Average temperatures in Cologne vary greatly, with seasonal changes and day-to-day weather often comparable to that of south-east England or Northern France. Summers (July to August) are warm and pleasant but they tend to get a little humid (average temperatures as high as 86°F but can be significantly cooler barely 68°F as well). Autumn (September to November) and spring (April to June) are perfect for sightseeing. Autumn with its slightly cooler temperatures and beautiful foliage brings the best weather and cheapest hotel prices. Spring is also a popular season as the sun begins to shine and the beer gardens start opening up. Winters (December to February) are chilly and frosty, yet the festive atmosphere fills the air and the city looks like a fairy town with its twinkling lights and nightly markets.

Weihnachts markte(Christmas Markets): Six markets offering food, drink and crafts plus events and Advent boat trips. These markets take place around the center of Cologne.

Kolner Lichter Musical Fireworks: In the summer the city of Cologne offers an extravagant firework display called Kolner Lichter. Watch from the river banks or from the river itself as the sky over Cologne`s Old Town lights up to the sound of music as the evening progresses.

Cologne Marathon: Over 27,000 runners come each year for the third most popular marathon in Germany.

Lange Nachtder Kolner Museen (Museum Night Cologne): each November the city`s museums open their doors between 7 pm and 3 am (up to 45 different museums participate) to welcome in everyone with live music, tours, readings and films. A single ticket will allow access to all the participating museums.

Summer Jam: This is the largest event of its kind in Germany with three days of all kinds of different music and performances taking place on different stages at the festival site on an island on Fuhlinger lake on the outskirts of Cologne. This event attracts some of the biggest names in reggae.

Carnival Cologne: The carnival takes place on the streets of the city each year offering a vibrant display of how to have a good time. You`ll find plenty of parties, parades and fun. There is a ceremonial burning of straw figures, bouquets of flowers and cries of `Kolle Alaaf` (Long Live Cologne!)

Kunstsalon - Musik in der Hausern der Stadt: This music festival takes place across Cologne, Hamburg, Bonn, Mannheim and beyond, that lets private hosts provide platforms for young and emerging artists to express themselves by performing in private venues. This annual event creates an intimate atmosphere for appreciating new music as well as drawing the cities together.

Cologne Pride/Christopher Street Day: One of the largest gay and lesbian events in Germany that celebrates and aims to raise awareness of social acceptance of lesbians, gays, bi- and transsexuals. The main event is the huge parade consisting of dancers, floats and sounds systems that makes its way through the city streets. Other events take place throughout the city during this weekend as well attracting about a million visitors each year.

Romanischer Sommer: Every couple of years the Romanesque churches come together to produce a summer festival of music performed at a variety of different churches. Here you`ll find a range of classical music, from string quartets to organ concertos and both solo and choral singing events. Piano recitals area also feature, as well as exploration of Chinese music.

Cologne is a traditionally Ripuarian-speaking city, though this has mostly been replaced by German, which is now the main language of the city. English-speaking guides and information are available for many of the landmarks of the city. The citizens usually have a lot of patience and appreciation for tourists that try to use the German language. Cologne`s citizens are very friendly and jovial people, welcoming tourists of all types and with all interests.

In general, older people in Cologne tend to have little or no knowledge of English, while younger Germans and those working in the business world tend to be reasonably proficient. Language is rarely a strong barrier, so this shouldn`t be too much of a worry for the average tourist. Just approach a friendly native and use a smile on your face. Due to a large number of immigrants, Persian, Turkish, Polish and Russian are also widely spoken. Announcements in the main railway station (Hauptbahnhof) are in German though some long distance and international trains have additional announcements in French and English. We suggest you get a good English-German guidebook and familiarize yourself with common phrases such as hello, goodbye, excuse me and numbers 1-10.

Whatever you feel like eating - you can have it in Cologne. Here you will find more than 3000 pubs, cafes and restaurants serving everything. There is no shortage of brewhouses where Kölsch is not only spoke (the dialect is called Kölsch as well) but drunk, and where a friendly and open-minded atmosphere will make you feel at home.

