Cologne
The brainchild of artist Odo Rumpf, this subculture playground is creative lab, beer garden, concert venue, club, art centre, alfresco cinema and urban…
Must-see nightlife in Cologne & Northern Rhineland
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Düsseldorf
At one of Germany's most progressive dance clubs, the music skews heavily towards non-mainstream electronic and improvisational acts, which makes for a…
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Düsseldorf
Local colour by the bucketful (despite the high tourist contingent) is what awaits at this cavernous Altbier brewpub. The suds flow so quickly from giant…
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Cologne
A large, leafy park has one of Cologne's best places for a drink: a community-run beer garden. Tables sprawl under huge old trees, while simple snacks…
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Münster
Huge trees soar over the passel of tables at this lovely beer garden right off the Promenade near the Aasee. Unsurprisingly it gets very crowded,…
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Cologne
Expect plenty of local colour at this convivial, family-run beer hall attached to a brewery in business since 1858. It serves the popular Mühlen Kölsch…
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Cologne
Busy and boisterous, Päffgen has been pouring Kölsch since 1883 and hasn’t lost step since. In summer you can enjoy the refreshing brew and local…
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Bonn
Here's a Bonn drinking game: every time a barge passes below this beer garden with gorgeous views of the Rhine, have a drink. You won't last an hour. It's…
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Cologne
The name translates as Vault so it's quite apropos that you have to negotiate a maze of small rooms to arrive at the main floor at this underground club…
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Dortmund
It's really a civilised cocktail bar, but on Borussia Dortmund game days, the black-and-white floors are flooded by a sea of yellow and black, the team…
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Cologne
This beautifully restored 19th-century pub draws a crowd knocking back their Kölsch in a web of highly individualistic nooks, including a little 'chapel'…
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Cologne
Bootshaus is the offshoot of Warehouse, one of Cologne's oldest techno clubs (1991) and regularly hosts DJ royalty such as David Guetta, Ellen Allien and…
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Düsseldorf
In 2010 Düsseldorf's established breweries got competition from this new kid on the block. No-fuss Brauhaus Kürzer captures the design zeitgeist with…
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Düsseldorf
In the 1980s, Ratinger Hof was the hub of Düsseldorf's underground scene and a birthplace of German punk. A techno temple in the '90s, it's again the…
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Münster
For a glamour vibe without the velvet rope, beat a trail to this stylish glass cube with red ostrich benches and an Elizabeth Taylor portrait. Good…
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Düsseldorf
The kind of neighbourhood bar that makes you want to move to the neighbourhood. Saturday mornings are 'breakfasts with authors' – when local authors give…
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Cologne
Even if punk and stoner rock are not usually your thing, you'll get a warm and fuzzy feeling in this campy pub-style bar that pours Kölsch instead of…
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Düsseldorf
After 10pm you may have to shoehorn your way into this jewel of a cocktail bar that’s a tiny island of sophistication amid the boisterous Altstadt thirst…
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Bonn
Generations of bon vivants have followed the Pavlovian bell to this northern Altstadt institution. A cafe in the daytime with a fine terrace (good…
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Münster
Friendly bar that reboots a 1920s vibe for the 21st century with good burgers, beers, football on the big screen, quiz nights and other events that bring…
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Münster
This hip cultural cafe has top-quality coffee and comfortable sofas for lounging on. Join convivial locals at such events as poetry readings, a pub quiz,…
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Münster
This cleverly converted 1950s gas station has blissful cakes, light snacks and strong coffee. At night, different DJs keep the place busy after everything…
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Aachen
This living-room-style cafe brims with books and leafy plants. It's an inviting refuge for winding down on vintage sofas or for meeting locals over a cold…
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Bonn
This cult pub north of the Altstadt has a bewildering menu of 50 beers plus discounted daily specials along with foosball and occasional live music.
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Cologne
This warren of a beer hall near the Dom epitomises Cologne earthiness and is a great place to sample the typical Kölsch beer. Knock them back and tuck…
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Cologne
Empty chairs are a rare sight at this locals’ favourite with a pedigree going back to 1442. There's a fine beer garden, excellent food (mains €9 to €20),…
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Cologne
An institution in the Belgisches Viertel, Six Pack is a worthy stop on any Cologne pub crawl. Pass through the battered door, belly up to the super-long…
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Düsseldorf
Getting past the door can be tough, but if you succeed you’ll have a fine time inside this glitzy basement haunt designed to look like a subway station…
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Cologne
Right in the shadow of the Dom, this rambling beer hall pours traditional Kölsch beer for up to 1200 thirsty guests. Hearty Rhenish dishes, including some…
