One Day in Cologne: What To See in Cologne, Germany

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Cologne is well-suited for a one-day visit. Most attractions, including the iconic cathedral, are located very close to the central train station.

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Cologne One-Day Itinerary: (Jump To)

• Arrival at the Cologne Train Station

• See The Cologne Cathedral

• Cross the Rhine via the Hohenzollern Bridge

• Shop and Dine in Old Town Cologne

• Other Things to See in Cologne

• Things To See in Cologne (List)

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This is part of our Two Week Germany Itinerary. If you’re planning a visit during Christmas check out our guide to Cologne Christmas Markets.

Well-rested after an amazing day at Hyde Park, we woke up early in Hamburg to take the train to our next destination, Phantasialand, a theme park near Brühl, Germany. The train route takes us right through the city of Cologne, a place we had wanted to visit.

Arrival at the Cologne Train Station

A brief point of confusion. Cologne is written as Köln in German. Don’t miss this important point, or you’ll sit on the train as Cologne/Köln whizzes by.

Cologne is ridiculously easily explored on foot from the train station. The station has ample luggage storage available for a few euros. We hopped off the train, stowed our bags, and were exploring in under ten minutes.

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See The Cologne Cathedral

This is a church lover’s paradise. There are twelve landmarked Romanesque churches in Cologne, some dating as far back as the fourth century. The Roman Catholic churches are open to the public and are probably of great interest to religious scholars, architecture buffs, and people into Jesus art. We are not those people, so instead, we decided to take a look at the most famous church in town the Cologne Cathedral. 

The Cologne Cathedral is the first thing you see when you step out of the train station. It is Germany’s most visited landmark and is the pride of German Catholicism and Gothic Architecture. It is the tallest two-spired church in the world and the third tallest overall. 

Construction began in the mid-13th century and continued until the mid-16th century. After taking a 300-year break, they got around to finishing it up in 1880. There is a beautiful plaza in front of the church and you’re able to walk the exterior perimeter allowing you to get a feel for the true size.

The interior of the church has some 16th-century stained glass, a super-old Jesus on a cross, and a medieval statue. Also inside is the art piece Shrine of the Three Kings, said to hold the remains of the Three Wise Men.

Cross The Rhine Via The Hohenzollern Bridge

In my opinion, the best place to view the cathedral is by crossing the Rhine River via the Hohenzollern Bridge and standing next to the Kaiser Wilhelm horse statue. It’s not just my opinion though, this is the photo of Cologne you see everywhere, including below. 

After crossing the bridge we walked along the Rhine river via the Rheinboulevard, a pedestrian walkway with stairs and overlooks of the river and the Cologne skyline. We crossed back over the Rhine via the Deutz Suspension Bridge into the old town of Cologne.

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Shop and Dine in Old Town Cologne

Old Town Cologne is a wonderful collection of shops and restaurants filling adjoining town squares. There’s always a beautiful church nearby and a fountain in the center of the square. We took a pleasant stroll around the area including some light shopping and browsing before looping back to the train station.

Other Things to See in Cologne

Cologne is also a museum lover's paradise. You’ll find modern art in the Museum Ludwig and history in the Cologne City Museum. There’s also a museum for applied art, East Asian Art, medieval art, young art, Roman history, church history, and even one for the entire history of the world. The Cologne Chocolate Museum will satisfy your sweet tooth and the Duftmuseum im Farina Haus, maybe unsurprisingly, is the museum of fragrances.

Having to catch a 6 pm train to our final destination of the night, we gave the stunning cathedral one last look over our shoulders before reclaiming our bags and boarding the train to Phantasialand.

This is part of our Two Week Germany Itinerary.

Things To See in Cologne

1. Cologne Cathedral

2. Hohenzollern Bridge

3. The Bridge and Church View from the Kaiser Wilhelm Horse Statue

4. Walk the Rheinboulevard

5. Old Town Cologne

6. Museum Ludwig

7. Cologne City Museum

8. Cologne Chocolate Museum

9. Duftmuseum im Farina Haus (Museum of Fragrances)

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