https://https://uk.trip.com/toplist/tripbest/recommend/north-rhine-westphalia/best-things-to-do/10070021707090
Best Things to Do
Top 50 Best Things to Do in North Rhine-Westphalia [2025]
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Cologne Cathedral
4.8
/5
824 reviews
8.4
Based on 22,483 reviews
Cologne City Center | 73.5 km from downtown
Phone +4922192584730
Address: Domkloster 4, 50667 Köln, Germany
Recommended sightseeing time: 1-2 hours
No.1 of Night Attractions in North Rhine-Westphalia
Highlights:
Panoramic view from the tower
Cologne's 360° view from tower
Saved by 301 users333 positive reviews
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It is a famous attraction that is worth visiting. It is a pleasure to visit Cologne Cathedral. Through the introduction, we learned that Cologne Cathedral was built in 1248 by the then Archbishop of Cologne, Conrad. Von Hochstaden presided over the laying of the foundation stone. The construction process took hundreds of years and was interrupted many times due to wars, lack of funds and other reasons. The church was not completed until 1880, after a total construction period of 632 years. The cathedral is an outstanding example of Gothic architecture. Its architectural style is characterized by towering spires, pointed arches, flying buttresses and exquisite stained glass windows. As an important Catholic church, Cologne Cathedral is a place for believers to carry out religious activities, attracting a large number of believers to make pilgrimages every year. The church houses the remains of the "Three Holy Kings of the East", which gives it a very high religious status.
huge and impressive, the view from the cathedral is also great, can’t remember the number of the stairs and it will take some time to go upstairs but totally worth it
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Cologne Chocolate Museum
4.5
/5
180 reviews
7.1
From £15.67
Based on 5,910 reviews
Altstadt-Süd | 74 km from downtown
Phone +492219318880
Address: Am Schokoladenmuseum 1A, 50678 Köln, Germany
Recommended sightseeing time: 1-2 hours
No.1 of Family-Friendly Attractions in North Rhine-Westphalia
Highlights:
Cologne's iconic chocolate fountain
Fresh chocolate flows beneath tree
Saved by 139 users29% positive reviews
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Fascinating even for chocolate professionals! Loved watching real production & tasting Lindt treats. Well-maintained, not crowded on Thursday. A sweet, educational stop—worth visiting!
Very impressive museum that show you how chocolate is made from the plant. Buy ticket on Trip.com to avoid waiting in the queue.
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Rheinauhafen District
4.5
/5
45 reviews
7.0
Altstadt-Süd | 73.9 km from downtown
Phone +492213489901
Address: 50679 Cologne
Recommended sightseeing time: 2-3 hours
Highlights:
Cologne Cathedral views by Rhine
Next to Cologne Cathedral
40% positive reviews
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Cologne in Germany is a popular place for tourists to visit. It has the most famous Cologne Cathedral⛪️ and the Cologne Promenade. Cologne is the fourth largest city in Germany and is located on the banks of the Rhine in western Germany.
Rheinauhafen is the former dock area and harbour area that is always a joy to visit on any holiday I take to Cologne, as I always tend to visit Cologne over the Christmas period I always look forward to visiting the wonderful Harbour Christmas Market which is superb,the wonderful Chocolate Museum is also here as are some interesting museums ,the most defining structures along Rgeinauhafen are the Kranhauser buildings, look amazing, walking along the Rheinauhaden are some great reminders of the docks that once operated here ,theres some great vintage cranes that look cool ,add to this the cafe's,bars and restaurants along this walkway and you have a really pleasant place to visit.Easy to locate along Am Zollhafen,most definitely well worth checking out if your in the area.
No.
4
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Duftmuseum im Farina-Haus
4.2
/5
95 reviews
6.9
From £11.32
Based on 902 reviews
Cologne City Center | 73.8 km from downtown
Phone +492213998994
Address: Obenmarspforten 21, 50667 Köln, Germany
Recommended sightseeing time: 1-2 hours
Highlights:
300-year cologne history & factory
300-year Farina perfume history
26% positive reviews
Verified user reviews
This was a unique experience! Farina is the original Eau de Colonge, and the tour is in the origianl house. (The factory moved out of the city center.) Our tour guide was Weibke, who did a wonderful pesentation in English. She is very knowledgable, and explained a lot of historical facts. The museum is small, but packed with a lot of antiques and information. I was glad that I didn't buy the other brand of colonge at the Cathedral, since 4711 it is not the original
The Cologne Perfume Museum has a very strong smell. Many of the perfumes here are brewed from local plants. The original production process of perfume also comes from here. Every time you smell the perfume, you feel very comfortable. The Perfume Museum also collects quite a lot of items.
[Fun] It is quite interesting
[Cost-effective] It is also very cheap to buy
No.
5
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Schloss Benrath
4.4
/5
42 reviews
6.7
From £24.72
Based on 753 reviews
62.8 km from downtown
Phone +492118921903
Address: Benrather Schloßallee 100-108, 40597 Düsseldorf, Germany
Recommended sightseeing time: 2-3 hours
Highlights:
Autumn garden's colorful foliage
Rococo architectural heritage masterpiece
53% positive reviews
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Large green area and pink rococo palace. When we are there at least 3 wedding photos work was there. The large landscape and well maintained trees and flowers creates a good scene for photos and also the historic building, artificial water and sculptures keeps the feeling of place garden.
📍Address: Located in Cologne, Germany, with convenient transportation, you can see its magnificent figure from a distance as soon as you get off the car.
