Gay koln

This event originally began as a Christopher Street Day (CSD) pride celebration after the Stonewall Riots. However, take note of the below as they do typically have different crowds so bear that in mind to see which best suits you:

• Phoenix – Phoenix sauna is known for having the youngest crowd out of the three (but of course always a mix).

  Take a look at:

  • Kinkz (Schaafenstraße) – the name says it all.  This bar is popular with the leather crowd and one that does have a darkroom although this was out of action during my visit (so double check).
  • Pullermanns (Old Town) – Colognes oldest gay bar and gay cruising bar dating back to 1972!

    I started upstairs in the pop room and finished downstairs in the techno room.

    But Cologne more than compensates for this with its more friendly and easy-going atmosphere.

    Start in the Innenstadt (downtown) on the Rhine’s west bank.

    I highly recommend their cosmopolitan and espresso martini.

    P.s it is part of booking.coms Travel Proud programmes meaning it has done extra work to make sure it is providing the best welcome possible to its LGBTQ+ guests.

    Book now

    Other hotel suggestions

    During my queer walking tour of the city, my guide pointed out some other gay popular or gay owned hotels.

    Equally all levels of rooms are beautifully decorated.

    And as a cherry on top, almost literally, you will find one of Colognes most popular rooftop terrace bars on the 11^th floor of the hotel – Bar Botanik. Perhaps start the night in the Bermuda Triangle and end your night in the Old Town.

    However, with Cologne being such an open and welcoming city please don’t feel restricted to these areas, you can expect to find LGBTQ+ friendly establishments dotted all over the city.

    Gay Hotels and Gay-Friendly Hotels in Cologne

    You will be welcomed wherever you stay in Cologne, but like any city, over time, certain places become more popular with LGBTQ+ travellers or go the extra mile to make sure their guests know they are welcome.

    I stayed at the Wasserturm Hotel and can not speak highly enough about it.

    Book in advance!

  • Tanica – If Italian is to your taste, Tanica is one of six Italian restaurants owned by Massimo in Cologne. Once on the other side you will find yourself in front of Ludwig Museum or if you turn left, a nice outdoor area with water features and the Pink Triangle monument (LGBTQ+ monument for those that were persecuted).

    Visit one of Colognes many Museums

    If you are a museum buff then you could easily spend a day or two enjoying the museums in Cologne.

    This area, buzzing with gay bars, LGBTQ+ clubs, and queer cafes, serves as the pulsating heart of Cologne’s queer community. You’ll want to sniff out—get it? I also combined this activity with the Flora and Botanical Gardens, the Cologne Triangle (below) and a walk over Hohenzollern bridge.

    Cologne Triangle

    I do love to walk and walk to experience a city, but the best views are always from above.

    For just €5 you can head up to the observation deck of the Cologne Triangle for 360-degree views of the city below.

    The Cologne Triangle is on the east side of the river so you can take in views of the River Rhine, Hohenzollern Bridge and the Cologne Cathedral all in one (it might suit anyone that feels uneasy in a cable car).

    After you have been up the Cologne Triangle, you can go straight to the next activity…

    Walk over Hohenzollern Bridge and see all the love locks

    Another iconic image that will come up when you search for ‘Cologne’ will be the Hohenzollern Bridge and its 1000s of love locks.

    If you exit the Cologne Triangle and walk towards the bridge you will find a great photo spot (pictured above).

    Take a stroll across the bridge and if you like, add your own love lock.

    I highly recommend the lasagne; they also do a truffle pasta which would have been my second choice.

  • Ludwig im Museum – this is a great spot for lunch, perhaps after the Cologne Triangle and walking back across Hohenzollern Bridge.
    

    Some menus were only available in German so have Google Translate handy (use the photo option to take a photo of the menu to translate).

  • Card/cash – this felt mixed, I managed to use card in most places but I am told to check first, it is recommended to have a little cash with you also.

  Wrap Up

  Visiting Cologne in October has given me a taste and I am definitely keen to experience more.

  Normally the stages are at Heumarkt, Alter Markt and Gurzenich so perhaps plan to stay near one of these areas.

  One thing that I loved learning about during my queer walking tour in Cologne, was that they don’t use the term ‘pride parade’ here, they call this the CSD Demonstration – because we can never forget that pride is also a protest, not just a celebration.

  To find out the schedule for next year, head to the Cologne Pride website.

  Carnival

  If you love a huge 6-day street party then you might want to plan a trip for Cologne Carnival.

  Carnival itself is not an LGBTQ+ specific event, but you can be sure that any big event in Cologne with spectacular parties and costumes is going to attract LGBTQ+ tourists and locals alike.

  However, if you want to experience the gay side of Carnival to the maximum, then take a look at what events 5exy Party Cologne are running as during the final weekend of Carnival they host huge gay circuit parties!

  5exy Party Cologne

  If you follow me over on Instagram, you will know that I love a good circuit party and here in Cologne, that is what 5exy Party Cologne delivers.

  I have followed their account for years and have seen that they run epic (and sometimes a little naughty) events throughout the year and especially during Carnival and Pride.

  I finally attended during Cologne Pride and I have to say, it is an absolute must.

  A short train ride can transport you to a world of rolling vineyards, medieval castles, and sleepy villages. Sunday afternoon sees the school group and borough parades, but the highlight of the Cologne Carnival is the kilometre-long procession on ›Rosenmontag‹ (Rose Monday). For the sight-seeing traveller it hasn't much to offer besides the Cathedral, an UNESCO World Heritage site, a wide range of high quality art galleries and museums, and a few other attractions.

  Gay cruising bars are in a separate section below.

  There are a couple of other bars scattered elsewhere in the city but the ones I have listed will be the most popular and busy for you to visit:

  Gay Bars in Schaafenstraße/Bermuda Triangle

  This is where I chose to start my night and I am very happy that I did.

  I need to go back to try one of their summer pool parties!

• Vulcanus – Colognes oldest gay sauna attracting the more mature crowd, found in the Old Town.

Things to do in Cologne for Gay Travellers

As tempting as it might be to fill your time with the wonderful LGBTQ+ scene in Cologne, you have to make sure to spend time exploring the city itself.

The city has some spectacular sights such as the Cologne Cathedral, it’s centred around the River Rhine for riverside walks and is very walkable (or very short metro journeys).

In particular, try and visit/do as many of the below as possible:

Queer Walking Tour

This is going to be my number one recommendation.

On my first morning I was joined by local guide Till, who took me on a queer walking tour of the city.

This was perfect for me to get acquainted with the layout or the city, understand where the gay areas were, which places I might want to visit and also to learn about LGBTQ+ history in Cologne by visiting some of the monuments dedicated to the community.

To book a tour head to the Visit Cologne website, you may need to email to request this specific tour depending on the time of year.

Visit Cologne Cathedral

As soon as you search for ‘Cologne’, this is the image you will see.

Colognes Cathedral is a gothic masterpiece and an iconic part of the city.

I enjoyed some beefs cheeks for my lunch, they have a good range of tasty and comforting options.

• Braustelle – a very casual, low key local Brewery in Ehrenfeld. The inclusive vibe lasts all year round, especially in the "Bermuda Triangle" nightlife district. If you come here make sure you have an appetite, I tried the dumplings (spinach, cheese and ham) and could not finish the portion!