Cologne is famous for its carnival. It kicks off on 11 November (at 11.11am sharp) with a day-long celebration but the main parades take place in February. The city’s museums open all night on 28 October (www.museums nacht-koeln.de), and the Christmas market starts at the end of November. Summer 2006 sees Cologne host the World Cup, and the local council has invited the main Brazilian tour operators to base themselves here.

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