Cologne is rarely the holiday destination for families with children — for a good reason. If you glance at the list of attractions, you'll find plenty of places to visit with children of all ages. Think of it as a good building block, from a fortress to an amusement park, with everything you could want. Our Cologne trip itinerary for children is like an instruction manual.
And if you were planning to visit one of Germany's oldest cities only as a stopover, perhaps we can convince you to stick around for a few days: Cologne tours will impress adults and young travellers.
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Day 1. Cologne city centre, Cologne Cathedral, Romano-Germanic Museum, Bimmelbahn tour
If you arrive in Cologne by plane, you have already seen the city's modern buildings. But if you arrive by train, you'll find yourself in the historic part of the city. The centrepiece of the architecture is the world-famous Cologne Cathedral.
This tall building nearly miraculously escaped World War II and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site today. Even if you're not ready to endlessly contemplate the fine details of the facade, the striking stained glass windows, and the rich interior, be sure to climb up to the cathedral's observation deck, where you can see the old city and its narrow streets, as well as the modern quarters.
On a walk through the historic centre, children won't be without joyful discoveries either. Not far from the Cologne Cathedral, they will see the Fountain of the Dwarfs, an entire fairy tale carved in stone.
Then kids will be lining up to rub the noses of the sly Skal and the simple-minded Thunnes — their sculptures stand in the Old Square. And on Fish Market Square, look out for lanterns, house numbers and door handles, which can be shaped like fish.
You're away from the train station but see a train in front of you? Then it's the Bimmelbahn sightseeing train that runs through the streets of old Cologne. Hop on, and it will take you past the old Town Hall, all 12 Romanesque churches, Romanesque architecture and the ancient city gates. Depending on your itinerary, the Chocolate Museum or the Zoo is your last stop.
During the pre-Christmas period, a festive express train travels through the central part of the city, connecting the four biggest Christmas markets.
By the way, it is not only architectural monuments from the Roman period that tell the story of the Colonia Claudius and the Altar of the Agrippines that appeared on the banks of the Rhine in A.D. 50. Archaeological finds connected with the Roman occupation of Cologne are on display in the Romano-Germanic Museum. The exhibition will be of particular interest to students who have already studied the history of the ancient world and the Middle Ages.
Peace and war, financial relations and trade, science and creativity will be presented to you in the halls.
The museum has a collection of over 3 million items and was built on the site where the Dionysus mosaic was discovered during excavations — today, this perfectly preserved panel can be seen in the basement of the building.
Day 2. Rhine Park, children's railway, Odysseum museum
Cologne is a green city with so many parks. In the city's centre, the Rhine Park stretches right along the banks of the Rhine. This is a great place to take your child for a walk in Cologne.
And if strolling through the alleys seems boring, take a trip around the park in a Children's Railroad carriage.
There are several different trains on the route, and not only do they run along the paths and across the lawns, showing their passengers the most beautiful parts of the park.
And there is a lot to admire here: smart flowerbeds, intricate sculptures, ships sailing down the Rhine. On the way, one can enjoy the superb children's playground, the Roman bath-like Claudius Therme complex, and the dancing fountain. The thermal baths and saunas are more suitable for adults, but the performance of the dancing fountain surprises the whole family.
Although even a regular walk turns into a series of experiments and discoveries for children, we suggest you take your child's curiosity in the right direction and visit the Odysseum Experimental and Play Museum with them.
The exhibits will give you a glimpse into the world of science (sometimes, you even have to look through a microscope). Pre-schoolers can play and learn in the 'Mouse Museum', while school-aged children can experiment in the physical phenomena room. The museum's adventure component impresses even adults: you can go on a walk with dinosaurs, fly at the controls of an aeroplane, train on a space simulator or, at the very least, overcome all the obstacles of a rope park.
Another surprise for museum visitors is the exhibition dedicated to Harry Potter. It tells how the films about the young wizard were made and even reveals some of the magic secrets.
