Spa and massage
Neptunbad
(http://www.neptunbad.de), located in the popular area of ehrenfeld in an old renovated bath, to which an attractive "sauna landscape" in japanese style on two levels has been added. also a comprehensive fitness center.
Claudius Therme
(http://www.claudiustherme.de) large spa with pool and lots of different saunas indoors and outdoors next to the rhine, north of deutz.
Ananda
(http://www.tantramassage.de), tantra massage, an open minded and liberal attitude essential because the massages include sexually sensitive body parts, however, no sexual services are given by the employees.
Massage:
Mediterana
(http://www.mediterana.de), 11 saunas and a huge pool, in bergisch gladbach, east of cologne.
Beauty and spa treatments are popular in Cologne.
Just be aware that in typical German style, all sauna areas referred to as Saunalandschaften, i.e. Sauna landscapes are mixed apart from the odd Damentag and that bathing costumes are banned from them for hygienic reasons. Yup. Starkers, everybody. Do take a bathrobe to keep you from the cold outside the saunas and a large towel to put under you in the saunas, no sweating on the wood, please with you, though.Do not draw hasty conclusions either: mixed nudity does not make those places dens of sin, quite the contrary. Nudity is considered as the only appropriate outfit in saunas, and it all happens in a disciplined, wholesome, safe and respectful atmosphere. Possibly one of the highest forms of German civilisation one can experience.Gawkers and bathing costume-wearers will be expelled by the staff without qualms, so don't even think you can get away with playing the tourist who didn't know, it won't make a difference.That very matter-of factly, unerotic approach to mixed nudity may well turn out to be a revelation to many visitors open-minded enough to give it a try and go with the flow. You've been warned!
Sauna:
Saunas in public swimming pools
(http://www.koelnbaeder.de) some of the public swimming pools managed by the cologne city council, notably agrippabad, do have small saunalandschaften too, all featuring a damentag ladies only day.
Tours
Stattreisen e.V.
; phone +49 221-7325113; (http://www.stattreisen-ko...); this non-profit organization offers excellent tours of cologne, led by volunteers. the prices are moderate and there is a huge list of tours, including besides the more regular tours koelsch tours for testing the breweries or language lessons in the local dialect again, in a brewery. ask for english tours, some guides are willing to conduct a normally german tour in english.
KD Rhine River Cruise
; frankenwerft 35; phone: +49 221-208 83 18; (http://www.k-d.com/); departure times: daily: 10:30 am, 12:00 pm, 2:00 pm, 6:00 pm; kã¶ln-dã¼sseldorf offers cruises of the rhine river around the cologne area with an explanation of landmarks. â¬6.80
Rickshaws: environmentally friendly city tours
; (http://www.koeln-rikscha.de); rickshaws are exotic and environmentally friendly tricycles, that bring slowly and safely their passengers to their destination. by rickshaw you will discover cologneâs points of interest in a comfortable way.
Tourist office
The Cologne Tourist Office offers a wealth of information for the traveller who wishes to fill their itinerary with activities around the city. Ask about guide books that are available, most of which provide invaluable information for free. (http://www.cityinfo-koeln.de/)
Cologne Tourist Office
; unter fettenhennen 19 directly opposite the front entrance of the cathedral; phone: +49 221-221304 00; (http://www.koelntourismus.de/); hours: monday - friday 9 am - 10 pm, saturday & sunday 10 am - 6 pm. take the u-bahn to 'dom/hbf'.
Cologne's strong side is its cultural life. For latest information on what is happening around in town, get the "StadtRevue" 2 Euro, "Kölner" 1 Euro or "Live" Free. See also the official website (http://www.koeln.de/en/).