From friendly locals to a creative atmosphere to great train connections, there's more to Germany's fourth-largest city than Carnival - although the annual celebration is not to be missed - writes former Cologne resident Amy Brooke.
Around six million people visit Germany's Kölner Dom or Cologne Cathedral every year. Admission has so far been free – but from July this will change.
Did you know there's a new queer-friendly travel pass available in Berlin and Cologne, and it's actually cheaper than the standard tourist transport tickets?
As the weather improves, you'll find Cologne locals sipping a Kölsch by the river, hanging out at parks by the cherry blossoms or attending festivals. Here are some ways to join in the fun as the weather warms.
Deutsche Bahn is growing its cross-border services to the west, with extra high speed rail links to Belgium this summer, as well as new connections later in the year from Cologne to Brussels Airport and the North Sea coast.
The western German city of Cologne saw a sharp rise in naturalisations last year. We asked the city – which has previously struggled with a backlog of citizenship applications – what is behind the increase.
"Helau!" "Alaaf!" "Narri-Narro!" These are some of the different 'fools' calls' from across Germany. Wherever people celebrate Carnival (or Fasching, or Fastnet), you hear the shouts. But where do they come from, and what do they mean?
Passengers across Cologne, Wuppertal and Hagen can expect months of travel disruptions as one of North Rhine-Westphalia’s busiest railways shuts down for serious renovations.
New Year's Eve in Germany is all about fireworks. Here are The Local's suggestions for where to watch them across the country, from Berlin and Hamburg to Cologne, Munich and elsewhere.
Kreuzberg or Mitte? St. Pauli or Altona? Schwabing or Maxvorstadt? A data-driven study of the trendiest neighbourhoods in Germany's cities claims to have the answer.
The west German transport hub is to be closed for ten days, affecting passengers on regional connections as well as international travellers coming from Brussels or Amsterdam.
Rents in Germany’s biggest cities are soaring, except in Berlin, where prices have unexpectedly dipped. Which cities are seeing the fastest increases, and what does it mean for renters and buyers.
US auto giant Ford said Tuesday it would cut up to 1,000 jobs at its plant in the German city of Cologne in the face of weak European demand for electric vehicles.
There are different rules for how long pupils in Germany must attend school depending on the state they live. Things are changing in North Rhine-Westphalia as it extends compulsory 'Gymnasium' schooling by one year.
Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets of Cologne on Sunday for Christopher Street Day (CSD), the city's annual celebration of the LGBTQ+ community.
More than 20,000 people have been evacuated from a Cologne's Deutz district as officials prepare to defuse three large American World War II bombs. The operation is also expected to disrupt regional railway traffic.
Following recent terror attacks in Germany, police are stepping up security controls for carnival season - but say there is no reason for festival-goers to worry.
Verdi’s warning strikes continue as public-sector wage negotiations drag on. Here’s a look at the services and regions being affected in Germany this week.
One of Germany’s biggest and most beloved festivals, carnival, has been celebrated for hundreds of years. With the first big parties of the year kicking off on Thursday, February 27th, we take a look at this colourful cultural phenomenon.
Cologne made headlines last year when it stopped processing applications for German citizenship due to the backlog. Now the naturalisation office is back open for business, we look at the latest numbers and what future applicants can expect.
Three people were injured and there is major travel disruption after a goods train collided with a work train between Cologne and Aachen, and came off the line.
