Next, the tour takes you to the MediaPark, whose 165-meter-high KölnTurm tower is transformed at night into a green-and-blue play of lights. If you’re standing in the right place, the bluish light is reflected in the MediaPark Lake. If you’d like to pause for dinner, the Pantanal Rodizio restaurant, which offers Brazilian specialities and an appetizer buffet, is a good choice. The Vapiano, which lies directly opposite, also offers pizza and other takeaway meals.
From here you can cross the Agnesviertel district and reach the main building of Cologne’s Botanical Garden, the Flora. At night this listed building is enveloped in magical light, thanks to a modern LED lighting system. In combination with the gardens, it conjures up an especially romantic mood.
Further eastward along the route, there’s a lovely panoramic view of the city from the bank of the Rhine. Cologne Cathedral is illuminated at night from every angle, as its neighbour the Musical Dome, which glows in brilliant blue. After crossing the Hohenzollern Bridge you will be in the Deutz district on the right side of the Rhine. This bridge is known especially for the approximately 500,000 “love locks” hanging upon it. After being retrofitted with modern LED technology, the bridge glows in a golden light.
Visitors who want to see Cologne’s sea of lights from above should make a detour to the observation platform of the KölnTriangle tower. From this platform, you’ll have one of the best panoramic views of Cologne and its surrounding region.