Germany · Kölsch, Ehrenfeld and the Bootshaus
Cologne
Cologne parties like no other German city: brewery tavern first, cocktail bar in the Belgian Quarter, then Bootshaus or Gewölbe. And nobody goes home alone.
Cologne is the city that talks to strangers. Kölsch comes in a small glass so it never gets warm, and the Köbes keeps bringing more until the mat lies on the glass. Experience that once at Früh am Dom or Päffgen and you know why nobody drinks alone here.
The cocktail scene has grown up in recent years: Little Link, Shepheard and Suderman are among the best bars in the country, Spirits in Ehrenfeld and Toddy Tapper add colour and tiki. The club night has a name that appears on international lists, the Bootshaus, and a techno alternative in the Gewölbe.
Carnival is a season of its own in which all rules are suspended. The rest of the year, Cologne is a city where you meet someone in every pub.
The night profile
- Cocktail
- €13
- Beer
- €2.50
- Club entry
- €15
- Taxi at night
- €15
Whatever. Cologne is the least pretentious nightlife city in Germany; at the Bootshaus it is about music, not shoes.
The night in Cologne
From the first hour to the last.
Carnival from Weiberfastnacht to Ash Wednesday (February), plus May to September for the Rhine banks, Sky Beach and Odonien.
- 18:00Kölsch
Früh am Dom or Päffgen: mat on the glass when you are done.
- 20:00Cocktail
Little Link in the Belgian Quarter or Shepheard at Rathenauplatz.
- 22:00Ehrenfeld
Spirits on Venloer Straße, then a pub on Körnerstraße.
- 00:00Club
Bootshaus for the big stage, Gewölbe for techno.
- 04:00Way home
Night buses, KVB night lines and the last Kölsch at the kiosk.
Belgian Quarter
Little Link, cocktails and the prettiest streets in town.
Old town and cathedral
Früh am Dom, brewery culture and the view from the Rhine.
Ehrenfeld
Spirits, Gewölbe, pubs, street art: young Cologne.
Rathenauplatz and Südstadt
Shepheard, Suderman, wine bars and pubs for long nights.
Deutz and Mülheim
Bootshaus on the Rhine and Odonien in summer.
The addresses
9 bars in Cologne.
Cocktail barCologne · Belgian Quarter
Little Link
Cologne's best bar in a small room
Cocktail barCologne · Rathenauplatz
Shepheard
Classics in the half-dark
Cocktail barCologne · Ehrenfeld
Spirits
Ehrenfeld's living room bar
Cocktail barCologne · Belgian Quarter
Toddy Tapper
Tiki, colour and plenty of rum
ClubCologne · Mülheim
Bootshaus
Cologne's world-class club on the Rhine
ClubCologne · Ehrenfeld
Gewölbe
Techno under the railway
Cult barCologne · Old town
Früh am Dom
Kölsch with a view of the cathedral
Cocktail barCologne · Agnesviertel
Suderman
Neighbourhood bar with world-class drinks
Beach clubCologne · City centre
Sky Beach
Sand on the parking deck, cathedral in view
Good to know
Tips for Cologne.
- Kölsch etiquette: the Köbes keeps bringing more until the mat lies on the glass. You do not have to order.
- Little Link is small and popular; book or come early.
- Bootshaus: buy tickets in advance, the box office is often sold out.
- The Belgian Quarter is a 20-minute walk from Ehrenfeld, with half the nightlife in between.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best cocktail bar in Cologne?
Little Link in the Belgian Quarter is considered the best, with Shepheard and Suderman close behind.
How does ordering Kölsch work?
You order once, after that the Köbes brings refills automatically. A beer mat on the glass means: enough.
Which club in Cologne is internationally known?
The Bootshaus in Mülheim regularly appears in the world's top lists; the Gewölbe is the techno address.
