Cologne Nightlife

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The old dichotomy remains, between the old city, where between Heumarkt and Mühlenbach the fetish and bear scene meet, and the colorful mixed scene folk in the Bermuda Traingle in the inner city exist. Still, both parts of the community always look out for new ideas. Whether it be the regular parties in Stiefelknecht or Chains on Heumarkt or the changing parties, there is something for everyone here. The Bodycheck in Gloria, the Blue Lounge in Stollwerck, Dreiklang in the Arttheater or the Kings & Queens in Bootshaus, offers something new to discover on each weekend of the month.

For girls who like to party with other girls, the Pop Sofa Club offers the opportunity once a month, also the Ladies Night in Gloria. The general rule is: the further from the city centre, the more alternative the party concept. The trip is worth it!

Dress Code: Casual chic.

You can only get into this club if you are a student, and you will probably need to show the bouncer your student ID to get in. This is a pretty good club, it has good drink specials, and if you check the calender there are a lot of themed nights.

Dress Code: There are often themed nights so you want to check the calendar. On non-themed nights you would be alright with what you would typically wear to a student club.

As Cologne ALWAYS has great concerts you will go to Live Music Hall sooner or later when you live around the area. A lot of small club concerts (about 1000 people maybe) take place here. It's a great place for concerts, sound is ok and you can see the stage quite well from everywhere - even if you are small like me.

At weekends they also have disco evenings here which are supposed to be nice.

Dress Code: Alternateenie-Style

If you look for a place to hang out where the locals hang out at night head to Zülpicher Strasse. There's lots of pubs here you can choose from. The fun street of Cologne!

Dress Code: Depends on the location really. But scruffy is ok for most of them actually....

Früh is a traditional brewpub near the cathedral. It's almost always packed with people - Cologne people enjoying an after work beer or tourists trying out pig's legs and the local brew.

The beer is nice - especially in summer. The atmosphere is great - especially if you are here with nice people. However, I can't really recommend the food as it is on the pricey side and not really good.

If you meet in here you have to give directions where you meet. This place is so large with many different areas so it could take a while searching for somebody if you don't know where they are.

Dress Code: None.

We enjoyed a CRAZY evening and early morning in the Station Hostel with people we had met from all across the world! Far too much Kolsch was consumed and I had a banging head the next morning! But hey ho!!!

Around Cologne's "Alter Markt" there are lots of breweries and bars. Take a train to Cologne's main station and go by foot 10 or 15 minutes and you will arrive at the "Alter Markt" and you can go from bar to bar and meet a lot of interesting people and enjoy fresh beer - KOELSCH - as long as you want to!

Eventually this is a place to do comedic goose stepping

A nice Irish Pub! Try the drink "Snakebite", a mixture made of Kilkenny's beer and cider!

Hopefully the waitress will think that we have been waiting a long time and will give us a free round of some liquorish tasting schnapps

Dress Code: Casual

Cologne's most famous brewery with the typical Cologne spirit! You can eat and drink there very good - if you find a place. At the weekend it's so overcrowded, that you can only find a place for standing - if you're lucky! But it doesn't matter, because you don't have to order your drinks...the "Koebesse" are running around through the rooms all the time and they have many glasses in their hands. You can take one and pay immediately and then - enjoy it! Cheers!

You may buy more beer for me here!

Dress Code: Casual

Beer drinking in Koln is a very different kettle of fish compared to British beer drinking. In England we are used to seeing as many as a dozen hand pubs on a bar with a range of ales, lagers and stouts that come by the pint.

In Koln, most bars serve up only one kind of beer, and that comes in dinky cylinders. Having said that, the local 'kolsch' is generally excellent and you usually enjoy the benefit of table service.

And in another twist, the Pfaffen does not have a bar! We came tripping in and headed straight through, looking for a bar, and ended up having to scoot aside as a barrel came rolling through. They tapped the barrel there on the floor and began frantically syphoning off the beer. Basically, you grab a table and the waiter's attention. He trots over with a tray full of kolsch and slings a batch around. He'll keep them coming all night , if you like, whilst running a tally on your beer mat.

It's a beautiful place with stained glass windows and chunky wooden furniture. It was very busy Saturday night, but we came back for a quiet Sunday lunchtime tipple. The food looks good as well. Highly recommended!

You can buy me beer here!

Open 11am until 1am, closed Mondays.

Dress Code: One of the smarter pubs, but there is no doorman.