Weekendo
Christmas Market at Cologne Cathedral
Right below the cathedral's twin spires on Roncalliplatz, Cologne's best-known market brings red-roofed stalls, a giant tree and a canopy of lights.
opens Sun 15 November, 09:00
Cologne Zoo
Kölner Zoo – Haupteingang · Cologne, GermanySeason15 November – 31 March 2027
Todayclosed
Entrysee below
Whereoutdoors
Dynamic online pricing: adults €22.50 to €29.50 depending on date, demand and when you book (VRS transport included). China Lights: separate ticket.
The market is inside Cologne low-emission zone (Umweltzone)
A green emissions sticker (Umweltplakette) on the windscreen is required — also for foreign cars.
Guide: what to doofficial website
Advent 2026: on Saturdays 28.11, 5.12, 12.12 and 19.12 (9-16 h) a parking ticket from the LANXESS arena car parks or the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Ring underground car park is a free KVB ticket for up to 5 people; P22 Messeparkhaus Zoobrücke has a free shuttle to Heumarkt (26.11-23.12). These car parks are inside the zone (sticker needed). KVB P+R list: check each site.
About the event
Founded in 1860 in the Riehl district, Cologne Zoo has Asian elephants, great apes, hippos and a large aquarium with a terrarium and insectarium. In winter, heated houses such as the rainforest hall and the Hippodom are good places to warm up. Winter hours are shorter, and ticket sales stop half an hour before closing. Online tickets are dynamically priced, so booking early saves money, and they include VRS public transport. Tip: parking at the zoo is limited and the underground (Zoo/Flora stop) is often easier; in the evenings the China Lights festival runs in the zoo with a separate ticket.
Season calendar
November 2026
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December 2026
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January 2027
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February 2027
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Tap a day to see the hours.
openclosedspecial hours
Opening hours
Winter (1 Nov–28 Feb): 9 am–5 pm, last entry and animal houses until 4:30 pm. From 1 March: 9 am–6 pm. Regular hours on 25 December and 1 January.
| Monday | 09:00–17:00, 09:00–18:00 |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 09:00–17:00, 09:00–18:00 |
| Wednesday | 09:00–17:00, 09:00–18:00 |
| Thursday | 09:00–17:00, 09:00–18:00 |
| Friday | 09:00–17:00, 09:00–18:00 |
| Saturday | 09:00–17:00, 09:00–18:00 |
| Sunday | 09:00–17:00, 09:00–18:00 |
- Thu 24 December — 09:00–14:00. Christmas Eve: open until 2 pm, last entry 1:30 pm.
- Thu 31 December — 09:00–14:00. New Year's Eve: open until 2 pm, last entry 1:30 pm.
Combine with
Christmas markets nearby for the same trip.
Harbour Christmas Market (Chocolate Museum, Cologne)
On the Rhine in front of the Chocolate Museum, the harbour market is the first in Cologne to open and stays open until 3 January.
Markt der Engel – Angels' Market (Neumarkt, Cologne)
On Neumarkt in the heart of the shopping district, the Angels' Market glows with thousands of star lights in the trees and angels strolling between white stalls.
Nikolausdorf – St Nicholas Village (Rudolfplatz, Cologne)
In front of the medieval Hahnentorburg gate, a 'village' of huts where St Nicholas makes his rounds every day and local Kölsch bands play in the evening.
Heinzels Wintermärchen (Cologne Old Town)
Cologne's market of the Heinzelmännchen house elves spreads over Alter Markt and Heumarkt, with a large open-air ice rink running into January.
Bonn Christmas Market
More than 160 stalls across Bonn's pedestrian centre, from Münsterplatz and its Beethoven statue to Friedensplatz.
Cologne Zoo17 markets nearby