There’s always something to do in Cologne. Here are our tips for this weekend. If you want to know what’s happening in October, check out this list. We’ve also got the coolest tips for family outings and free activities!
Moonlight Market at the Pattenhalle
Over 100 booths featuring vintage, secondhand, design, and art turn the Pattenhalle in Ehrenfeld into a night market, complete with food trucks. Live bands play on a small stage, turning the treasure hunt into a real Saturday night out.
📍 Pattenhalle Ehrenfeld
📆 Sat, Nov. 7, 5:00 p.m.–11:00 p.m.
⏳ approx. 2–3 hours
💵 €5
ℹ️ More info
Experience soccer up close: Viktoria Köln vs. Saarbrücken
At the compact Höhenberg Sports Park, with just over 8,300 seats, Viktoria creates a tight, intense home-game atmosphere, and you’re still close to the field. 1. FC Saarbrücken is the visiting team on Friday evening, and standing-room tickets are still available in the low double digits.
📍 Sportpark Höhenberg, Günter-Kuxdorf-Weg 1, 51103 Cologne
📆 Fri, Nov. 6, kickoff at 7 p.m.
⏳ approx. 2 hours
💵 starting at approx. €14 (standing room)
ℹ️ More info and tickets
How about a little trip into the world of Minecraft? At OBEX in Oberhausen, an interactive experience awaits you that brings the popular sandbox game to life: Traverse biomes, battle mobs, gather resources, and rescue the villagers!
📍OBEX in Oberhausen, Duisburger Str. 375, 46049 Oberhausen
📆 Daily (Select your preferred time)
⏳ Approx. 60 minutes
💵 Starting at 25 €
ℹ️ More info and tickets
Waterland: The Water Circus from Kyiv
The Ukrainian National Circus Waterland is making its debut in Cologne, featuring a ring filled with 120 metric tons of water, fountains, aerial acrobatics, and dance. Everything takes place over, in, and around the water—a spectacle for young and old alike.
📍 Liebigstraße, corner of Pettenkoferstraße, 50823 Cologne-Ehrenfeld
📆 Various times throughout the weekend
⏳ approx. 2 hours (including a break)
💵 starting at €21.50
ℹ️ More info and tickets
Pumpkin Park at the Gertrudenhof
With over 100,000 pumpkins and gigantic pumpkin pyramids, the Pumpkin Park at the Getrudenhof in Hürth offers the perfect photo spots. The animal sanctuary petting zoo, the XXL straw barn, trampolines, and the “Pumpkin Bay” bounce houses are sure to delight the little ones.
There’s plenty to enjoy on the culinary front, too: from steaming pumpkin soup to crispy tarte flambée and fresh waffles, there’s something for every taste. On weekends, you can carve your own pumpkins, and in the evenings, there are cool special events like Spooky Nights.
📍 Gertrudenhof Adventure Farm, Lortzingstraße 160, 50354 Hürth–Hermülheim
📆 Through Nov. 8, 10 a.m.–7 p.m.
💵 Prices vary depending on category and event
ℹ️ More info and tickets
It’s never too late to get to know your own city (and it’s never too late for a Kölsch anyway!)
An experienced guide will take you on a fantastic tour through Cologne’s Old Town, revealing its hidden treasures and stories. Along the way, you’ll stop at a brewery and discover new aspects of the local Kölsch during a tasting!
📍 Domkloster 4, 50667 Cologne
📅 Every day at 11 a.m.
⏳ 2 hours
ℹ️ More info and tickets
Long Night of Cologne’s Breweries
For the 3rd Long Night of Cologne’s Breweries (18 venues, free admission almost everywhere), this iconic restaurant invites you starting at 5 p.m. to “Oma’s Mettnacht” with fresh Mettbrötchen and Mühlen Kölsch at a special price. Starting at 9:30 p.m., “Thekenklänge Spezial” takes over—a great starting point for a brewery tour through the neighborhoods.
📍 Bei Oma Kleinmann, Zülpicher Straße 9, 50674 Cologne
📆 Sat, Nov. 7, starting at 5:00 p.m. (live music starting at 9:30 p.m.)