Day 3. Zoo, Cable car, Aqualand Water Park
One of Germany's oldest zoos is located in Cologne. It started operating in 1860, just 16 years after Berlin's zoo. Today it is home to around 10,000 animals, and no one is bored alone — the animals roam around in their enclosures in whole families. There are even so many elephants that the zoo has two elephant parks. Do these big-eared giants seem quiet to you? They're very friendly, except they "talk" to each other with infrasound.
But other animals can be pretty noisy. You'll find youngsters cheering in the spacious Monkey House and birds chirping in the tropical garden. By the way, the Cologne Zoo hosts an air show, not aeroplanes, but birds ranging from parrots to eagles.
Another fascinating corner of the Cologne Zoo is the Hippodrome. It's fun to visit the hippos and see how deftly they swim.
Don't forget to visit the aquarium, terrarium and insectarium. Fish, reptiles, spiders, butterflies and other insects will amaze you with their various sizes and colours. If you have no sympathy for reptiles and arthropods, visit Clemenshof Farm, where cows, goats, sheep, pigs and poultry live.
Although watching the animals is always a pleasure, we recommend saving your energy for more excitement. Next to the zoo is the Cologne cable car station, from where you can fly over Cologne.
The cable car runs from April to October. The route is 930 metres long and crosses the Rhine and the Zoobrücke Bridge, and from the cabin, you can admire all the sights of the city. The ride ends in Rhine Park, where you can continue with your children.
If you are on holiday in Cologne in the winter, why not take a day out in the summer? Under the Aqualand Aquapark's dome, it's warm all year round, and there's plenty of water fun for the whole family.
Kids have their shallow pool, the older ones can test their courage on one of the twisting slides, and parents can enjoy the sauna and relaxation area. During the warmer months, the water park has outdoor pools, and the green lawns offer a chance to run around on the soft grass or lie on a sun lounger.
Day 4. Chocolate Museum
The building, which looks like a giant ship sailing down the Rhine, is none other than the Chocolate Museum.
One only has to walk from the stern to the bow of this vessel to see the cacao tree's fruit transformed into chocolate candy.
Visitors first visit the greenhouse where, as in the equatorial forest, the cocoa beans ripen. The ripe fruit is transported to the chocolate factory, where the magic begins: you need to know a lot of secrets to make your favourite treat delicious and flavourful. You can learn these by observing the confectioners through the panoramic windows.
Regarding the secrets of the production, don't miss the chocolate fountain. Put a waffle in your child's hand — you can dip it in chocolate and get an incomparably tasty treat! The museum also exhibits how the Indians discovered how to make cocoa and how this popular product came to Europe.
Another fascinating exhibit is the ingredients used to make chocolates. Visitors to the Museum of Chocolate in Cologne are given a small sweet treat, and all the products made in the mini-factory can be bought in the museum shop.
День 5. Phantasia Land Amusement Park
Do you plan to take your children to Disneyland someday? It's a long way from Cologne to Paris, only 26 km to Brühl, where Phantasia Land is located.
It is no less fun and exciting than Paris with its rides and shows. So much fun and adventure await you! Flying on a dragon, rafting down a violent river, meeting trolls and visiting an alchemist's laboratory are just some of them.
Even the most familiar attractions can surprise you. For example, there is nothing unexpected about the merry-go-round. But what if all of a sudden, fountains come out of it? Such surprises will cheer up even the most sophisticated amusement park-goer.
Phantasia Land is divided into six themed zones to visit Berlin and China, Africa and Mexico, and even Fantasyland and the Mysterious Land on the same day.
The decorations and special effects accentuate the atmosphere in each area, and the rides fit well with the theme.
The park's youngest guests have their area — the Children's Village. The unique playgrounds are suitable for all kinds of games. The children can also enjoy meeting characters from their favourite fairy tales, puppet shows and musical performances. There are also plenty of attractions for children in the Cologne area — from the Sea Life Aquarium to the Neanderthal Museum — in Oberhausen, Neuss, Mettmann and Duisburg. So feel accessible to book hotels in Cologne for holidays with children, plan an excursion programme, and you're guaranteed the best experience!
