Introduction

Ring: The Ring begins at Chlodwigplatz and ends at Ebertplatz, following the contours of the old city wall. It forms a giant semi-circle around the center of town and supplies one with ample sources of amusement—you could spend months just going from place to place along this road and still not get bored. This guide follows the Ring from South to North through the various quarters, then further out to Nippes and Ehrenfeld.

Südstadt: The center of the Südstadt is Chlodwigplatz, a network of streets and lanes extends from it, hiding a multitude of bars and theaters. Good cocktails can be found at the Fiffi Bar. The Südstadt is also a good part of town if you like rock music. This quarter also has plenty of bars for gays and lesbians, for example, the Indigo. During Karneval, the Südstadt goes wild, but otherwise it is usually pretty mellow. There is plenty of theater on offer, notably the Theater am Sachsenring and the Theater der Keller.

Uni-Viertel: Cologne's main student hang-out is found around Barbarossaplatz and Zülpicher Platz. Masses of bars and pubs are located here, and it is hard to decide where to leave your money. There are also plenty of good clubs in the area like Prime Club and MTC for rock fans. Bars like the Blue Shell and Stereo Wonderland are located close together and ideal for part of a bar crawl. Rathenauplatz is surrounded by many good cafes and bars including Jonny Turista and the Vampire.

Ring: The Hohenzollernring is another busy area for bars. It is also home to many bistros and restaurants, and excels in inexpensive Italian cuisine. Quite a few Mexican restaurants can be found near here, such as Poco Loco. Joe Champs is also worth a mention, for American and sports bar fans. After a filling dinner, head over to the UFA Palast Kino Center to catch a flick.

Friesenviertel: One (cocktail) bar after another—you won't stay thirsty for long in the Friesenviertel. With an emphasis on elegance, there is a tendency towards slightly more expensive restaurant-bars such as Heising und Adelmann, as well as stylishly decorated scene bars. Media-types and artists seem to congregate around Friesenstraße.

Belgische Viertel: The best way to find the Belgian Quarter is from Rudolfplatz. The names of the streets will let you know you're in the right place. This is an interesting part of Cologne with attractive old buildings and expensive apartments. Many bars and restaurants have made this their home, hoping to bring in the media crowd. Easy listening sounds and the feel of the '60s are to be found at Hallmackenreuther. The Six Pack draws in crowds from among Cologne's music scene, while the M20 normally offers excellent DJs.

Nordstadt: The closer you get to Ebertplatz, the more sparse the bars, but there are still a few gems to be found, like the classic Elektra, Cafe Spitz and Cafe Schmitz. Some of the best cinemas in town are also located here. The Metropolis, offering English language films, the arty Filmhaus, the massive Cinedom and the tiny Filmpalette.

Nippes: Nippes isn't quite so central, but still has a lot to offer. The Kantine is found here, as well as various bars; Rosenrot and the Froschkönig, to name but a few. Those who make the short journey from Ebertplatz will be pleasantly surprised.

Ehrenfeld: Lots of students live in this area. What was once a bit run down has since been revived as an area of cultural activity. Lots of bars and cafes can be found in the side streets off the long Venloer Straße, which runs right through Ehrenfeld. Cafe Sehnsucht is a well-loved place for Sunday Frühstück-breakfast. The area around Herbrands with the Cinenova cinema and cafe offers a full program of events. Ehrenfeld's live music venues, Underground and the Live Music Hall can be found further down towards Gürtel. If you turn right at the corner of Venloer Straße / Gürtel you will come to the Artheater. Besides being a theatre, it also offers art and readings.