Cologne has a lot of interesting places for tourists, so it is better to study a map with sights, hotels and restaurants at once to plan a convenient route.
Geography
Cologne is located in the lower reaches of the Rhine in the eponymous Bay of Cologne. To the east is mountainous terrain, to the south are also mountains and uplands, and to the west is a national park. There are no specific geographical features of the city, and you can learn more about its layout on the map of Cologne with streets.
Cologne districts
Cologne on the world map is a large city, and it counts as many as 9 districts, which consist of 86 smaller districts. All districts have their own advantages and peculiarities, so it is recommended to understand at once.
Cologne's best tourist areas
When you look at where Cologne is on the map, first pay attention to the Altstadt Old Town. This is the best neighborhood for tourists, and it's also very picturesque. It's ideal for hiking, but accommodation here can be expensive and the atmosphere can be noisy.
What neighborhood should I choose besides the center? Good neighborhoods for tourists also include:
- Deutz with its exhibition center and zoo.
- Mülheim with its many boutiques and bars. Check out the map of restaurants and stores right away.
- Rheinauhafen on the picturesque banks of the Rhine.
- Ehrenfeld will appeal to lovers of bohemian and nightlife.
- Hahnwald is the most fashionable neighborhood with luxurious villas.
- Lindenthal is another luxurious place on Cologne's map by neighborhood. Safe bedroom neighborhood by a large park.
- Prestigious bedroom Rodenkirchen is far from the center, so the housing here is cheaper.
- Neustadt is a good option for those who want to live closer to the center, but who find Altstadt too noisy or expensive.
Dangerous neighborhoods in Cologne
The least safe of all Cologne neighborhoods are statistically considered to be Kalk, Chorweiler, Hansaring, Porz and Ostheim. As in any popular tourist city, it is important to follow basic safety rules - keep an eye on things, do not carry too valuable things, be careful in crowded places. According to the Numbeo crime index, Cologne is classified as average. At the same time, it is considered safer than Barcelona, Rome, Athens, Paris or London.
Cologne tourist map
The easiest and most obvious way to see where Cologne is located on a map of Europe and the world in general - Google maps. You can conveniently estimate distances, compare different routes, and then zoom in and explore the map of Cologne neighborhoods itself.
In the popular application maps.me you can use the map of Cologne online and offline. In the second case, you need to download it in advance, and then you won't need internet and roaming. This is not the only one, but perhaps the most famous such application.
If you want to print a tourist map - use tripomatic.com. In addition, ready-made guides are easy to buy on the spot - at the airport, in the hotel, in popular tourist locations, souvenir stores and excursion points.
The center of Cologne on the map and its surroundings are presented at whatsonincologne.com. Another suitable local site is cologne-tourism.com. And there is also an audio guide to popular walking routes on the website or SmartGuide app.
Due to the city's huge popularity among tourists, there are no problems with audio guides at all. Look for options at audioguides-bluehertz.com, voicemap.me, cityapptour.com or simply book a tour on the spot.
The curious site 360stories.com allows you to take a 360-degree look at the most popular attractions in advance. It also offers to read or listen to basic information about these attractions.
Free tours are offered periodically. We advise you to familiarize yourself with the options, for example, on freetour.com or directly on the spot upon arrival. But here everything will depend on the dates of your trip.
Conclusion
If you look at the map of Cologne for a tourist, it's easy to appreciate how big a city it is. Therefore, we advise you to choose at once which area is better to go to and in which neighborhood to live in order to be really comfortable. Everything depends on the purpose of your trip. It does not necessarily have to be the historical center - there are many more options, including more budget-friendly ones. That is why it is useful to study the districts of Cologne on the map in advance.