The Botanical Garden in Poppelsdorf is not only a great place to go when the sun is shining. There are also greenhouses here, where you can see plants from all over the world on an area of 2500 square metres. The names of the different houses promise an exciting tour: Rainforest House, Monsoon House, Desert House or Mediterranean House. Not only is this tour through a plant paradise from the rainforests and deserts of the tropics and subtropics under a roof, it also features different temperatures to suit the many plants. In some rooms, you can enjoy the fascinating display in a pleasantly warm climate.

Address: Meckenheimer Allee 171, 53115 Bonn

Opening hours: The greenhouses are open in winter from 10 am to 3.30 pm. Admission is free.

If you stroll through the cloister of Bonn Münster, you'll be in the fresh air but protected from the rain. The cloister is around 900 years old and is the most completely preserved Romanesque cloister north of the Alps. After a prolonged period of restoration, the cloister and inner courtyard are now fully accessible again. A special feature is the gallery on the upper floor of the south wing. This type of so-called dwarf gallery is only found in Romanesque architecture in Germany and Italy. A walk through the cloister and gallery promises above all peace and quiet and special moments in the heart of Bonn's Cathedral.

Address: Access cloister: Gerhard-von-Are-Straße 5, 53111 Bonn

Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, Sunday and public holidays from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

There are churches is the centre and in the centre of every district of Bonn. Some of them are a feast for the eye, not only from the outside but also on the inside: Wall paintings, ornate stained-glass windows, monuments and statues, high ceilings, organs and altars can all be admired whatever the weather. One of these churches is the Doppelkirche (double church) in Schwarzrheindorf. Tourists from all over the world come to see the building - not only because two church naves were built on top of each other, but also because of the rare cycle of paintings in the medieval church.

In the Haus der Geschichte (House of History) on Bonn's Museum Mile, you can embark on a dry and warm journey through German history since 1945. The permanent exhibition begins in the post-war years and tells of new beginnings and the how the country was divided. It goes on to show how West and East Germany developed and what happened after reunification. The permanent and temporary exhibitions are both free of charge.

Address: Museum Mile, Willy-Brandt-Allee 14, 53113 Bonn

Opening times: Tuesday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Further information is available at www.hdg.de

Under the canopy of the Waldau

You're not completely out of the rain if you walk through the Waldau, but you are at least protected by the canopy of leaves. This local recreational area in the northern part of the Kottenforst forest offers pure nature. The wildlife enclosure is home to wild boar and deer, which are popular with young and old alike. The "Path of Biodiversity" leads through the city forest. Over a length of 2.3 kilometres, there are nine adventure stations and 15 information boards that explain the natural world. You can also explore nature with your feet on a barefoot trail.

As long as the leaves keep their protective canopy over the paths of the Waldau, the forest is the best place to go for a walk outdoors on rainy days. But you should wear waterproof shoes and a rain jacket, as the rain will of course still find its way onto the paths and occasionally drip onto your head.

More information here

Natural wonders, state-of-the-art technology, foreign cultures and local history - there is a lot to discover in Bonn. And especially when it's raining, it's always worth making a trip to the city's many museums. With so many exhibitions, a tour of Bonn's museums can easily take a whole day, and you still won’t have seen everything.

In the Kunstmuseum (museum of art) there are works by the old masters including Cranach, Rembrandt and Rubens. The Bundeskunsthalle (Art and exhibition hall of the federal republic) Bundeskunsthalle for short, offers a global view of art, culture and science. The LVR-Landesmuseum presents the development of the region from its beginnings 400,000 years ago to the present day. The Stadtmuseum (City Museum) documents the development of Bonn from a Roman settlement to the present day, with a collection of artefacts focusing on the 18th and 19th centuries.

These are just a few examples of what Bonn's museums have to offer. An overview of the entire range, opening times and admission prices (in German) can be found .here

The many castles and fortresses in the region that are open to visitors offer particularly impressive protection from the rain. At Drachenburg Castle in Königswinter, for example, you can enjoy a tour of the neo-early Gothic and neo-Renaissance style.

Brühl is home to the impressive Augustusburg and Falkenlust palaces. They are among the most important Baroque and Rococo buildings in Germany and have been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site together with the palace park since 1984. The historic Wissem Castle complex is in the centre of Troisdorf. The history of the castle dates back to the Merovingian period (500-700 AD).

The castles in the region are all easy to reach on public transport, so you won't get wet on your way there. You can find an overview of all the castles and palaces in the region .here

When it rains, you don't have to limit yourself to walking through museums, castles or churches. If you need fun, games and a bit of action, you’ll also find what you are looking for in and around Bonn. For example, you can solve exciting puzzles in escape rooms, practise your sporting skills in climbing gyms or with indoor mini golf, let off steam in indoor swimming pools or compete with friends in a game of bowling.

Sauna and thermal baths

On cold autumn or winter days, a visit to the thermal baths or sauna is ideal. With wellness, sauna and massage, you quickly forget the inclement weather. And in thermal baths, the rain is even a nice spectacle: you can swim outdoors and still not freeze because you're in warm water. We give an overview of saunas and thermal baths (in German).

Forget the rain completely and enjoy a good film at the cinema. This way you're getting out of the house but staying cosy. The many cinemas in and around Bonn offer a wide variety of cinema genres: from blockbusters to low-budget films, from operas to children's films, from documentaries to classics of film history.

You’ll find a list of cinemas in Bonn, the Rhein-Sieg district and Cologne (in German) .

It's no secret that shops offer shelter from the rain. But even here, you can get creative and come up with some very special shopping trips. On a rainy day, for example, you could travel from second-hand shop to second-hand shop on pubic transport and rummage through the treasures of recycled clothing and items.

There are second-hand fashion shops all over Bonn. There is also no shortage of shops selling second-hand furniture in and around the city.

We've spent the whole summer sitting on outdoor terraces, dining and enjoying the weather. Now those days are over. Instead of sitting on the terrace, it's time to take a look inside the cafés and restaurants again. This is where visitors can warm up, watch the rain through the windows and soak up the different atmospheres of Bonn's eateries.

Especially in rainy weather, a tour through the flavours of Bonn's restaurants and the worlds of Bonn's cafés in the various districts of the city is a good idea.

Original text: Sofia Grillo

Translation: Jean Lennox