Cologne: Explore Europe’s most famous festive market in Germany

Towering over this market is Cologne’s (usually snow-dusted) cathedral, otherwise known as the Kölner Dom.

For me, it’s a scene that epitomises Christmas: the silver ribbon of the frosty Rhine and the Dom’s beautiful, gothic outline providing a spectacular backdrop for the Christmas market in the city square. 

The stalls, designed to resemble miniature, half-timbered houses, surround an enormous Christmas tree, and between November 27 and December 23 Cologne is filled with them.

At the one on nearby Heumarkt, the centrepiece is an ice rink.

The Markt der Engel (Angel Market) on Neumarkt is one of the most spectacular examples – glowing stars adorn low-hanging trees and tiny wooden huts sell delicious pfannkuchen (pancake-like pastries, often served with fillings like apple). Families should make a beeline for Nikolausdorf (St. Nick’s Village) on Rudolfplatz. 

At the top of your shopping list? Wooden nutcracker dolls, followed by traditional marionettes (Cologne is famous for its puppeteers and even has its own puppetry theatre – the Hänneschen-Theater – which dates back to 1802). And then there are the Christmas decorations, which come in all shapes and sizes.

Gherkins seem to be especially popular, but traditionalists will love the ornate hand-blown glass baubles, some of which contain miniature reindeers or snowmen. And no Christmas market would be complete without a glass of glühwein, of course.

Sadly, the scent of pretzels and mulled wine can’t be bottled but Cologne’s other famous fragrance can.

Eau de Cologne dates back to the early 18th Century – Italian perfumer Giovanni Maria Farina had moved to Cologne but missed his homeland, so created a scent that reminded him of Italy (in his words “an Italian spring morning of mountain daffodils and orange blossoms after the rain”).

He then named it after the city he’d moved to. Businessman Wilhelm Mülhens started selling the fragrance in the early 19th Century, but following lengthy legal battles renamed his version 4711 Eau de Cologne, and it remains one of the world’s bestselling perfumes. 

Today, you can purchase your own bottle at the flagship store, House of 4711.

It can be found on Glockengasse 4 and it’s just had a major revamp. You can also sign up for a fragrance workshop and learn about the brand’s history.

Equally fascinating is Cologne’s Fragrance Museum, where you can see vintage 4711 Eau de Cologne flacons. 

If you’re struggling to find presents for your nearest and dearest, head for the welcoming glow of the stores on Schildergasse.

Cologne’s busiest shopping street receives 15,000 visitors every hour at peak shopping times, though, so be prepared to do battle with the crowds!

Mittelstraße and Pfeilstraße are two streets known for their designer labels, and the Belgian Quarter is filled with quirky independent boutiques. You can also ward off the winter chill with a clamber up the 533 steps of the Dom’s south tower. 

Although there’s no shortage of schnitzel and sauerkraut in Cologne, the city’s food scene is fantastically diverse.

Take Laden Ein, a restaurant which is both permanent and a pop-up.

The former butcher’s shop becomes an entirely new restaurant every two weeks, with new menus, chefs and waiting staff.

It was recently transformed into a Senegalese restaurant, before morphing into a curry house two weeks later.

But Cologne’s more traditional cuisine shouldn’t be overlooked either.

In winter, the patios outside the city’s beer houses remain as crowded as ever, thanks largely to heat lamps and knitted throws on seats.

But for a truly traditional experience, head to a venue away from the main tourist drags. Hellers Brauhaus, in the student quarter, brews its own organic beer and there’s a beautiful beer garden.

For me, nothing says Cologne like a glass of the golden, light ale Kölsch. It’s made only in Cologne and served in slim glasses.

They’re the antithesis of the chunky traditional beer stein, although their fragility is the reason glasses are clinked at the bottom, rather than the top. Prost!

Ten things you must do in Cologne

1 Visit the cathedral and climb the south tower for breathtaking views over the city. Then warm up with a glass of mulled wine from the market.

2 Stop by the Römisch-Germanisches Museum to see some of the Roman artefacts found along the Rhine. 

3 Enjoy a glass of Kölsch in the Früh am Dom, a beautiful traditional beer house. Remember that waiters will continue to replace empty glasses with full ones unless you place your beer mat on top.

4 Sign up for a cruise down the Rhine – there are a huge range of tours available. 

5 Visit the House of 4711, the home of the world’s most famous Eau de Cologne brand, to learn about its history.

6 Relax at the Flora and Botanical Gardens (otherwise known as the Flora und Botanischer Garten Köln), home to more than 10,000 species of plant.

7 Head to the Biergarten Rathenauplatz, where you can drink beer and sample delicious frikadelles (spiced hamburger).

8 Learn about Cologne’s history at the Kölnisches Stadtmuseum, a museum inside a former medieval armoury.

9 Get a sugar fix (cakes, truffles or chocolates) at Café Reichard, a family-owned patisserie which dates from the early 19th Century.

10 Offload some euros at the Galeria Kaufhof, one of Germany’s biggest department stores. It’s a great place for souvenirs. 

Way to go

Eurowings (eurowings.Eom/en/booking/low-fare-calendar) flies from London Stansted to Cologne from £24.99 return.

Double rooms at the Radisson Blu Cologne (radissonblu.com/en/hotel-cologne) cost from £101 per night. For more on Cologne, visit cologne-tourism.com.