Highlights & Hidden Gems of Cologne in Cologne - cologne-header_uxxjjl
4.8

Highlights & Hidden Gems of Cologne

  • 3 hours
  • City Highlight Tours
  • Cologne
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Your local for this experience

Experience hosted by Ross Phillip

  • Private Tour
  • Carbon Neutral

Want to see the best of Cologne? We got you covered. But as you can expect from a Withlocals experience, the real excitement is its hidden gems. Join your favorite local and get a feeling of the city's real vibe on a tour that has it all, so you can say: I experienced the real Cologne!

Destination
Cologne, Germany
Category
City Highlight Tours
Duration
3 hours
Transport mode
Walking tour
Available languages
English
Included
  • Private Guide
  • 1 Local Snack or Drink
  • All Withlocals Tours are Carbon Neutral
Excluded
  • Entrance to attractions

6 reasons to book this tour

  • Explore the best of the city in only 3 hours
  • Spot classics like Hohenzollern Bridge & Cologne Cathedral
  • Discover hidden gems away from the tourist paths
  • Experience the city from a local’s perspective
  • Can be 100% personalized to your wishes
  • Privately guided by a local expert

What you can expect

Highlights & Hidden Gems of Cologne in Cologne - cologne-header_uxxjjl

Cologne, is a magical place! And with the local host of your choice, you are going to experience it all. So get ready; culture, history, and local lifestyle await!

Dive into the origin of Cologne as you see the city’s main landmarks like Hohenzollern Bridge, Cologne Cathedral, and Old Town. And how about the hidden gems? Oh, you’re in for a surprise! Every host has its own story to tell, so pick your favorite, and you’ll discover the city through their eyes. Experience their Cologne to the max based on their passions and expertise. They’ll make sure you have fun enjoying a unique and local perspective of Cologne.

Want to take a break? Leave it up to your host! This is the perfect opportunity to visit that special eatery where only the locals come and your chance to enjoy a local treat hand-picked by your host. Feel free to ask your host more about their life in their city or get recommendations about the top things to do in Cologne. Remember, the locals know best.

The best part of any city tour is definitely the unique stories. Everybody has a story to tell, especially your host. Each one of the local hosts has a different background ranging from arts to history. They can’t wait to share their knowledge with you and exchange ideas and perspectives! Feel like changing the route a bit? No problem, the hosts will be happy to personalize the tour to your wishes and make their Cologne, your Cologne!

This is the plan

Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with Ross Phillip.

  1. Meeting point

    Meet at In front of the main entrance of the Historisches Rathaus der Stadt Köln - Cologne to start your journey

  2. Itinerary

    This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.

  3. City Highlights

    See from Hohenzollern Bridge, Cologne Cathedral, Old Town, and other landmarks and must-sees of the city. Your local host will take you to the main spots in town so you can get the perfect overview of what makes Cologne so unique

  4. Hidden Gems

    Along the way, your local host will show you treasures hidden in plain sight that only the locals know about. Get to know the city through a different perspective, the local way, and discover places and stories that not many tourists experience

  5. Magical Storytelling

    Behind every landmark and every stop, there’s a story, and your local host is ready to tell it all. Get ready to listen to incredible stories, one-of-a-kind insights, and fun facts only a knowledgeable local would know!

  6. Special Treat

    Follow your host to one of their favorite eateries for a snack or a drink beloved by the locals. Take a break and catch up with your new local friend and get the answers to all your travel questions

  7. Make it yours

    Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.

    Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.

I can personalize this tour for you

I can personalize this tour for you

  • Tell me your preferred date and group size
  • Tell me your preferences and wishes so I can customize the tour for you
  • Wait for my personal offer in your inbox!

Flexible cancellation policy

  • Feel confident booking

    Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.

  • Change of plans?

    Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.

  • Loved by travelers worldwide

    Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.

