A historian's view on Cologne, beer incl
Check local COVID-19 restrictions before booking
Experience hosted by Marcel
3.5 hours
Includes drinks
Up to 10 people
Hosted in English
What you'll do
We will start at Deutz station in the heart of Cologne's long-neglected right bank where you'll get first hand insight into how the city has been changing over the 20th century as well as getting the basics laid out on beer culture with your first Kölsch in a very traditional pub. We'll head on to cross Hohenzollernbridge, where you'll understand the city's close connection to the river, into its medieval center, where you'll get first-hand insight into peculiar traditions as well as architectural marvels (like the Cathedral) or disasters (like the Opera House) spanning all centuries while tasting the primary types of Kölsch at different beer pubs. We'll end the tour close to the Hauptbahnhof and Cologne's most impressive historical museum on the National Socialism period, the El-De-Haus, or I'll send you your way with one final beer tradition, the Wegbier.
Should you be interested but don't find a suitable date in the calendar, just send me a message, often I can flexibly arrange for additional dates or move existing dates slightly.
Other things to note
Cologne is a very old city and not reliably barrier free, so it's important to be prepared to walk and climb stairs. Also, it's not mandatory to drink alcohol on the tour but certainly strengthens the experience as Cologne's history is closely connected to its brewing culture.
Should you be interested but don't find a suitable date in the calendar, just send me a message, often I can flexibly arrange for additional dates or move existing dates slightly.
Other things to note
Cologne is a very old city and not reliably barrier free, so it's important to be prepared to walk and climb stairs. Also, it's not mandatory to drink alcohol on the tour but certainly strengthens the experience as Cologne's history is closely connected to its brewing culture.
We will start at Deutz station in the heart of Cologne's long-neglected right bank where you'll get first hand insight into how the city has been changing over the 20th century as well as getting the basics laid out on beer culture with your first Kölsch in a very traditional pub. We'll head on to cross Hohenzollernbridge, where you'll understand the city's close connection to the river, into its medieval center, where you'll get first-hand insig…
Marcel's commitment to safety
This host committed to Airbnb’s COVID-19-related safety and cleaning guidelines—including adhering to social distancing guidelines, practicing good hygiene, and ensuring that all participants wear a mask.
What's included
- DrinksSeveral samples of different local beers (Kölsch) are included in the itine...
From $44
/ person
- 20 Reviews
- Identity verified
I'm a high-school-level teacher of German history with an according university degree and have been living in and around Cologne for over a decade now, always exploring the city with a professional eye. Years ago, I started leading friends on history walks of the city's heart, which, after all, has been inhabited for about 2.000 years now, with traces of every period found everywhere. Over time, the walk grew into a standing itinerary that I do with beer for friends and without for students. Especially the latter are extremely strict critiques and have always been excited about the walk.
I'm a high-school-level teacher of German history with an according university degree and have been living in and around Cologne for over a decade now, always exploring the city with a professional eye. Years ago, I started leading friends on history walks of the city's heart, which, after all, has been inhabited for about 2.000 years now, with traces of every period found everywhere. Over time, the walk grew into a standing itinerary that I do with beer for friends and without for students. Esp…
Where you'll be
You'll see the everchanging suburb of Deutz where you'll learn about the dark history of the historical trade fair buildings, will hear about the weird design of the country's most famous train bridge (Hohenzollernbridge) and why the Cathedral survived the war despite being hit directly several times before heading into the medieval heart of the city. All in all, you'll find out why Cologne is the most peculiar of all German cities.
Rated 5.0 out of 5 from 20 reviews.
We really enjoyed our experience with Marcel. We learned so much about Cologne's history which we otherwise wouldn't of known. In particular, we enjoyed learning about the very beginnings of Cologne, the first structure of the city and the significance and difference on the two sides of the bridge. Our favourite part was learning about the local colture of kolsch.
We really enjoyed our experience with Marcel. We learned so much about Cologne's history which we otherwise wouldn't of known. In particular, we enjoyed learning about the very beg…
If you come to Köln and know nothing about the area, you will leave with a better understanding of this oldest and diverse city.
If you have been to Köln before and thought that you knew all that there is to know you will leave having learned something new.
Marcel has a true passion for this city and he has a wonderful way of sharing it!
I want to thank him for an excellent evening!
If you come to Köln and know nothing about the area, you will leave with a better understanding of this oldest and diverse city.
If you have been to Köln before and thought that yo…
Marcel was very knowledgable and friendly! His passion for history really showed and I loved all the stories he told about Cologne and Germany. It was also really fun trying out different beers and meeting the group of amazing people on the tour! I highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Cologne :)
Marcel was very knowledgable and friendly! His passion for history really showed and I loved all the stories he told about Cologne and Germany. It was also really fun trying out di…
This was a fantastic tour. Marcel is hugely knowledgable about the history of Cologne and we got to know loads of interesting little details that we would never have found out by ourselves. He has a really endearing enthusiasm for his city which made the tour entertaining and engaging. We also visited lots of locations that we wouldn't have thought of going to, which made it possible to see the real city beyond the tourist areas. Highly recommended and also very good value for the price.
This was a fantastic tour. Marcel is hugely knowledgable about the history of Cologne and we got to know loads of interesting little details that we would never have found out by o…
Choose from available dates
2 available
Things to know
Cancellation policy
Any experience can be canceled and fully refunded within 24 hours of purchase, or at least 7 days before the experience starts.
Guest requirements
Up to 10 guests ages 18 and up can attend. Parents may also bring children under 2 years of age.
What to bring
camera
umbrella in rainy weather
umbrella in rainy weather