Exploring Germany: Cologne Vs. Frankfurt — Which City To Visit?

If you're trying to decide whether to visit Cologne or Frankfurt, it's worth considering what you're looking for from your trip. Both cities offer plenty to do, but they have distinct characters. Cologne is known for its impressive beauty, including the Cologne Cathedral, one of the largest cathedrals in Europe. It's also popular for its Christmas markets, location on the Rhine River, and its museums and historical sights. Frankfurt, meanwhile, is a hub of finance and transport, with a lively nightlife scene and a strong food culture. It's also known for its museums and historical sights.

Cologne's Christmas markets

The Christmas markets in Cologne typically open around mid-November and welcome visitors with treats such as mulled wine and waffles. The market in front of the famous Cologne Cathedral is the most popular and well-known, with over 4 million visitors expected each year at its 150 stands in Roncalliplatz. The current market has been running since the 1990s, but the first Christmas market in Cologne was held much earlier, in 1820.

Other notable Christmas markets in Cologne include the Harbour Christmas Market, located on the banks of the Rhine in the grounds of the Chocolate Museum, and the Nicholas Village, a Christmas market in Rudolfplatz square with good public transport connections. For those looking for a more local experience, the Stadtgarten Christmas market is held in a city park and caters more to locals. It's a great place to shop for handmade souvenirs, with 80 weekly changing exhibitors showcasing art, clothing, jewellery, and more.

For sheer Christmas magic, one can head to The House Elves' Winter Fairytale Christmas Market (Heinzels Wintermärchen). Located in the heart of Cologne's old town and spread over the Alter Markt and Heumarkt squares, the market features a wide range of festive stalls selling gifts and food and drink. The spectacular ice-skating rink on the Heumarkt is a special highlight.

Frankfurt's nightlife

Neighbourhoods

• Bockenheim: Home to about 40,000 students, with many living on the east side surrounding the university.
• Bahnhofsviertel: The area surrounding the main train station is Frankfurt's red-light district. While it was once seedy, it has become more desirable, offering a wide range of bars, especially around Kaiserstrasse.
• Bornheim: Features plenty of upscale bars, especially around Berger Straße.
• Salzhaus: A central district known for its cocktail bars.
• Sachsenhausen: A traditional neighbourhood south of the river, known for its bars and ebbelwoi (apple wine) taverns. The area closer to the river tends to be more touristy and crowded with students, while the southern part is better for a relaxed crowd.

Bars

• Club Voltaire: A beatnik bar established in 1962, attracting musicians and activists. It hosts daily readings and events, serving bar food, beer, and cider. Expect a laid-back vibe with jazz and blues music.
• Dauth-Schneider: An apfelwein (apple cider) tavern open for over 150 years, offering a local experience.
• Luna Bar: A stylish cocktail bar in the city centre, with live music on Mondays and DJs on other days.
• Jimmy's Bar: A classic American-style piano bar open since 1951, attracting a business crowd.
• Naïv: A craft beer bar offering over 100 beers from around the world, including house-brewed options.
• Frankfurt Art Bar: A busy bar with an active event schedule of jazz concerts, cabaret, readings, and DJ sets on Fridays.
• After-Work-Shipping: An after-work-hours cruise on the river Main, focusing on drinks, socialising, and exploring the city's design elements.

Clubs

Frankfurt's club scene is legendary, with a variety of music genres and atmospheres:

• Robert Johnson: An acclaimed techno club on the banks of the Main river, known for its top-tier sound system. It has a strict door policy, with a capacity of only 100 people.
• Tanzhaus West: An underground club located in an old factory, playing music ranging from cyberhouse to hip-hop to goa trance. It features an outdoor garden for summer DJ sets and live concerts.
• O25 Club: A former fire shelter with a dark and smoky atmosphere, catering to a young crowd with various music genres.
• Club Anthrazit: A small electro club featuring a DJ and a VJ (Video Jockey) who projects visuals to fit the music.
• Dreikönigskeller: A club in Sachsenhausen since 1988, offering different themes each day, including jazz, blues, '60s and '70s music, R&B, soul, and New Wave.
• The Cave Club: An underground nightclub with a relaxed and cheap atmosphere, playing alternative and heavy metal music.
• Club Travolta: A fashionable two-storey club with minimalist design, playing electronic and hip-hop music.
• U 60311: An electronic club with nearly 10,000 square feet of dance space, located in a former pedestrian tunnel.
• Silbergold: A mega-club with a long line, featuring various guest DJs and a large dance floor.
• Chango Latin Palace: The largest club in Frankfurt featuring Latin music and salsa lessons.
• Final Destination Club: A club for goth, heavy metal, and hardcore music enthusiasts.