🌟Appearance: From the moment you step into the palace area, it feels like you have fallen into a fairy tale world. The main building of the palace is in a gorgeous Baroque style. The pink and white exterior walls shine in the sun. The exquisite carvings and magnificent columns, every detail shows the luxury and dignity of the year, and it is super photogenic📷!
🏞Garden: The garden of the palace is even more unique! Symmetrical layout, neatly trimmed green plants, and colorful flowers blooming. Strolling through it, the fragrance of flowers is overflowing, and occasionally there are a few birds flying around, like a fairyland on earth. Walking along the gravel path, I feel that my body and mind are healed.
💖Visiting experience: There are rich exhibitions inside, from exquisite court costumes👗 to luxurious furniture🪑, a series of historical scrolls unfold in front of you, which can give you an in-depth understanding of the life style of the nobles at that time. The staff explained in detail, and even if you don't know much about history, you can still listen with relish.
💰Ticket price: The ticket price is reasonable, and it is very cost-effective compared to the experience you get. There are also preferential policies for students, which is very considerate.
In short, whether it is the beauty of architecture, garden landscape or cultural heritage, Benrath Palace is intoxicating. It is a must-visit place in Cologne. I strongly recommend it to everyone! 👏
No.
6
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Museum Ludwig
4.2
/5
66 reviews
6.2
From £19.66
Based on 1,821 reviews
Cologne City Center | 73.4 km from downtown
Phone +4922122126165
Address: Heinrich-Böll-Platz, 50667 Köln, Germany
Recommended sightseeing time: 2-3 hours
Highlights:
Picasso prints & paintings exhibition
Art museum by chocolate moguls
27% positive reviews
Verified user reviews
The galleries are enormous and many areas flooded with light. It is a pleasure to walk round. Interpretive material in English and German, the emphasis being to put the artworks in historical context, grouped by 'movement'. The collection is based on two private donations. Admission expensive with no reduction for pensioners, but worth the charge for the Picasso, the Russian avant-garde and Max Beckmann. There is a really excellent bookshop with many books in English.
The Ludwig Museum in Germany is a holy place for contemporary art museums. This museum houses some precious works from the 20th century onwards. If you come here, you must visit it. There are also many precious works of celebrities here.
No.
7
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Great St. Martin Church
4.3
/5
101 reviews
5.7
Based on 616 reviews
Cologne City Center | 73.5 km from downtown
Phone +4922127794747
Address: An Groß St. Martin, 50667 Köln, Germany
Recommended sightseeing time: 1 hour
Highlights:
Clover-shaped floor & ancient origin
Clover-shaped ground & tower top
Verified user reviews
The landscape is what you see, and it will make you feel "wow". The most interesting thing about the tour is its history and its story. It took 600 years to build, and every sculpture and every brick is a picture.
This church is located by the waterfront and was rebuilt post WWII. Not as impressive as the Cologne Cathedral and hence visit if time permits.
No.
8
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Beethoven House
4.1
/5
79 reviews
5.5
Based on 1,165 reviews
Bonn City Center | 86.8 km from downtown
Phone +492289817525
Address: Bonngasse 22-24, 53111 Bonn, Germany
Recommended sightseeing time: 1 hour
Highlights:
Stroll Bonn & feel art
Beethoven manuscripts & instruments
28% positive reviews
Verified user reviews
Beethoven's former residence is a three-story villa-style house. The structure inside and outside the former residence is preserved as it is. You can see Beethoven's piano. There are some daily necessities in the house. The backyard is a small garden, which is a very suitable environment for creation.
[Scenery] Beethoven's living place
[Fun] It is quite interesting
German attractions rarely charge admission fees, so cost-effectiveness is not a problem. The most famous attraction in the center of Bonn, adjacent to the cathedral, within walking distance of the shopping pedestrian street, and not far from the Rhine River. Beethoven is a symbolic figure in Bonn, and there are many places named after him, such as Beethoven Square, Beethoven Memorial, Beethoven Hall, Beethoven Street, etc.
No.
9
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Rhine embankment promenade
4.5
/5
65 reviews
5.2
Based on 2,815 reviews
66 km from downtown
Phone +49211172020
Address: Unnamed Road, 40213 Düsseldorf, Germany
Recommended sightseeing time: 1 hour
Highlights:
Rhine Tower: Düsseldorf panoramic view
Historic German homes preserved
53% positive reviews
Verified user reviews
Our home is right on the banks of the Rhine in Düsseldorf, so we come to this park and walk along the river every day. The banks of the Rhine are both beautiful and useful. There are various activities here every Sunday, sometimes food gatherings, sometimes antique car exhibitions, which are quite fun.
Düsseldorf in Germany is highly recommended. It is a very wealthy, developed and beautiful city. We once lived here for a period of time and I still miss it very much.
No.
10
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Cologne City Hall
4.4
/5
70 reviews
5.2
Cologne City Center | 73.6 km from downtown
Phone +492212210
Address: Rathauspl. 2, 50667 Köln, Germany
Recommended sightseeing time: 0.5-1 hour
Highlights:
Quirky clock's tongue show
Gothic & Renaissance architecture fusion
28% positive reviews
Verified user reviews
After the Cathedral, this beautiful medieval building is the major attraction of Cologne.It's a working town hall, in fact when I went there was a wedding party outside, and an extension with modern architecture is juxtaposed to the medieval part.
Cologne City Hall in Germany was destroyed during World War II, but it is still worth visiting. It is a famous masterpiece of Gothic architecture. If you come, be sure to search for some guides and information on the Internet.
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