls await. This market is centrally located between the Roman-German Museum and Cologne's Concert Hall. From here, it's just a short walk to the city's attractive shopping district, where you can complement your Christmas shopping with plenty of well-known shops and brands.

An enchanting Christmas market is set up at Neumarkt, with angels as one of the absolute highlights as they walk around dressed in white, spreading glitter and Christmas cheer among visitors.

The city's beautiful harbour, with its picturesque view of the Rhine, offers a most charming Christmas market with a maritime atmosphere that really brings life and joy to visitors.

One of the city's most popular Christmas markets is the 'Heinzel-Weinachtsmarkt in der Altstadt', located on the Alter Markt in front of the city hall. Children especially love this Christmas market because of the nostalgic carousels, the puppet theatre and Santa's quarter. With its charming setting in the Altstadt, the Heinzel Christmas Market has attracted young and old for years.

Visit the cosy Christmas market in the Stadtgarten and the aptly named Rudolfplatz, each of which has something special to offer in terms of stalls and atmosphere.

Risskov has a good selection of cosy hotels and accommodation in Cologne and the surrounding area. Take a cheap self-drive holiday to the beautiful metropolis and experience all the magical Christmas markets and the wonderful Christmas atmosphere with a cheap hotel stay nearby.

Cologne

Take a car holiday in Germany and head south to Cologne. Find child-friendly hotels in the area at Risskov and drive off at your own pace. Visit the cathedral city of Cologne, where it's a must to enjoy an afternoon in the small, cosy taverns around Alter Markt and Heumarkt and one of the great breweries in the old town. The local beer, the Kölsch - the city's national drink - flows freely here, Rhineland specialities are served and the atmosphere is lovely and relaxed.

Cologne's museums meet all expectations, not least the magnificent Museum Ludwig with works by Picasso, Warhol and Lichtenstein. The Roman-Germanic Museum, with exhibits from Cologne's 2000-year history, is also worth a visit.

Probably the most beautiful view of Cologne's Old Town and the cathedral is from the viewing platform at KölnTriangle, 100 metres above sea level. Find a cheap hotel stay at Risskov and take the whole family on an adventure trip in Cologne.

Phantasialand

Take the whole family for a ride in one of Germany's most popular theme parks, Phantasialand, located in Brühl just south of Cologne. The park has been around since 1967 and offers a veritable maze of rides and carousels, exciting themed areas, fun activities, unique flavours and magnificent entertainment. Don't miss out on a wonderful trip to Phantasialand during a family holiday near Cologne.

Bonn

In Bonn you can e.g. visit the art gallery, the Historical Museum or take a trip to Beethoven's childhood home. In the winter, you can experience the beautiful Christmas market in Bonn, where the whole city is lit up by beautiful lights from decorations and the smell of Christmas baking is in every street.

Drachenburg Castle

Visit the beautiful Schloss Drachenburg, located on the outskirts of Bonn. After an extensive renovation, visitors can now walk through the castle and experience what life was like back in the 19th century. Also take a walk in the large palace park surrounding the castle.

End your visit with a tour of the Museum zur Geschichte des Naturschutzes, housed in a building right next to the castle.

Siebengebirge

The Siebengebirge Nature Park stretches from the Bonn urban area to Bad Honnef. The nature park is a unique landscape filled with ridges originating from a volcano. The nature park also offers vineyards, beech and oak forests as well as fantastic vantage points where you can see beyond the Rhine Valley.