Reviews from guests

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Paddy🇳🇱 Netherlands
6 August 2025
We've had the pleasure of meeting Ross during our honeymoon in Cologne. He was very flexible, because we booked our tour with him last minute. Walking around the city he showed us some beautiful sights and was able to tell a lot of interesting historical facts and tales. There was always room for us to ask questions and he gladly gave us more information when needed. He showed us the Tünnes und Schäl statues and since we both stood on Tünnes' feet we will be returning to Cologne at some point!Friendly and knowledgeable guide
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Kelly
19 June 2025
Ross had a ron of knowledge, gear facts and great energy. We (mostly my son) had a ton of random questions and Ross always seemed to know the answers. Perfectly arranged tour - makes me want to move to Cologne. Highly recommend. Super fun and knowledgeable guide
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Natalie🇦🇺 Australia
13 May 2025
We had a fantastic walk around Cologne, Ross provided history, influences on the city, popular sites & old time fables, all in all a great tour around the city centre, chocolate included so yum!, 3 hours went quick!! Ross even provided tips for lunch with which we visited brauhaus which had great food, service & pilsner of course!! I Highly recommend a tour with Ross Thanks Ross!!Fun tour in Cologne
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Caroline🇺🇸 United States
17 September 2024
We could not have been happier with our private tour of Cologne with Ross. We were delayed on our arrival in the City, and Ross came over to our arrival location to meet us to get the tour started. He brought a very yummy pastry! He provided a great mix of the biggest hits and local flavor, and we very much enjoyed the off the beaten path locations that he showed us. Ross is a great photographer with your smartphones--it is so nice to have the non-selfie pictures at all the right angles. He really understands the beauty of Cologne. At the end of of the tour we were starving and he listened to what we wanted, got us situated in a restaurant and placed our order for us--so efficient. Thanks again, Ross!Terrific Private Tour!
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Rajdeep🇩🇪 Germany
14 June 2024
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Pierre🇹🇭 Thailand
15 October 2023
We spent 3 hours with Ross on our discovery tour of Cologne, walked the old city and especially liked the few narrow streets of Cologne. Ross is constantly attentive to our wish trying to steer the way to what we like to see or to do. My son being a student photographer, Ross brought us to picturesque parts of the town. We highly recommend Ross for your future trip to Cologne.Discovery Afternoon with Ross
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Matthew
2 August 2023
We spent a day in Koln with Ross, an amazing tour guide, and got to explore the history of the city, with a taste for local food, culture and Kölsch. I highly highly recommend this service to anyone (German or not) visiting this wonderfully rich city. Ross, thank you for a beautiful trip and day.Wonderful day in Koln
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The Kolsch Crew
26 April 2023
Great tour old-town, the history of Koln and of course beers! Make sure you bring plenty of cash. Maybe buy some Kolsch glasses to take home for friendsGreat Time With Ross
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Sarah🇺🇸 United States
28 July 2025
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Kate
19 July 2025
We enjoyed our tour of Koln with Ross, who is good company, and quite knowledgeable about Koln. He took us to a few good places to try food typical of Koln. Partly due to some venues not updating their information, some places we visited were closed. I was also left wondering about the influence of immigration on German cuisine, outwith the impact of Turkish immigration. For example, we saw a lot of Vietnamese restaurants, and a surprisingly high numbers of Georgian restaurants as well. We certainly didn't get to sample ten things during our tour, but we did talk about a lot of other things. All in all, fun, but could have done with better preparation and planning. Good company
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Jana
3 May 2025
Ross took my request and gave us the perfect custom Kolsch tour in Cologne, complete with appetizers and history. Was perfect!Awesome guide and fun custom tour!
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Chris🇺🇸 United States
25 April 2025
Ross was an extremely knowledgeable tour guide. We had a great time learning about Koln, and the food was great Excellent tour
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Janel🇺🇸 United States
27 March 2025
Ross was very friendly and nice. We were expecting a bit more food for our food tour however. There were four of us and we each paid over $100. We divided some bread, sandwiches and meat in four pieces and had some delicious chocolate that we all divided. He was knowledgeable about some history, although he told us there was an elevator in the church, but alas there was not. He did say this was his first tour in a while after some travel abroad and was a bit jet lagged. We felt safe and comfortable with Ross but just would have liked a bit more for our money.Nice but a little pricey
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Valentine🇳🇱 Netherlands
14 October 2024
We hebben een leuke tour gehad met Ross, hij was heel enthousiast, wist veel over Keulen te vertellen en liet leuke plekjes zien. Wel vonden we de prijs voor deze tour (bijna €80,- pp) niet helemaal in verhouding. We hadden voor deze prijs wel meer tastings of grotere porties verwacht. Enthousiaste gids, wel redelijk prijzig
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Donna🇺🇸 United States
24 August 2024
Ross did a wonderful job of customizing our tour to things that would be interesting for us. The food was delicious and the company was great. I would recommend Ross the next time you are in Cologne.Good personalized tour!
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Missy🇺🇸 United States
5 July 2024
Ross was a fabulous tour guide. I had told him before we came that I had some physical limitations and he made our plans accordingly. He took us to places of historical importance and several food places. The potato pancakes were the best!! I would recommend Ross for his knowledge and great personality! Amazing!!!
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Brant🇺🇸 United States
30 April 2024
Rod was very knowledgeable about cologne and shared delicious food! It was so much fun! Ross is amazing!
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James
27 March 2024
Ross was a great guide. He’s very friendly and knowledgeable of the area, and he gave us great suggestions to try for the next couple of days. He was very flexible and accommodated our schedule as we had a problem at the laundromat before the tour. I definitely recommend Ross for anyone doing tours in Cologne. Fun and tasty tour
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Cory🇺🇸 United States
26 November 2023
Ross was a fantastic host. He was accommodating of our late arrival. Always making sure each member of our group had tastings to their liking. His knowledge of the local area was excellent. Highly recommended! Excellent time in Cologne
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Pedro🇦🇺 Australia
13 November 2023
Really enjoyed Ross” knowledge of Cologne.Excellent tour
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Teressa🇺🇸 United States
14 September 2023
Ross did an absolutely amazing job as our guide on our Tasting Tour of Cologne! His personality is perfect as a guide and his range of knowledge was fantastic. The food and beer we sampled was delicious. Would highly recommend Ross as your guide for Cologne!Ross Rocked our tour!
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D Money
1 August 2023
We recently booked an English tour of the brewhouses in Cologne for my visiting family. It was fantastic! Ross, our guide, was wonderful explaining all the aspects of Kölsch beer and culture. The tour was comfortably paced and informative. I work as a city guide in Cologne and was very pleased to learn new information about a city I know intimately. I must add that this is an entertaining tour about and for Kölsch beer. However it is not about drinking in excess. Highly RecommendedRecommended Tour
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Federik
7 June 2023
Had a great tour with Ross as a guide. Michael showed up as well at his bday party. They showed us an extra brewery as a favor. So nice! A definite go to when in Koln.Great Tour