⏳ Open-ended; allow 2–4 hours
for a night out at the bar 💵 Free
admission ℹ️ More info
St. Martin’s Market at Wasserburg Satzvey
At the romantic castle grounds, there’s mulled wine, bread on a stick, and sing-along concerts where traditional songs are accompanied by medieval instruments. Around 5 p.m., St. Martin rides up on horseback to the St. Martin’s bonfire in the castle park—lanterns are welcome.
📍 Satzvey Castle (approx. 50 km southwest of Cologne)
📆 Sat, Nov. 7, 2–7 p.m. (sing-along at 2:30, 3:30, and 4:30 p.m.; St. Martin’s bonfire around 5 p.m.)
⏳ About 3 hours on site, plus about 45–60 min. travel
time 💵 Starting at 5 € (children), adults about 8 €
ℹ️ More info and tickets
Stand-up comedy at the Goldfinger Club
The stand-up comedy show “Lachkater,” taking place at the Goldfinger Club in the Friesenviertel, is sure to have you in stitches. Up-and-coming and well-known comedians perform here in a cozy atmosphere before the venue transitions back to its regular club hours.
📍 Friesenstraße 54, 50670 Cologne
📆 Friday, November 6, at 7 p.m. (ages 16 and up)
⏳ approx. 2 to 2.5 hours
💵 starting at €25
ℹ️ More info and tickets
During the Long Night of Museums, you’ll have the chance to learn all about the new exhibition “Along the Color Line—Traces of a Transatlantic Modernism” at interactive stations!
📍 Museum Ludwig, Heinrich-Böll-Platz
📆 Saturday, 8
p.m.–midnight ⏳ approx. 2 hours
💵 approx. 12 €
ℹ️ More info and tickets
Stuntwerk Cologne Mülheim
If you’re looking to get active this weekend, the Stuntwerk in Mülheim offers a spectacular mix of bouldering, parkour, and Ninja Warrior training. In the stylish industrial hall on the Carlswerk grounds, beginners and pros alike can work up a sweat and try out new, creative movement sequences.
📍 Stuntwerk Cologne, Schanzenstraße 6–20 (Building 2.11), 51063 Cologne
📆 Fri 10 a.m.–11 p.m., Sat/Sun 9 a.m.–10 p.m.
⏳ 2 to 4 hours
💵 Day pass approx. 16 euros
ℹ️ More info and tickets
Cologne Zoo & Aquarium
At the Cologne Zoo & Aquarium, you’ll go on a journey of discovery through various habitats—from the Rhine to the Indo-Pacific coral reefs. Watch a herd of elephants in the two-hectare Elephant Park, encounter hippos and Nile crocodiles in the Hippodome, and explore the modernized Amur tiger enclosure. A tropical jungle world awaits you in the Arnulf and Elizabeth Reichert House. Around 70 aquariums also showcase colorful fish, corals, anemones, and many other exotic aquatic creatures.
📍 Cologne Zoo & Aquarium, Riehler Straße 173, 50735 Cologne
📆 Open
daily from 9 a.m.–6 p.m. ⏳ approx. 3–4 hours
💵 Regular: €29.50, Children: €15
ℹ️ More info
Nature: Checking out sculptures in Stammheim Castle Park
A wild park right on the Rhine on the right bank—one that even many Cologne residents don’t know about. It’s home to beautiful old trees, and the entire park is filled with ever-changing, fascinating sculptures by contemporary artists. An absolutely peaceful place for a stroll amid art and nature.
📍 Stammheimer Hauptstraße, 51061 Cologne
📆 All day
⏳ 1.5 to 2 hours
💵 Free
ℹ️ More info
Dating: A cool idea for a first date! (And for couples)
Running out of small talk on a first date? Turn Cologne’s Old Town into your playground and discover a genuine connection. During this interactive scavenger hunt, you’ll solve creative challenges, discover romantic spots, and get to know each other in a playful way. Perfect for a first date or for special moments as a couple.
📍 Bahnhofsvorpl. 1, Cologne
📆 flexible
💵 €20 for a couple
ℹ️ More info and tickets
All information is subject to change.