From Kölsch beer, to mouth-watering dishes, Cologne offers a delicious food scene you won`t want to miss. In general, Germans love their meat and they have many ways of preparing it. The traditional foods are quite rustic, but tasty and hearty. The typical brewhouse cuisine: Drinking `Kölsch` an eating `Himmel un Ääd`(Heaven and earth). Here are some local specialties you can eat in Cologne:

Halver Hahn - Slab of Dutch gouda with a rye roll with butter and mustard.
Himmel un Ääd (Heaven and earth) - Mixture of apple pieces (heaven) and mashed potatoes (earth), it is most often served with blood sausage.
Flönz - `Blutwurst`- black pudding
Rheinischer Soorbrode - joint marinated in vinegar with raisins, usually served with red cabbage and a kloss (potato dumpling). The joint may be beef or horse meat, so you may want to ask first.
Hämmche - boiled knuckle of pork, mashed potatoes and sauerkraut
Halber Meter Bratwurst - half a meter of origin German bratwurst
Dicke Bunne mit Speck - boiled white beans with hefty boiled bacon slices on top
Schweinshaxe (crispy pork knuckle) - pig`s leg, usually comes in a huge portion. This may just be the most succulent plate of food you may ever enjoy. Use the soft potato dumpling to soak up the meat that assembles on the bottom of the plate.
Rievekoochen/Reibekuchen - flat fried potato cakes served with a variety of sweet or savory toppings, which may include applesauce, Rübenkraut (the beet-sourced equivalent to black treacle) or smoked salmon with horseradish cream.
Mettbrötchen- Mett on a bun, mett being raw pork sausage meat. It`s a great snack that goes well with beer.
Schnitzel - A piece of meat (usually pork, veal or chicken) flattened, battered and fried to form a crispy, golden outer crust.
Leberwurst - known as liver wurst to non-Germans, this is another quick and affordable snack that will fill you up with meaty goodness. Traditionally comes served with sliced red onion and a bun.

There are plenty of international restaurants throughout the city if you want to go the non-traditional food route. Middle-Eastern, Asian, Italian, Indian, as well as Japanese and Thai restaurants can all be found around the city as well.

One of Germany`s major cultural centers, Cologne offers a variety of performing arts and nightlife options. The city offers over 70 clubs and party hot spots with something for everyone including countless bars, restaurants, brewhouses, and music venues. No other German city has as many pubs per capita as Cologne.

The brew houses, which in Cologne are a cross between a bierkeller (beer cellar) and a traditional British pub, are located throughout the city serving up Kolsch (the famous local beer). Look in the Altstadt (around Buttermarkt and Salzgasse) or go a little further out to the Belgische Viertel (between Rudolfsplatz and Friesenplatz) to find the biggest concentration of fashionable places to drink and eat. The Univiertel (university Quarter), around Barbarossa Platz and Zulpicher Platz, offers a concentration of nice establishments that attracts a lively nightlife crowd.

The central clubbing scene can be found around Zülpicher Straße and Luxemburger Straße streets. Plenty of clubs here cater to students` tastes and budgets in this area which is also a stronghold of the alternative scene.

From Friesenplatz to Barbarossaplatz squares, shopping boulevards turn into a very popular nightlife scene on Saturday evenings. `Die Ringe` is what the locals call these vibrant ring streets, which offer places to party with hip-hop, R&B and house.

The other main areas for nightlife are the Old Town, around Chlodwigplatz and Alteburger Straße, the fashionable Belgian Quarter, the original kölsche `Vringsveedel` (Severin Quarter) and the new multicultural trendy quarter of Ehrenfeld.

The KölnCard allows you to discover Cologne at a reduced price offering free access to public transport for 24 or 48 hours, as well as discounts up to 50% from numerous partners (sightseeing, art, culture, guided tours, shopping and gastronomy), and discounted entrance to the treasure chamber of the Cologne Cathedral. The card is available for single persons or groups. You can get a KölnCard at the Cologne Tourist board Service Center across from the cathedral; at all of the KVb and db ticket machines within the area where the card is valid for travel; in many hotels and hostels; and various travel agencies and tour operators. There are 4 types of cards available, each valid for 1 person or a group of up to 5 persons for 24/48 hours: KölnCard: includes free travel within Cologne.