Roman Northern Gate

Rainy-day activities

Meet your guide in the historic old town of Cologne and start your walking tour of some of the city's most famous highlights. Marvel at the towering Cologne Cathedral. Discover the ancient myths, legends, and biblical figures incorporated into its Gothic facade. Journey further back in time and visit a Roman villa with a preserved mosaic floor, Roman tomb, and parts of Roman palace buildings. Walking around the Roman-Germanic Museum, you'll see detailed relics from Cologne's Roman period. Walk across the top of the subterranean Cologne Philharmonic Hall, where you'll visit a Holocaust memorial. Then, make your way to Hohenzollern Bridge to take in panoramas of the old town and the futuristic new harbor district. A stroll along the Rhine then leads you to the largest Romanesque church in Cologne. Wander through ancient alleyways to the city's oldest marketplaces and to the Historic Town Hall. End your tour back at Cologne Cathedral and its fairy tale fountain.

Travel 2,000 years into the past on a self-guided walking tour of Roman Cologne, founded by Emperor Augustus himself. The city’s first 500 years of occupation by the Romans permanently shaped Cologne. On this audio guide tour, see the remnants of this ancient city that are hidden in plain sight. Begin the journey in front of the Kreuzblume beside the Cologne Cathedral, where you’ll hear about the city’s old northern gate. Along the way, check out original Roman stairs, and learn how to spot the celebrated Roman soldiers, Marsilius and Agrippa, on the Gürzenich Köln's imposing Gothic facade. The audio guide will point out the Great St Martin Church which was built in the Middle Ages on the foundations of a Roman warehouse in the former Roman temple district, St Maria im Kapitol. Find out why Die Römische Hafenstraße in Köln (a Roman harbor road) was imperfectly rebuilt in Kurt Hackenberg Platz and locate the largest Roman palace in the Rhineland. Hear about an ancient Roman sewer that survived wars, floods, and the industrial revolution, but might soon succumb to German fire protection regulations. Walk down one of the oldest continuously used roads in an urban center north of the Alps. Peer through the window of the Roman-Germanic Museum to see one of the world’s largest and best-preserved Roman mosaics. Find an archaeological gem inside a metro station and learn what the 1969 moon landing has to do with the ancient Romans in Cologne. By the end of the tour, you’ll also know why the Romans founded a city so far from their home, and where to find remnants of their walls in places you may never expect. The walk through the ages comes to an end near the Ubii Monument, the oldest stone tower in Germany.

During our walk through the old town of Cologne, we discover more than 2000 years of history, from the Roman city, through the dark Middle Ages, to the city of Cologne as we know it today. Who was Agrippina, one of the most feared women in Roman history in the eyes of the world but the most appreciated by the inhabitants of this city? Why does the Lindt Chocolate company have a super famous museum in the city despite being a Swiss company? What does Napoleon have to do with Cologne? And have you ever wondered if the cologne you wear as perfume Eau de Cologne has something to do with our city? There is a lot to discover on our tour through Germany's fourth largest city, the so-called "Jewel of the Rhein River". Besides telling you the most curious stories and the most important facts to make you become a Cologne know-it-all, we will also offer you the most fun culinary suggestions: from bretzels in nice cafés to beers in the most amazing local breweries! We are going to see some of the most interesting hidden corners of the city and talk about the impressive cathedral, our famous “Kölner Dom”! During your tour, we share funny legends and anecdotes with you. Meet new friends and learn about Cologne on this tour. Join us and discover the secrets of this historic city, we will show you why we say “Home is where the Dom is”!

Go on a walking tour of Cologne’s old town and visit its most beautiful sites. Listen to your local guide tell you all about the history and culture of the city. Make stops at Neumarkt, Cologne Cathedral, Cologne City Hall, and more. Begin by meeting your guide at the Romans' Northern Gate. Head to the world-famous Cologne Cathedral. Admire the UNESCO World Heritage Site from the outside, as your guide tells you all about the history of the city’s landmark. Continue to explore Cologne's Roman origins, and make stops at sites such as the town hall and the Romanesque Great St. Martin Church. Learn all about the traditions that are special to Cologne, such as carnival. Find out why people from the city have a reputation for being friendly.