Stiefel

German for boot, Stiefel is located on Zülpicher Strasse, in Cologne’s vibrant student district. Surrounded by a seemingly endless row of identikit cocktail bars, Stiefel is instantly recognisable thanks to its strikingly colourful facade. A local institution, the bar has been part of the popular neighbourhood’s fabric for years. Inside its down-at-heel interior provides the perfect backdrop for an evening that could easily go on way past the final whistle.

In the 2016 film Collide, Oscar-winning actor Anthony Hopkins even shot the place up.

High noise levels in the bar make conservations difficult at times but the excellent music, football tables and freshly tapped Kölsch beer more than make up for this.