Kölsch, Kerzenschein & Kathedrale

Drop your bags at your Altstadt hotel — staying central puts the cathedral literally around the corner and the Christmas market stalls a two-minute walk from your door.

Start where Cologne starts: at the foot of the Dom. The twin spires dominate the skyline at 157 metres, and stepping inside the nave — all soaring Gothic stone and medieval stained glass — sets the tone for everything that follows. Climb the south tower for a panoramic view of the Rhine and the city's rooftop patchwork before the market crowds thicken below.

Steps from the cathedral, Wartesaal am Dom sits in the grand vaulted hall of the old Hauptbahnhof waiting room — a fittingly theatrical setting for a midday meal. Order something substantial before the afternoon's museum run.

Walk the Hohenzollern Bridge — its iron railings dense with padlocks left by couples over the decades — and pause midspan for the city's finest river view: the Dom reflected in the Rhine, and the Deutz skyline beyond. Double back along the promenade as market stalls begin to glow with advent lights.

One of Europe's most significant modern-art collections, Museum Ludwig holds an exceptional Picasso gift alongside heavyweight works of Pop Art, Expressionism and photography. It's a welcome indoor warmth on a December afternoon, and the building sits right on the Rhine — the floor-to-ceiling windows frame the water beautifully.

One of the city's most atmospheric brauhäuser, Schreckenskammer (literally 'chamber of horrors' — the name is older than the irony) serves proper Kölsch in the traditional round carried by fast-moving Köbes waiters. Order the Himmel un Ääd or whatever the kitchen is running, settle into the wooden benches, and let the evening unfold at the pace Cologne intended.

Cologne's oldest public art museum gathers medieval panel painting, Dutch Golden Age masters and French Impressionists under one roof. A quiet, unhurried morning here — before the old-town streets fill — is one of the best ways to start a day in the city. The collection's medieval rooms feel especially fitting during Advent.

Wander the old-town stalls at your own pace — mulled wine in hand, taking in the handcraft vendors, roasted-nut smoke and the brass bands that drift between the market squares. Cologne runs several distinct markets within walking distance of each other; the cathedral market and the Neumarkt circle are the most atmospheric.

A short tram ride into Zülpicher Viertel brings you to Bei Oma Kleinmann, a fiercely local institution where Rhenish home cooking — think Sauerbraten, Reibekuchen and hearty soups — is served in a dining room that feels genuinely unchanged by the decades. Exactly the kind of place to refuel properly before the afternoon.

The world's largest collection dedicated to Käthe Kollwitz occupies a handsome townhouse on the Neumarkt. Her drawings, prints and sculptures — unflinching in their depiction of grief, labour and solidarity — carry unusual emotional weight in winter light. It's a compact museum, but one that stays with you.

Cologne is the birthplace of Eau de Cologne, and the Farina House — the original family perfume workshop, operating since 1709 — tells that story with charm and genuine historical depth. Guided tours wind through period rooms and fragrance archives, and the shop is an excellent stop for a distinctive gift to carry home.

Round off the weekend at Die Breddoille Weinbar — a counterpoint to the Kölsch halls, with a considered wine list and a slower, more convivial pace. It's the right place to sit down, compare notes on the two days, and raise a glass to the city before heading home.