Cologne's food scene

For traditional French cuisine with a regional twist, head to Hanse Stube, tucked inside the Excelsior Hotel Ernst next to the Cologne Cathedral. The restaurant offers a well-curated wine menu and a unique, pre-curated luncheon within 59 minutes for those short on time.

For healthy and wholesome breakfast options, including scrambled eggs, Parisienne, and pancakes, try Café Hinz und Kunz in the Lindenthal neighbourhood. The menu changes at noon to offer fancier options like tartes and soup.

If you're looking for a quirky restaurant and cult bar with its own fanbase, Gaststätte Lommerzheim is the place to go. Their speciality is succulent pork chops, best accompanied by a strong German beer.

For those with a sweet tooth, Cologne offers plenty of opportunities to sample traditional German sweets, such as 'Pfefferkuchen' (pepper cookies) and 'Printen' (gingerbread).

For fine dining in a stylish setting, Ox & Klee in the Rheinauhafen development is a great choice. The restaurant boasts a gorgeous view of the Rhine and excellent cuisine. The principle here is "carte blanche", where guests decide the number of courses, and the rest is a surprise.

Frankfurt's museums

Frankfurt is a city that celebrates diversity in its people, stories, and museums. The city's museums are not just places of preservation, but lively forums that encourage dialogue between the past, present, and future.

Art Museums and Galleries

Frankfurt's art museums and galleries include the Städel Museum, which houses masterpieces from the 1400s to the present; the Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt, which showcases art from classic to modern; the MMK MUSEUM for Modern Art, which translates the pulse of the times into art; the Museum of Applied Arts, which demonstrates how art and everyday life intersect; and the Fotografie Forum Frankfurt, which tells stories through pictures.

Historical and Cultural Museums

Frankfurt's historical and cultural museums include the Jewish Museum and the Museum Judengasse, which offer insights into Jewish history and culture; the Archaeological Museum, which showcases findings from 200,000 years ago; the Goethe-House, which invites visitors to explore the world of the famous poet; the Museum of German Romanticism, which captures the spirit of an era that characterises German culture; and the Historical Museum, which showcases Frankfurt's rich past.

Natural History and Technology Museums

Frankfurt's natural history and technology museums include the Senckenberg Museum of Natural History, which showcases the diversity of life on our planet; the Money Museum of the Deutsche Bundesbank, which explores the world of economics and money; the German Architecture Museum, which delves into the history and future of building design; the Museum of Communication, which connects the past, present, and future of human communication; and the Experimenta, which arouses curiosity about the natural sciences with interactive exhibits.

Specialised and Niche Museums

Frankfurt is also home to specialised and niche museums that offer unique insights. These include the Eintracht Frankfurt Museum, which celebrates football culture; the Struwwelpeter Museum, which offers a nostalgic look at children's literature; the Icon Museum, which showcases sacred art; the Dialog Museum, which invites visitors on a journey of discovery in the dark; and the MOMEM – Museum of Modern Electronic Music, which is dedicated to modern sounds and electronic beats.

Cologne's accessibility

Cologne is a colourful, fun, and accessible city. The city offers an extensive public transport system, including trains, trams, and buses, which makes it easy to get around without a car.

The city has made efforts to improve accessibility for people with disabilities. The tourist information centre at the cathedral has been barrier-free since its renovation in 2005, with a ground-level main entrance, a side entrance with a ramp, two elevators, and a low counter. The official "Visit Cologne" guide is also barrier-free.

Cologne Bonn Airport offers assistance for passengers with reduced mobility through the PRM service, provided by the German Red Cross. This free service includes accompaniment to and from the aircraft and assistance with navigating the airport. The airport also provides parking spaces for people with reduced mobility and has implemented measures to ensure barrier-free access to various facilities.

Additionally, some venues in Cologne, such as the Kölner Philharmonie, the Filmhaus, and the Christuskirche, have features like wheelchair-accessible entrances, elevators, and disabled restrooms to enhance accessibility for all visitors.

Frequently asked questions