A large and comprehensive festival with good crowds, but not so much to cause a queue to enter the…read moregrounds. There's a wide range of food from oysters to burgers, spreads to cheeses, and folks offering knives and pans, and naturally numerous wineries offering their wares. It's a good spot for lunch - you can get a complete meal at any of the many establishments (see the pictures for my faves!), although groups may struggle to sit together at peak lunch time. Be sure to drop by the Yelp stand to say G'day, and pick up some vouchers for samples from some of the merchants.

This is a big giant spectacle all over the downtown area. They are parades and people in costume…read more I only went once see the parade, since it was complete Mayhem. It doesn't look it but this was the street going towards the parade. There's no way to feel lonely during karneval. You have to be holed up at home to avoid people during this time in the city. Best to get into a costume and meld into the crowd.

This was the least lively market I went to which made me sad because it was the most unique. The…read moretheme was very cool with the location, and they had small vendors that I hadn't seen anywhere else. There weren't that many food options, but their speciality is the salmon!

There are six Christmas markets in Cologne, and we made it through three. This was the last one,…read morethe Harbor Christmas market. The sun started to peek through the clouds ever so briefly. There was a Ferris wheel, a pirate ship, shops, the Schokoladen museum (the most popular in town). We finally stopped for a mug of glühwein. It was hot and fragrant with spices (don't breathe in the fumes), and once it cooled slightly, it was pleasant and sweet. They do take a deposit on the mugs but we decided to keep them. With the sun just about to set, it was a pleasant stroll along the harbor to the cathedral.

The first Yelp Weihnachtsmarkt tour this year!…read more People say this is the prettiest market from around town. I do think it is pretty but I think every weihnachtsmarkt is beautiful with the lights and decoration, the smell of fresh made waffles and warm glühwein. Speaking of Glühwein, this market has one of the strongest glühwein taste i have ever tasted. This park is connected to a restaurant and i think it is nice because incase you wanted to have dinner and go to weihnachtsmarkt you can just crash here and its gonna be all in one. :)

A decent Christmas market in Cologne, although it seemed small and incredibly packed when we…read morevisited. They have the usual holiday food, Glühwein, and drink selection, although the Christmas market was not as impressive to me as the others I've seen in Cologne. I would include this on a Christmas market tour but not recommend it as a priority must-see. (However, I would recommend Stadtgarten as a great bar to visit throughout the year.)