lit.Cologne is a paradise for literature fans or those who want to become one. Every year in spring, the who's who of contemporary literature meets here. The Cologne festival moves without fear of contact from high culture to the bestseller lists to the tabloids.
Nobel Prize winners can be found in the program as well as non-fiction stars and crime writers. Since its foundation in 2001, the event has developed into Europe's largest literature festival with around 112,500 guests and 180 events. No genre is left out on the diverse event days.
Colourful program with themed evenings
A literary breakfast on a Rhine ferry, then a crime story reading at the police headquarters and finally the festive audio book award ceremony at the WDR-Funkhaus - this is what a successful day trip to Cologne for lit.Cologne could look like.
The event team achieves a special feat with themed evenings to which non-authors are also invited, such as fashion czar and book collector Karl Lagerfeld or performance artist Ai Weiwei.
A tip: If you are planning a visit, you should get your tickets early, as many events are sold out weeks in advance.
lit.Cologne also has a lot to offer for children, more specifically lit.kid.Cologne. Its program is suitable for very different age groups.