Withlocals experiences
are always

Private & personalizedNo strangers, just you. Fully customize your trip to your needs.
With a local expertFrom historical facts to the most up-to-date health regulations.
Without the crowdsExperiences designed to take you away from the crowds towards authentic local spots.

More about me

Hello everyone, I'm thrilled to introduce myself as a passionate and dynamic tour guide with a diverse background and a deep love for exploring cultures and sharing stories. My name is Ross Gerard, and I have a unique blend of experiences that make me stand out as a host.

First and foremost, I am an avid practitioner of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and in 2023, I proudly became the champion fighter in my division in the Netherlands. This martial art has taught me discipline, perseverance, and the importance of continuous growth – qualities that I incorporate into my tour guiding approach. Moreover, it helps me stay fit, which is essential in a city filled with constant festivals, close to the wine region, and the heart of the Kölsch beer brewing area – making it a perfect hobby to balance my lifestyle.

Before becoming a tour guide, I served in the Marines, where I developed a strong sense of responsibility and teamwork. Later, I pursued my academic interests, earning a Bachelor's degree in Sciences from both the University of Pittsburgh and Penn State. My academic background enriches my ability to deliver informative and engaging tours, particularly when discussing architecture, art, and historical contexts. However, I won't bore you with excessive details or lengthy stories that consume all our time together.

For over six years, I have been offering tours, working with museums, churches, and prestigious companies like Viking River cruises. My expertise lies in the cultural heritage of the cities I guide, and my primary goal is to foster a deep connection between visitors and the places they explore.

What sets me apart as a host is my ability to infuse my tours with exciting anecdotes, local insights, and personal experiences. As a former Marine and a martial arts champion, I instill an adventurous spirit into my tours, making them engaging and memorable for all participants.

Moreover, I hold relevant certifications in tour guiding, ensuring a professional and well-organized experience for my guests. I constantly seek new knowledge and skills, continuously striving to improve my craft.

In addition to the well-known tourist attractions, I love revealing hidden gems and local secrets that only insiders know. Whether it's a tucked-away unforgettable view, an authentic local eatery and kneipe, or an off-the-beaten-path historical site, my tours offer a unique perspective that surprises and delights.

Ultimately, my motivation for being a host is to connect people with the heart and soul of each place I guide, offering them an unforgettable experience that fully captures the essence of Cologne. I believe that through storytelling and genuine interactions, we can create unforgettable moments that leave a lasting impact.

So, join me on a journey of discovery, where we'll explore the rich history, vibrant culture, and hidden treasures of our destinations together. I can't wait to welcome you on one of my tours and share unforgettable moments as we embrace the beauty of travel and exploration.

Other things to do in Cologne

€50per person