Welcome to Europe’s finest get together. I’m positive none of you might be strangers to the revelries of Carnival, to fancy costume parades, big floats and the insanity taking place earlier than Lent begins. Carnival might be dated again to Roman occasions, and each metropolis, city and village in Europe celebrates its personal manner.

I’ve been touring Carnival celebrations for years now, and nowhere have I seen it celebrated with as a lot ardour and sentiment as in Cologne – domestically often known as Kölner Karneval. The city is actually swept away in a sea of colours, music and dance for six days. Over one million folks take the streets and locals received’t miss the celebration for something in the world.

It’s the get together to finish all events – and listed below are 7 ideas for you to take pleasure in Carnival in Cologne at its finest.

See additionally: A Information to Visiting Cologne, Germany

1. Select when to go to

Carnival parades in Cologne occur over a course of 6 days, with day by day completely different celebrations. Festivities kick off on the Thursday earlier than Ash Wednesday with ‘Ladies’s Carnival’, and conclude with the burning of the ‘Nubbel’, a straw determine, on Tuesday night time.

On Friday there are events and parades throughout city, and on Saturday night the ‘Ghost Parade’ takes place, the solely parade the public is allowed to be part of. Sunday is Household Day, when teams of schoolchildren from throughout Cologne march round the metropolis with their floats. The largest parade is the one taking place on Rose Monday, with over 70 giant floats from Cologne’s official carnival teams.

The Rose Monday parade is certainly spectacular, with marching bands and teams of cheerleaders opening every float, however crowds might be overbearing. Sunday is one other nice day to go to as the environment is extra subdued.

2. Select the place to watch the parade

Being shut to the parade is a component of the enjoyable. You’ll get to respect the colourful floats and costumes, the music and festive environment, with folks screaming Kolle Alaaf – the carnival motto, that means Cologne above all – and throwing Kamelle (sweets) to bystanders. Make positive you carry some luggage alongside to take all the Kamelle dwelling with you!

With up to one million folks in the streets, choosing a great place to watch the parade could be a problem. The world round the Dom is certainly scenic, but it surely’s additionally the place crowds are at their worst. We suggest avoiding the Dom and the Heumarkt space, and heading as a substitute to the backstreets simply off Neumarkt, or close to the starting of the parade. Examine this map for the particulars of the carnival parade.

3. Choose a elaborate costume

You merely can’t go to carnival with out fancy costume. You possibly can carry your personal or lease/purchase one if you get to Cologne, and even simply seize a wig or a foolish hat from one of many stalls round the metropolis heart. In case you go for a full-blown fancy costume, keep in mind you’ll be on your toes for many of the day, so select one thing sensible – an 18th century Venetian-style costume will in all probability be laborious to handle.

Additionally, don’t neglect that Carnival occurs in the center of winter so be ready for temperatures that may dip under zero – a Monsters Inc fashion jumpsuit or cavemen’s outfit ought to do the trick!

4. What to do at night time

The parades occur in the afternoon, and after they’re over the get together continues at just about each single bar, restaurant and residential round the metropolis. Events in bars and restaurant normally observe an analogous format – copious quantities of Kolsch, Cologne’s very personal beer, streamers and confetti and Carnival music enjoying all night time lengthy. In case you converse a bit of German, don’t fear in the event you can’t make any head or tail of the songs – they’re all in Cologne dialect.

Bars round the metropolis heart are doubtless to be packed – head out of the metropolis heart to a spot like Agnesquarter, Südstadt or Ehrenfeld for a extra manageable scenario.

5. What to eat and drink throughout Carnival

Would you like the brief reply? Eat road meals (suppose currywurst, doner kebab, falafel and the like) and drink Kolsch, Cologne beer served in tiny glasses. There might be stalls serving beer throughout the metropolis, or you possibly can decide up some bottles at a nook retailer.

In case you’re planning on partying the entire day and entire night time, be sure to eat an excellent breakfast as these Kolsch add up actually shortly and also you don’t need to get too drunk too quickly!

See additionally: Conventional Beer and Meals in Cologne

6. Burn the Nubbel

On Carnival Tuesday, the Nubbel is ceremoniously set ablaze in Cologne. This straw effigy should take duty for all wrongs dedicated throughout the carnival season.

Individuals congregate outdoors quite a few pubs to absolve themselves of their previous transgressions- setting hearth to this figurine symbolically relinquishes them from any misdeeds they could have indulged in all through that interval, as per standard superstition.

7. Getting to Cologne and round

Carnival is tremendous excessive season in Cologne, and flight costs have a tendency to be steep. We suggest taking the practice as a substitute (seek for tickets on Kayak) – the metropolis is a really busy railway hub with tons of trains coming from each nook of Europe, so that they’re unlikely to be offered out. Most German trains don’t require reservations – we travelled into Cologne from Copenhagen and out to Paris and didn’t want to guide our seats in advance.

To get round Cologne you should use the glorious public transport system, with trams and U-Bahn reaching each nook of the metropolis. The carnival space is compact sufficient to be navigated on foot – it takes about 20 minutes to stroll from Neumarkt to Heumarkt, and an additional 15 to attain the Dom and Hauptbahnhof.

8. Is carnival in Cologne secure?

The environment of Carnival in Cologne is festive, relaxed and welcoming, and locals might be greater than prepared to enable you to in the event you’ve misplaced your manner or your group. I’ve by no means felt threatened or endangered in any manner – there’s tons of police and safety round the parades.

Nevertheless, as all the time with crowds, pickpockets are rife, so preserve your belongings shut.

See additionally: Simple Tips to Outsmart Pickpocketing in Europe