Which of these cities is the most fun and interesting? I am looking for shopping and restaurants. General hanging out after work.

I loved Cologne it seemed more lively.

Hands down Cologne for your criteria

However Duesseldorf may also be a good choice for your criteria.

Where is work??

Personally, I prefer Cologne to Bonn, but I am biased because I live here. (My husband commutes to Bonn for work, so it's doable.)

Cologne is bigger than Bonn with more shops and restaurants/nightlife. However, I do go to Bonn for the museums.

Another Cologne over Bonn vote. Duesseldorf is a pretty option as well - especially the old town.

Another vote for Cologne (but only for your preferences). And DAX is right: Düsseldorf would be my choice if it were an option. The ambience was somehow nicer than Colgone IMO (old town).

I.

Köln: Germany's cultural capital. Top-notch in any respect: art, classical music, jazz music, tradition (carneval!). Very cosmopolitic and liberal (gay scene). Lively bar and restaurant scene. Both traditional places (Brauhäuser), high-tech bars and gourmet restaurant. However, the area is largely and somewhat scattered. For those from abroad not quite easy to find the interesting spots for bar-hopping.

Düsseldorf: A very dense and compact bar area - the Altstadt. Fancy bars and restaurants along the Rhein - fascinating views. Quaint Friedrichstadt - gaslamps and baroque buildings. Lively Altstadt with hundreds (!) of bars and restaurants in a row. Very easy to navigate.

Bonn: It is a much smaller town, not a metropolis. Due to the university, there is a student's scene, but the town is generally somewhat sleepy. Strangely, nothing on the Rhein.

"Köln: Germany's cultural capital"

LOL! You must be kidding! I respectfully disagree. <walks away laughing and shaking his head>

I booked in Cologne.

For me, Cologne is a "no brainer." Make sure you take the time to tour the magnificent cathedral there in addition to your shopping & dining.

If you have some extra time in Cologne, you may consider hopping on the IC or S bahn to Dusseldorf, it's only a 21 to 30 minute ride. It has a couple of very good modern art museums plus the famous Koenigsallee. It's more upmarket than Cologne. The Altstadt however has a good network of food lanes full of inexpensive German consessions. I personally like to stop at the huge Saturn media & electronic dept store in Dusseldorf.

I work in Düsseldorf, and I second DAX's recommendation. For more details, read my suggestions here:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/GoListDet...hine_Ruhr.html

"Köln as Germany's cultural capital"

Yes, indeed:

- Rich Roman history. Ruins everywhere, and the best Roman museum north of the alps.

- Richt medieval history. Twelve (!) romanesque church and one of the most splendid gothic cathedrals at all.

- Germany's best museum of medieval art: Wallraff-Richartz-Museum.

- Germany's best museum of contemporary art: Museum Ludwig.

- One of Germany's best philharmonic orchestras.

- By far, the capital of movies. Even Hollywood produces movies in Köln.

- Germany's largest location of publishers.

- Germany's headquarter of Carneval, certainly a highly sophisticated form of culture (Saxons will disagree).

Any more?

Allright, today (still) is Fat Tuesday and carnival in its final phase along the Rhine cities, but there cannot be one soul on this planet denying that the Nation's capital Berlin is the one and only cultural capital of Germany: three Opera houses, ballet, any of the performing arts, more than 100 museums (Museum Island), theaters, off-theaters, off-off theaters, movie theaters (Berlinale film festival on its way), music industry, galleries, architecture, and so on. No roman ruins, though.

Fully agree with Cowboy. As much as I dislike Berlin in other regards, but he is right about that it is the Cultural Capital of Germany.

Just a few comments on some points, traveller:
- Not only Saxons will disagree on the carnival thing. The alemannic Fasnacht is also a completely different event and the folks in the southwest look somewhat amused and disgusted on your Rhineland carnival (according to my co-workers from Baden and Württemberg).

- One of Germany's best orchestras? Well, there are much better orchestras in Germany, some even among the world's best. Berlin Philharmonic, Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden e.g.

And, btw, there's a lot of art between medieval and contemporary.

I.

yeah but Cologne is the schlager capital

Another vote for Düsseldorf. Fun town and over the limit shopping on Königsallee.

"Just a few comments on some points, traveller:
- Not only Saxons will disagree on the carnival thing. The alemannic Fasnacht is also a completely different event and the folks in the southwest look somewhat amused and disgusted on your Rhineland carnival (according to my co-workers from Baden and Württemberg)."

Living in Baden-Wuerttemberg, I can assure you that their opinion about carneval doesn't really count since it's about having fuin instead of seperating the trash or cleaning the street in front of your house

"Not only Saxons will disagree on the carnival thing. The alemannic Fasnacht is also a completely different event and the folks in the southwest look somewhat amused and disgusted on your Rhineland carnival (according to my co-workers from Baden and Württemberg)."

I fully agree. (Cheers Ingo!)
A hearty Narri-Narro, Ju-hu or Hu-hu-hu (or Rhabarber-Ahoi or whichever salutation you prefer) to all those who know what we're talking about!

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Back to the original question. Both cities have their qualities. Both have big universities, so with several ten thousands of students in town nightlife is guaranteed. Köln is larger, more big city feeling, thus livelier, and definitely better for shopping. Bonn has got a more beautiful landscape, pretty 19th century quarters. Myself I'd prefer Bonn for living and Köln for occasional visits, but it seems that Köln meets richard's criteria better.

Cheerio quokka! I see you had your fun at the alemannic fasnacht, eh ;-)