What to do in Cologne: 11 must-sees, from the cathedral to the Rhine

Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom), dedicated to Saint Peter, is one of Europe's great Gothic cathedrals and Germany's most visited landmark. Construction began in 1248 and was completed in 1880, after an interruption of nearly three centuries.

At 157.38 metres, it is the tallest cathedral in Germany and the third-tallest church in Europe, after the Sagrada Família and Ulm Minster. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996, it houses the Shrine of the Three Kings, one of the most important medieval reliquaries in the West, as well as remarkable stained-glass windows.

You can climb the 533 steps of the south tower to a viewing platform about 100 metres high for a panoramic view over the city and the Rhine.

The Rhine promenade (Rheinufer and Rheingarten), at the foot of the old town, offers one of the finest views of Cologne. You stroll the quays between the cathedral, the Altstadt pubs and the waterside terraces.

Heading north-east, you reach the Hohenzollern Bridge (Hohenzollernbrücke), a railway and pedestrian bridge covered in love locks — not to be confused with the neighbouring Deutz Bridge (Deutzer Brücke). From the far bank, the Deutz district reveals the best view of the cathedral.

Further south, the Rheinauhafen and its Kranhäuser (crane-shaped buildings) showcase the city's contemporary face.

Cologne has one of the richest museum scenes in Germany, concentrated around the cathedral and along the Rhine.

Museum Ludwig, next to the cathedral, holds one of Europe's great collections of modern and contemporary art (Picasso, Warhol, Pop Art, Expressionism). The Wallraf-Richartz Museum covers European painting from the Middle Ages to the 19th century. The Romano-Germanic Museum, whose Roncalliplatz building is closed for renovation, shows about 1,000 finds from Roman Colonia in its interim exhibition at the Belgisches Haus (Cäcilienstraße); the Dionysus mosaic can now only be seen through the window. The Farina perfume museum, in the house where Eau de Cologne was created in the 18th century, rounds out the offering.

Between the cathedral and the Rhine, the Altstadt was largely rebuilt after 1945, but it keeps its narrow squares, the gabled houses of the Fischmarkt and above all its Brauhäuser, the traditional brewery taverns where Kölsch, Cologne's pale beer, is served.

Kölsch comes in a Stange, a straight 0.2 l glass, which the waiter (the Köbes) keeps replacing until you put your beer mat on top. Früh am Dom, at the foot of the cathedral, is the best known; it also serves Rhineland dishes, from Himmel un Ääd (black pudding, apple and mash) to Halve Hahn.

The Cathedral Christmas market (Roncalliplatz) is the most famous of Cologne's many markets, set at the foot of the Kölner Dom during Advent. A giant tree, wooden stalls and crafts create a magical setting beneath the cathedral's Gothic silhouette.

You can sample German winter classics: Glühwein (spiced mulled wine), Reibekuchen (potato pancakes), bratwurst and Lebkuchen (gingerbread). The city has several other themed markets (Angel's Market, Harbour Market), linked by a small tourist train.

West of the centre, the Belgian Quarter (Belgisches Viertel) takes its name from streets named after Belgian cities. It is Cologne's trendy district: independent boutiques, vintage shops, galleries, specialty coffee bars and cocktail bars.

The hub of activity is around Brüsseler Platz, popular with locals in the evening. The quarter blends 19th-century facades, street art and creative addresses, away from the tourist crowds of the old town.

Its square tower flanked by four turrets rises above the rooftops of the Altstadt, over the colourful houses of the Fischmarkt: Great St. Martin is one of Cologne's twelve great Romanesque churches, built in the 12th and 13th centuries on the remains of a Roman warehouse.

Destroyed in the war, it was rebuilt in the following decades. Its outline next to the cathedral reads best from the Deutz bank or from the Rhine promenade.

Set on a peninsula in the Rheinauhafen, the Chocolate Museum tells the story of cocoa from plantation to bar: a tropical greenhouse, a working production line and a three-metre chocolate fountain where you dip a wafer.

The old port has become one of the city's contemporary districts, with its Kranhäuser, three buildings shaped like cranes. It is a twenty-minute walk from the cathedral along the Rhine.

Cologne Zoo (Kölner Zoo), founded in 1860, is one of Germany's oldest. It is home to over 10,000 animals of more than 850 species, from great apes to Asian elephants, housed in spacious enclosures and themed houses.

Committed to conservation and education, the zoo borders the Rhine in the north of the city and adjoins the Flora botanical garden. A cable car, the Kölner Seilbahn, links it to the Rheinpark on the other bank.

The Flora und Botanischer Garten, founded in 1863 in the Riehl district, is one of Germany's oldest botanical gardens. It covers about 11 hectares and combines a historic 19th-century hall, greenhouses, a rose garden, a Japanese garden and plant collections from around the world.

A peaceful green haven in the north of the city, it sits directly next to Cologne Zoo, making it an ideal family stop.

Phantasialand is one of Europe's most acclaimed amusement parks. It is located not in Cologne but in Brühl, about 20 kilometres to the south-west, between Cologne and Bonn.

The park stands out for its meticulously themed worlds (Berlin, China Town, Mystery, Klugheim, Rookburgh) and some of the continent's most award-winning roller coasters, such as Taron and F.L.Y. Shows, water rides and family attractions complete the experience.