8 Tricks to Make the Most of your Carnival in Cologne

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Welcome to Europe’s finest occasion. I’m certain none of you’re strangers to the revelries of Carnival, to fancy gown parades, big floats and the insanity taking place earlier than Lent begins. Carnival might be dated again to Roman occasions, and each metropolis, city and village in Europe celebrates its personal means.

I’ve been touring Carnival celebrations for years now, and nowhere have I seen it celebrated with as a lot ardour and sentiment as in Cologne – regionally often called Kölner Karneval. The city is actually swept away in a sea of colours, music and dance for six days. Over one million folks take the streets and locals received’t miss the celebration for something on the planet.

It’s the occasion to finish all events – and listed here are 7 suggestions so that you can take pleasure in Carnival in Cologne at its finest.

See additionally: A Information to Visiting Cologne, Germany

Scenes from the Carnival in Cologne, Kölner Karneval
Scenes from the Carnival in Cologne, Kölner Karneval

1. Select when to go to

Carnival parades in Cologne occur over a course of 6 days, with every single day completely different celebrations. Festivities kick off on the Thursday earlier than Ash Wednesday with ‘Ladies’s Carnival’, and conclude with the burning of the ‘Nubbel’, a straw determine, on Tuesday night time.

On Friday there are events and parades throughout city, and on Saturday night the ‘Ghost Parade’ takes place, the one parade the general public is allowed to affix. Sunday is Household Day, when teams of schoolchildren from throughout Cologne march across the metropolis with their floats. The largest parade is the one taking place on Rose Monday, with over 70 giant floats from Cologne’s official carnival teams.

The Rose Monday parade is certainly spectacular, with marching bands and teams of cheerleaders opening every float, however crowds might be overbearing. Sunday is one other nice day to go to because the ambiance is extra subdued.

2. Select the place to observe the parade

Being near the parade is a part of the enjoyable. You’ll get to understand the colourful floats and costumes, the music and festive ambiance, with folks screaming Kolle Alaaf – the carnival motto, that means Cologne above all – and throwing Kamelle (sweets) to bystanders. Be sure to carry some luggage alongside to take all of the Kamelle residence with you!

With as much as one million folks within the streets, choosing a great spot to observe the parade is usually a problem. The realm across the Dom is certainly scenic, but it surely’s additionally the place crowds are at their worst. We advocate avoiding the Dom and the Heumarkt space, and heading as an alternative to the backstreets simply off Neumarkt, or close to the start of the parade. Verify this map for the small print of the carnival parade.

3. Choose a elaborate gown

You merely can’t go to carnival with out fancy gown. You may carry your individual or lease/purchase one if you get to Cologne, and even simply seize a wig or a foolish hat from considered one of many stalls across the metropolis heart. When you go for a full-blown fancy gown, bear in mind you’ll be in your ft for many of the day, so select one thing sensible – an 18th century Venetian-style gown will most likely be laborious to handle.

Additionally, don’t overlook that Carnival occurs in the midst of winter so be ready for temperatures that may dip under zero – a Monsters Inc model jumpsuit or cavemen’s outfit ought to do the trick!

4. What to do at night time

The parades occur within the afternoon, and after they’re over the occasion continues at just about each single bar, restaurant and residential across the metropolis. Events in bars and restaurant normally observe an identical format – copious quantities of Kolsch, Cologne’s very personal beer, streamers and confetti and Carnival music enjoying all night time lengthy. When you communicate a little bit of German, don’t fear in case you can’t make any head or tail of the songs – they’re all in Cologne dialect.

Bars across the metropolis heart are prone to be packed – head out of the town heart to a spot like Agnesquarter, Südstadt or Ehrenfeld for a extra manageable state of affairs.

5. What to eat and drink throughout Carnival

Would you like the brief reply? Eat avenue meals (suppose currywurst, doner kebab, falafel and the like) and drink Kolsch, Cologne beer served in tiny glasses. There might be stalls serving beer everywhere in the metropolis, or you’ll be able to decide up some bottles at a nook retailer.

When you’re planning on partying the entire day and complete night time, ensure you eat a very good breakfast as these Kolsch add up actually rapidly and also you don’t need to get too drunk too quickly!

See additionally: Conventional Beer and Meals in Cologne

6. Burn the Nubbel

On Carnival Tuesday, the Nubbel is ceremoniously set ablaze in Cologne. This straw effigy should take duty for all wrongs dedicated throughout the carnival season.

Folks congregate exterior quite a few pubs to absolve themselves of their previous transgressions- setting hearth to this figurine symbolically relinquishes them from any misdeeds they might have indulged in all through that interval, as per fashionable superstition.

7. Attending to Cologne and round

Carnival is tremendous excessive season in Cologne, and flight costs are typically steep. We advocate taking the prepare as an alternative (seek for tickets on Kayak) – the town is a really busy railway hub with a lot of trains coming from each nook of Europe, in order that they’re not prone to be bought out. Most German trains don’t require reservations – we travelled into Cologne from Copenhagen and out to Paris and didn’t have to e-book our seats prematurely.

To get round Cologne you should use the superb public transport system, with trams and U-Bahn reaching each nook of the town. The carnival space is compact sufficient to be navigated on foot – it takes about 20 minutes to stroll from Neumarkt to Heumarkt, and an extra 15 to succeed in the Dom and Hauptbahnhof.

8. Is carnival in Cologne secure?

The ambiance of Carnival in Cologne is festive, relaxed and welcoming, and locals might be greater than prepared that can assist you in case you’ve misplaced your means or your group. I’ve by no means felt threatened or endangered in any means – there’s a lot of police and safety across the parades.

Nevertheless, as at all times with crowds, pickpockets are rife, so preserve your belongings shut.

See additionally: Straightforward Tricks to Outsmart Pickpocketing in Europe



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