Strange Things to Do In Cologne

An Overview of Cologne

Cologne is a 2000-year-old, large German city seated on the edge of the Rhine River. The city is home to a Roman-Catholic archbishop and an influential university. The most famous icon of the city is the massive Gothic Church in the city’s center, a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city itself is full of odd lore, great pubs, old ruins, impressive views over the river, vast parks and winding old town roads. There are many strange things to do in Cologne, including monument tours, interactive chocolate museum walkthroughs, love-lock bridge visits and more.

Strange Things to Do In Cologne

Cologne Cathedral

This is one of the grandest Gothic buildings in the world. The Cologne Cathedral is the centerpiece for the entire city. It towers over the lower buildings with sharp spires and imposing dark stones. The Cathedral hosts a large plaza which is popular for street performances and access to and Old Town.

Imhoff-Schokoladenmuseum (the Chocolate Museum)

This is a delicious interactive museum where the exhibits create edible treats for museum patrons.  Visitors are granted several small chocolates throughout the tour, including those they make themselves. The exhibits discuss the process of making German choclate, as well as the history of chocolate after the materials were imported from the Americas. There is also a chocolate café at the end of the tour.

Basilica of St. Ursula and the Golden Room/Chamber

This is a legendary building rooted in the story of St. Ursula (A British Princess),  According to the story, St. Ursula was traveling with 11,000 virgins through mainland Europe. In the year 300 where they encountered a heathen army of Huns, who slew them all.  The mass grave was discovered and Christian officials claimed the dead.  Much later, the bones were used when reconstructing the church, including the creation of the Golden Chamber, where a vast quantity of the bones were used to decorate the walls with Latin words, alter shrines, and gold or silver symbols.

Blackfoot Beach

Blackfoot Beach (or Blackfoot Beach, Stallagsbergweg) is a narrow, manmade beach space located near Fühlinger Lake. The beach includes a serene outdoor shoreline overlooking Fühlinger Lake with numerous tourist and resort activities, such as a beach club bar, a dining venue, several water sports and a treetop rope course. It is a popular destination located slightly north of the city.

Cologne’s Love Locks Bridge (Hohenzollernbruecke Bridge)

Hohenzollernbruecke Bridge stretches over the Rhine and holds thousands of “Love Padlocks” locked onto the bridge’s pedestrian footpath structure. The locks are known for symbolizing the strength of a couple’s love for one another.  Keys to said locks are traditionally dropped over the edge of the bridge and into the Rhine.  

Rheinpark

Located on the opposite bank of the river, this is a large and gorgeous park area on the banks of the Rhein. The park contains numerous walking trails, fountains, several playgrounds and many small shops. A tiny children’s train also loops through the park spaces. The park is a good option for those hoping to escape the bustle of the city without traveling out too far.

Mural of the Edelweiss Pirates (Edelweißpiraten)

This site contains a mural honoring a loosely conformed group of young men and women working in direct defiance of Hitler’s indoctrination programs and the strict regimentation of the Hitler Youth.  The Pirates were violent antagonists to the Nazi regime and were largely executed or sent to concentration camps when caught. Their memorial mural immortalizes their resistance and sabotage actions.

Papa Joe’s Biersalon Klimperkasten

This venue is home to a strange entertainment bar created by 90 year old jazz musician Papa Joe.  The bar is filled with knick-knacks, seasonal gingerbread houses and automation musical machines. It remains and absolutely bizarre place to get a drink.

Cologne Old Town

A series of squares and plazas in the historic center of the city artfully reconstructed following the culmination of WWII.  The Old Town of Cologne is an excellent place to wander around with numerous statues, monuments, odd shops and museums. This area is home to the Great St. Martin Church (Groß St. Martin), the Wallraf – Richartz Museum Impressionist and Renaissance Collection, the Heumarkt cobblestone traditional shopping plaza, the Old Market Square and the strange Time Ride Experience, which shows the history of Cologne through a virtual reality tram ride

Belgian Quarter (Belgisches Viertel)

This is a famed inner-district of Cologne which includes main shopping boulevards and dining options. The Quarter is bordered by a large green space known as Innerer Grüngürtel Park, a looping green belt surrounding Cologne’s historical center. “Belgisches Viertel” is best known for it’s creation of high-quality shopping options, quaint cafés and scenic architecture.

DuftMuseum im Farina Haus (Fragrance Museum)

The oldest Fragrance Museum of Cologne, this display is a multi-sensory experience touching on a cornerstone of the city’s craftsmanship traditions. Originally, the musuem was a grand fragrance factory dedicated to created bottled scents for purchase. The museum is situated directly across from the Cologne City Hall. Much of the museum can be experienced with eyes closed, making this one of the several strange things to do in Cologne.

Circus Roncalli

Though only based in Cologne for winter, Circus Roncalli operates throughout Germany, including Berlin, Recklinghausen and Dusseldorf.  The Circus is unique as a Hologram Circus, using holographic technology to create stunningly accurate performances without harming or stressing real animals. It allows for the excitement of a true circus performance without raising the moral issues traditional circuses struggle with.

Melaten Graveyard (The Yard of the Sick – Yard of the Malades)

This is a remarkable tombstone-and-sculpture graveyard hosting the remains of some of the most influential people of Cologne, including the founders of Eau de Cologne (the Farina Family). many of the statues within the graveyard are gorgeous to behold. There’s a hooded skull statue which is particularly vivid and strange.

Flora und Botanischer Garten Köln (Botanical Garden)

Located a bit outside the city proper, this is a gorgeous botanical garden next to a series of parks and the Cologne zoo. The garden has pleasant fountains, large green spaces decorated with flowers, a veritable palace area, several walled gardens and a famous statue of Neptune (Neptun 1856, Bronzefigur) in a dynamic pose near a water feature. For those who enjoy Botanical Gardens, the equally gorgeous but far-less-busy Forest Botanical Garden And Friedenwald is located to the south with pink-blossom trees, roaming peacocks and quaint abstract artworks.

Hahnentorburg Or Hahnen Gate

This portion of the original twelve castle gates of medieval Cologne was a major access point in the west of the city. The structure is an interesting piece of architecture, thought a bit overshadowed by the Cathedral. It’s still lovely to look at and has distinct towers and an older variation of Cologne’s Coat of Arms.

Senfmuseum (The Mustard Museum and Mustard Shop)

When considering truly strange things to do in Cologne, the Senfmuseum comes to mind. Located in a really nice section of Old Town, this displays the entire history of Mustard, including it’s growth, grinding process and cultural importance. The site has been operations since 1810 and sells gourmet mustard produce from within the museum’s shopping area.

Tipple on Just to Wet The Whistle

This strange name refers to a refreshing 0.5% alcohol Köln-style beer. The beer is a local specialty drink. The drink is a meld of an ale and lager and remains popular in pubs throughout the city.

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