Awaiting the visitors is a walk-in tropical house, natural history information on cocoa, exhibits from the pre-Columbian cultures of Central America, an important porcelain and silver collection from the Baroque period, as well as numerous old machines from the time of industrialisation. In a glass chocolate factory and in the chocolate atelier, visitors can experience how chocolate products are made industrially, but also individually by hand. And: there is a 3-meter-high chocolate fountain in which 200 kg of delicious chocolate constantly bubble up for tasting. Tasting is expressly encouraged!

Set out on a thrilling journey with TimeRide and experience the undestroyed Cologne and the fascinating lifestyle of the legendary twenties! Together with the charming hatter Tessa and the Cologne streetcar driver Pitter, you will discover the exciting time after the end of the First World War, the British occupation, and the Spanish flu. Your time travel in three steps: · The Cinema: In the 1920s, more and more movie theaters evolved into massive movie palaces. The cinema was a ubiquitous and glamorous part of everyday life and an important source of information. Step into our “Lichtspielhaus” and take a seat together with the fine society: an entertaining short film in the style of that time will show you the historical development of Cologne in the twenties. · The Hatter's Store: In the hatter’s store of the Riedschneider family you will dive together with Tessa into the world of glamorous fashion of the twenties. In the 1920s, everyone wore a hat and the choice of hat said a lot about the wearer! In the lovingly decorated store, the art of wearing and making hats is illustrated using numerous originals from the Diefenthal family of hat makers in Cologne. You’ll also learn more about Tessa’s urgent special order… Will her important delivery arrive on time at Neumarkt thanks to Pitter? · The VR-Ride: The highlight of your journey back in time to 1926: On your virtual ride with the first electric Cologne streetcar, you will experience the beauty of the city before its destruction in World War II. With your VR goggles, you’ll enjoy a 360° panoramic view and discover iconic landmarks of old Cologne, many of which have disappeared or are barely recognizable today: Cologne Cathedral’s surroundings at the time, the old main train station, the Schauspielhaus theater, the city hall led by Konrad Adenauer, and much more. At Neumarkt, your trip ends in the colorful carnival hustle and bustle with a “Grand Finale”.

Explore the old town of Cologne on a guided tour and see the historic buildings at night. Follow the night watchman in his historical costume by the light of his lantern to another time, when every full hour was proclaimed. Learn all about the duties of the historical night watchman and life in the Middle Ages as you wander through the narrow streets of Cologne's Old Town. Learn why pigs were beaten in front of Cologne's churches and why stray dogs were so well-fed in centuries past. Discover how Cologne's citizens resisted the authorities and listen to many legends and anecdotes about Cologne's history.

Who could practice the profession of an executioner? When did an executioner receive his master craftsman’s diploma, which enabled him to let heads roll on behalf of the state? Who exiled lepers and plague-infested harlots? Who walked through medieval dark alleys and killed wild dogs and stray hogs? Who burnt spell books and could build gallows? The executioner – somebody had to do it!  Join a medieval headsman on a bloodcurdling guided tour of 1.5 hours, leading you through Cologne’s historic centre. Find out what could go wrong during an execution and how a headsman supplemented his own low income as a knacker, dog-catcher or gold-seeker.  Learn all the gory and grisly details... if you dare to join. 

Enjoy a guided walk through Cologne and discover the dark side of the city as you hear about rogues, kidnappers and other rapscallions. Stroll through the streets and marvel at the famous cathedral, St. Andrew's Church and other sights. Start with the talking punishments of the Middle Ages and follow the manifold deeds, judgements and punishments down to our own day. Who was the last poisoner sentenced to death in Germany, and who was the vampire of Düsseldorf ? Do heads really roll in Cologne at carnival ? Where was the red light at home in Cologne and what did Romy Schneider have to do with Cologne pimps? Enjoy a spooky city walk you won't forget. Go home with lots of interesting facts about Cologne's ghoulish past and stories about this sometimes dark, sometimes red-lit city.

