Gay Cologne Travel Guide

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News, Parties & Events in Cologne RSS feed Cologne Gay Travel Events

For upcoming parties in Cologne check also our Gay Clubs & Parties page.

|  24  –  28 May 2012
Rheinfetisch – Cologne Fetish Pride 2012: annual Leather & Fetish meeting.
-›  www.rheinfetisch.de
|  27 May 2012
Superheroes: gay party on 2 floors (House & Pop) with DJ Rony (Cologne) and Elof de Neve (Red & Blue Club, Antwerp). Entrance 12 €.
 From 23:00 @ Vanity (Hohenzollernring 16) [ Map - Superheroes @ Vanity ]
-›  www.heroes-cologne.de
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|  6  –  8 July 2012
Cologne Gay Pride 2012: with the parade on Sunday and the street festival from Friday till Sunday in the Old Town of Cologne
-›  www.colognepride.de
-›  Some photos
|  7 July 2012
SAAS Gay & Friends Fitness Day: during the Cologne Pride weekend.
Dance, Step, Body Pump, Yoga, Pilates and Cycling with international presenters. @ Bushido Fitness Studio (Mittelstraße 12) [ Map - SAAS Gay & Friends Fitness Day @ Bushido Fitness Studio ]
-›  www.saas-event.de
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|  28 November  –  2 December 2012
International Bear Pride Cologne 2012: probably the most international bear’s meeting worldwide with bears from more than 50 countries. With dinners and buffets, Bears on Ice at the Xmas market, saunas, parties and the Mr. Bear Germany contest.
Cologne had already been a center for hairy guys in Germany long before ›Bears‹ became an international gay term. The parties, bars and even the street in front of the famous Cox Bar will be packed with Bears and Wolves during this weekend!

Video: Scenes from Bear Pride Cologne 2005 [open video][close video]

About Cologne and its gay life

Although situated in Germany's northern part, Cologne is sometimes called the ›most southern city of Germany‹. That is partly because the people in Cologne tend to be more easy-going and approachable than in other German cities. And they love to imitate the Southern European lifestyle – as soon as two sun-rays hit the city you will see some tables outside in front of many cafes and bars.

Cologne had been extensively destroyed during World War II. And the paradigm of the first after-war and ›Wirtschaftswunder‹ decades to replace everything old by something new unfortunately did the rest to prevent Cologne from becoming one of the most interesting and beautiful cities in Germany. For the sight-seeing traveller it hasn't much to offer besides the Cathedral, an UNESCO World Heritage site, a wide range of high quality art galleries and museums, and a few other attractions.

But Cologne covers this downside gracefully with its more friendly and easy-going atmosphere. As one result Cologne became the gay capital of the western part of Germany. Its big rival in the East, Berlin, is bigger, more dynamic and vibrant, which makes the Cologne gay scene look more provincial – but also more familiar and warmer.

Cologne Gay Maps: Overview, Rudolfplatz and Old Town. The maps show two major gay areas in Cologne. Many of the cafes, bars and clubs around Rudolfplatz have started during the last twenty years and have a rather modern style. Traditional pubs and bars for mixed ages are located mainly in the Old Town.

If you like your travel destinations crowded and with a million people partying on the streets and in the pubs then the Carnival in winter and the Cologne Gay Pride in summer are made for you. More information on these events on our Tips page.

Other popular annual gay highlights in Cologne are the Leather Pride week in May and the Bear Pride weekend in November. In summer 2010 Cologne hosted the VIII. Gay Games, the largest gay sports event in the world.