10 Best Things to Do for Couples in Cologne

A Rhein River Cruise allows you to relax in luxury as you drift down one of the world’s most famous rivers under a brilliant sunrise as the skyline eases past. A cruise on the Rhine offers a sense of freedom and surpassing beauty. The city offers many cruises, from group trips with full meals and live music to private yacht rentals that allow you to see the buildings in peace with just the two of you and the captain.

For the ultimate in romance, take a trip that sets off at sunset and continues into the night. In the evenings, the look of the illuminated skyline is nothing short of breath-taking.

The Hohenzollern Bridge, also called the Love Locks Bridge, is a historic landmark built in the early 20th century offering fantastic views and unique tokens of love. The Love Locks are hundreds of padlocks engraved with the names of lovers pledging their hearts to each other. The locks are in all different sizes and shapes, completely individualized to the couples who put them there.

You can purchase a lock of your own to add and have it engraved, then throw the key into the Rhine so your lock will be a forever token of love on this scenic spot. After you do so, take the time to read and view others’ tokens. It’s right in the city centre.

The Sky Lounge at Savoy Hotel is an elegant, classy, yet casual establishment situated on the hotel's roof in the heart of the city centre. What sets it apart from other viewpoints is that it offers stunning panoramic city views of the entire city to the Cathedral. You and your beloved can relax with a delicious craft cocktail whipped up by a master mixologist. This open-air terrace is open in bright weather as long as it’s at least 20° C outside in the evening.

The menu on Thursdays to Saturdays is a broil menu offering barbecue specialties and fresh salads. From Sunday to Wednesday, it offers a delicious tarte flambée menu.

A couples’ spa treatment is just the thing to relax, unwind, loosen up and get pampered after a long day of walking the streets, shopping and visiting historical sites. Cologne is filled with spa facilities, including the popular Claudius Therme which is a Roman spa with jacuzzi hot tubs, massage and sauna treatments as well as champagne available for extra romance, all under cavernous domed ceilings and floating pools.

Just about every good hotel has some sort of spa facility where you can settle in on a deck chair and watch the sunset to relax and reconnect with each other. Many don’t even require you to be a guest; just book an appointment and go.

Bar Botanik at Wasserturm Hotel Cologne offers rooftop dining with 360-degree panoramic views of the city skyline and surprising craft cocktail creations to suit almost any taste. The food menu offers everything from small plates to full meals and if you want true romance, you can book a private dining room so it’s just the two of you. The menu offers both innovative snacks and international specialty foods, all offered with a unique fusion twist. You’ll be surrounded by leather, wood and natural fabrics as well as lush greenery all around.

Music is provided nightly by top live DJs spinning the best lounge music. This restaurant in the heart of the city centre is the height of refined and classy.

Dom Cathedral and Museum allows you to visit a towering Gothic building dating back hundreds of years with a full museum in its labyrinthine basement. The walls have the look and feel of a catacomb, but the overall ambiance is peaceful, quiet and allows for quiet and reflective time together. The lighting is soft and the museum offers hundreds of exhibits and artifacts ranging from historic garments with intricate weaving to tapestries to treasures and jewels that you can see from all around.

The romance in this place is in the very walls. It’s like taking a pulse-racing and passionate walk back through history to the days of high chivalry.

Gruber’s Restaurant is a Michelin starred restaurant serving up authentic Austrian cuisine in a charming restaurant with multiple rooms and a variety of culinary styles. You can enjoy a wide range of dishes here including the traditional and classic like schnitzel and Kaiserschmarrn or even ultramodern fusion dishes like pointed cabbage and Carinthian cheese noodles. It’s a high-class fine dining establishment, but for those traveling on a budget you can come here at lunch time for a more limited menu at more affordable prices.

This restaurant has a vegetarian menu and terrace dining outdoors. The wine list is outstanding. It’s worth mentioning that they don’t take cards, so bring cash. It’s in the city centre.

Rheinpark offers 40 hectares of green space right along the banks of the Rhein for romantic walks and tranquil, unspooled space to relax, reconnect and take in stunning views. There are few activities that offer the same kind of romance that an arm-in-arm walk along this famous river offers. You’ll capture wonderful views of the cathedral that towers above the city centre just across the river as well as walking through exquisite gardens filled with colorful flowers and intricately landscaped gardens.

When the time comes for a rest, you can relax at one of the many coffee shops throughout the park. It’s right in the heart of the city centre for an easy afternoon’s retreat.

Le Moissonnier is an outstanding restaurant and lounge where you can enjoy continental cuisine and delicious cocktails and meals in elegant surroundings. The food is a fusion style cuisine using French dishes prepared using modern twists on traditional cooking by an expert, experienced chef. From meat to fish, cheese and delicious side dishes, you’ll enjoy fine food with a casual and laid-back vibe served up with friendly service. The restaurant has been serving its style of French for over 25 years and today is a Michelin-starred establishment.

The menu highlights range from French staples like Foie Gras to delicacies like seafood such as scallops, tuna, mackerel and oysters. As you might expect, the wine list is outstanding.

Kölner Philharmonie - Cologne Philharmony offers you the chance to get swept away in the magic of classical music performed by a wide range of highly talented artists. The concert offerings in this venue range from full orchestras to soloists and choirs and the repertoire of styles and genres is equally varied. You’ll relax in a grand auditorium with truly lavish architecture and décor filled with spacious seating and every seat in the house is a good one, allowing a great view of the stage.

If you’re looking for a relaxing and gentle evening, the classical and chamber music here is a wonderful way to spark your passions. It’s right in the city centre.