During the 45-minute city tour TimeRide GO! Cologne Cathedral you will experience more than 700 years of cathedral history at 5 stations. You will be taken on a virtual journey from the planning of the construction of the cathedral in the Middle Ages, through the horrors of World War II, to the present day. This combines a classic city tour around the cathedral with a virtual reality experience. In an up-close tour, you will learn about the background of the cathedral's construction and also learn all kinds of exciting facts and figures about the cathedral and its construction. With the help of the virtual reality glasses, you can immerse yourself in times that were important for the construction of the cathedral!

Explore Cologne's highlights such as the famous Old town, the romantic Hohenzollern Bridge, and the iconic Cologne Cathedral. Walk through the Old Town and learn all about the rich history of Cologne from your knowledgeable guide. Experience important stages of Cologne's more than 2000-year-old city history up close through virtual reality scenes at six different locations. Use the virtual reality glasses and compare the past with the present. Get a glimpse of the Roman border, witness the metropolis of the Middle Ages, see the outpost of French and Prussian rule, and look at the destruction caused during World War II.  Listen to insightful stories from those time periods which enhances the experience even further. Once you remove your virtual reality glasses, see the shocking contrast between now and then and find that some of the buildings are no longer visible, while others remained nearly untouched.

Discover Cologne's Old Town and immerse yourself in the city's eventful past. Listen to the tales and legends and find out, whether there is an element of truth in some of them. Learn why the Heinzelmännchen (little elves) disappeared from Cologne and hear the story behind the white woman, who people still see today. Find out why there are so-called Grinköpfe (grimace masks) on some house walls and hear about the devil's relation to Meister Gerhard and a corrupt mayor. Listen to the amusing and interesting stories from the Middle Ages and see Cologne's most famous sights.

They say that there are as many churches in Cologne as there are days in a year, so on this original tour we will show you the city's most historically and architecturally important sacred buildings! Discover interesting facts and legends about religion in Germany. Your 2-hour tour begins right in the heart of Cologne’s Old Town, at the lively Old Market Square. This is where you will find Great St. Martin Church, one of the city’s 12 Romanesque churches. Step inside this magnificent building to enjoy its tranquil atmosphere and hear its story, from the original Roman chapel, through a Benedictine monastery, to WWII damages and reconstruction. A few steps away you will find Cologne Cathedral, the city’s most famous monument. Admire its spectacular Gothic architecture and find out why the Cathedral is important not only to Cologne’s Christians but also Jews. See also the Baroque-style Kirche Mariä Himmelfahrt and the Romanesque-style Basilica of St Ursula, which houses a shrine made of real bones. The final stop will be at the medieval Basilica of St Gereon, which has one of the largest and most beautiful domes in Europe.

Join us for the engaging and informative WWII tour in Cologne Old Town. Your Private Guide will make sure you get the best experience. Although 95% of the city centre was destroyed during WWII, there is still plenty to see for the war history lovers. During this walking tour you will follow the traces of WWII and hear from your Private Guide tons of facts and stories about this dark period. The tour will start at the top highlight of Cologne, the Cathedral. Despite many bullet holes it survived the bombing and remains the witness of dark times. You will discover the tragic story of the nearby Trail of Remembrance and memorial Stumbling Stones, the small copper plaques in the pavement. You will find out how roman sewers beneath Cologne were used in WWII. Strolling in the Old Town streets the Guide will take you to the St. Alban Church ruins, the Memorial Hindenburgbrücke and Dombunker. Walk further north-west and find out about the bombarded St. Kolumba Church. A separate highlight to explore is the NS Documentation Center, known as EL-DE House. It was the former headquarters of the Gestapo (secret police) turned into a virtual ""place of terror"". The basements of the house had been used as prison cells and torture rooms for forced laborers and political enemies. Over 1800 inscriptions made on the walls by the prisoners can still be viewed today. The upper floors with Gestapo offices represent administrative terror and an evil system created by Nazis. Choose the basic 2-hours option to walk in the Old Town and track places connected to WWII history with a passionate and knowledgeable private 5-Stars Guide. Your guide will make sure that you spot all highlights. Discover much more in a 4-hours tour, which offers in addition 2-hours private visit in the EL-DE Haus. Learn about Nazi terror in Cologne. Your 5-Stars Guide will show you around with thorough explanations.