Rooftop SonnenscheinEtage in Cologne

SonnenscheinEtage: a beach on a car park roof

Sand on the 14th level

Car park B of the Galeria department store is right in the centre, five minutes' walk from the Neumarkt and Heumarkt squares. You take the left-hand lift to the 14th level and step out onto an urban beach: pale sand, potted palm trees, rows of deckchairs under parasols, hooded beach chairs, high tables, lounge corners and wooden decking.

The view takes in the whole city. The cathedral's spires dominate the skyline, and you can also see the television tower and the bell towers of the centre. The place comes into its own at the end of the day, when the sun goes down over the rooftops. Background music accompanies the afternoons, and DJs liven up special evenings, such as the Kölner Lichter fireworks night, ticketed.

A beach bar

At the bar, you can order a cold beer, a glass of wine, a spritz or a fruity cocktail, to sip with your feet in the sand. The place suits end-of-day drinks with colleagues as well as weekend afternoons with friends. Groups of at least fifty people can hire the space for a party or a corporate event.

And in winter?

As Christmas approaches, the roof may be turned into a Christmas market, with decorated chalets, mulled wine, string lights and curling lanes; the programme is announced in late autumn. Entry is then free, with a minimum purchase of a mulled wine or a children's punch.

Practical information

The beach opens only in the warmer months and only in fine weather: it is best to check its social media before going up. It then welcomes the public on weekdays from about 4.30pm to midnight, and at weekends from about noon to midnight. Entry costs €5 with a bottled drink, free up to age 12; prices change on event evenings, which are often reserved for over-18s. No reservations for groups of fewer than fifty. Wheelchair access is possible; animals are not admitted.