For a barrel of laughs - with some traditional pigs' knuckles fare thrown in - join the laughter fest that is the Koln Comedy Festival.

What started out as six performers has turned into 150 and the comedians no longer imported – Germans celebrate their funny bones too by presenting a variety of awards.

Accolades like are broadcast in a special show from the city.

The acts are popular with more than 35,000 tickets sold two years ago, so book some affordable accommodation in Cologne quick.

Last year organisers joined up with filmmakers for the first time to add comedy cinema to the festival's string of highlights.

Koln Comedy Festival runs from October 16th to November 1st and takes place in theatres around the city, including the Philharmonie and the Living Room.

Outside festival hours take your pick from one of 12 medieval city gates to start wandering around the walled city.

There are plenty of sights to take in including Cologne Cathedral, Ludwig Art Museum and the Romisch Germanisches Museum, which displays thousands of Roman artefacts.

The city was a cultural and commercial centre as a northern outpost of the Roman Empire and dates back 2,000 years.

There's good news for all you food and drink fans too. Cologne has more restaurants and pubs per capita than any other city in Germany.

Enjoy some traditional Cologne fare by trying Eisbein - pigs' knuckles, sauerkraut and potatoes.