VIII. Gay Games Cologne 2010

Cologne Cathedral is, and will continue to be, the No. 1 tourist destination, not just of Cologne, but of Germany as a whole. Over six million people visit the UNESCO world heritage site every year. The imposing gothic cathedral houses the Shrine of the Three Kings, which makes it one of the most important pilgrimage destinations in Europe.

Since August 2007, the window designed by the Cologne artist Gerhard Richter - a shimmering play of hues and tones with squares of every color - has added to the cathedral’s attractions. Together with the cathedral, a “crown” of twelve Romanic churches represents “Holy Cologne”. Numerous museums and galleries with extensive collections from every genre of art, the Cologne Philharmonic, the opera, and the lively theater scene round out the cultural array.

Cologne is one of the most popular shopping destinations in Germany. With a pedestrian count of over 17,000 per hour, Cologne's Schildergasse was voted Germany’s “Number 1 shopping street" in 2007. Major department stores and chain stores of brand-name merchandisers have settled in this location, as they have in Hohe Strasse. More and more young designers are setting up shops in the district known as the “Belgian Quarter”, where they offer off-beat clothing and accessories in small boutiques with unique design. Comfortable, inviting cafes and trendy bars and restaurants turn shopping trips into a memorable experience.

Not far from the bravura of city life, there are an unusually high number of parks and gardens in Cologne. Green spaces cover considerably more than a quarter of the City’s environs. Whether you’re in the Flora or the adjoining Botanical Garden, in the Rheinpark or by the Aachener Weiher (Aachen Pond), Cologne’s green oases offer space for relaxation and sports activities. The Cologne Zoo, the third-oldest zoo in Germany, has enjoyed continual popularity with its 20,000 square meter elephant park and its resident elephant calves, Marlar, Ming Jung and Maha Kumari. The Rhine offers various options for investigating Cologne and its surroundings, for example through a cruise on the “White Fleet” of the Köln-Düsseldorfer Rheinschiffahrt (“KD”).

The best place for visitors to experience Cologne’s Kölsch Kultur is in Cologne’s Old Town. Typical colourful gabled houses extend along the Rhine Promenade, only few steps away from the Cathedral. In the many brewery taverns, visitors are always served cool Kölsch, a top-fermented beer, in typical cylindrical glasses known as Stangen, which are presented by Köbes, wait staff dressed in traditional garb. The Cologne cuisine is a good match with the beer, with gastronomic delights such as Halven Hahn (not a half chicken, but a rye roll with cheese), Himmel un Ääd (“heaven and earth” - mashed potatoes with apple mash), and Kölscher Kaviar (not caviar, but another sort of blood sausage with onions).