Festive breaks to Cologne
CREATE YOUR OWN COLOGNE CHRISTMAS MARKET BREAK
Head to Cologne this festive season and pick up some unique and exciting gifts for you and your family from the city’s wonderful, pretty Christmas markets. With a beautiful cityscape, of which the cathedral city at the centre, Cologne is a wonderful destination for a winter break. Visit Cologne’s Christmas markets between 26 November and 23 December for an unforgettable festive experience, the largest of which is set beneath the city’s famous cathedral.
Daily crossings
Excellent onboard facilities
Delicious onboard cuisine
Travel with your vehicle
Newcastle
Amsterdam
Week 3
Regular sailings for the current week listed in local time
Please note that timetables may change subject to weather conditions.
Cologne Christmas markets
Cologne is a beautiful city at the best of times, but is completely transformed during the festive season. Head to the Fairytale Christmas Market in the appropriately-named Rudolfplatz and you’ll be amazed at the variety of gifts on offer, from classic wooden toys to handmade winter clothing and much, much more. You can also be entertained by magicians, jugglers and traditional glassblowers as you shop. There are other markets in the town too, such as the Market of Angels at Neumarkt, with chalet-style stalls, or the Cologne Harbour Christmas Market, which sits alongside the city’s chocolate factory.
Classic Cologne
Cologne is a stunning German city, and the country’s fourth-largest after Berlin, Hamburg and Munich. The two-spired cathedral in the centre of the town is regularly voted Germany’s most popular tourist attraction and fits in with the unique mish-mash of architectural styles available to see in the rest of the city, with everything from ancient Roman ruins to modern avant-garde buildings. The city also has a rich tradition of art and culture, with plenty of museums for tourists to visit, plus of course many atmospheric beer halls.
Onboard Experience
Travel Guides
The DFDS Experience
Access the continent via any of our 4 routes to Europe, with up to 58 sailings daily. Our Dover-Dunkirk and Calais crossings are 2 hours and 90 minutes, respectively, and the French ports are approximately 4 hours from Cologne.
Our extensive onboard facilities ensure there’s never a dull moment onboard. With restaurants, bars, cafes, shopping and more, relax and enjoy the pleasure of ferry travel. Each route boasts different facilities, too. For example, our Dover-France vessels offer a Premium Lounge with complimentary prosecco, our Newcastle-Amsterdam ferries have a cinema, casino and more onboard, and our Newhaven-Dieppe route allows you to hire a private cabin or enjoy the peace of the quiet lounge.
Proudly named the World’s Leading Ferry Operator
We did it! After being crowned ‘Europe’s Leading Ferry Operator 2024’ at the World Travel Awards earlier this year, we are delighted to announce we have retained our title as the World’s Leading Ferry Operator.
We were also once again recognised as having the best website in our industry – scooping both the European and World awards in 2024.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who voted, and to our passengers, colleagues and partners who contribute to our continued success – we couldn’t do it without you all.