A vibrant and historic urban centre which claims to be home to the ‘longest bar in the world’ (it’s actually a street of more than 250 bars sitting adjacent to each other), Dusseldorf has long been an important cultural and economic centre in Western Germany. Events such as Karneval, Japan Day and the annual Christmas Markets in Marktplatz draw in both tourists and residents of the surrounding towns and villages.
A good way to orientate yourself is by booking onto a boat trip along the Rhine. For a cheaper alternative, take in the sights as you stroll along the recently pedestrianized Rhine Promenade, stretching from the old city to the sleek contemporary structures of the Dusseldorf Hafen.
Dusseldorf’s architecture combines exemplary baroque styles and renaissance buildings such as the Rathaus with bold modern buildings like Frank Gehry’s Der Neue Zollhof in the Harbour to give the impression of a city which isn’t afraid to experiment and reinvent itself time and again.
The city contains some lovely green spaces too. The Hofgarten is one of the oldest public parks in Germany and a great place to relax with the family on a sunny day. If the weather’s not looking so clever, why not indulge your inner film buff and take a tour of the Film Museum, a fascinating collection of artefacts and interactive demonstrations with a cute little cinema attached.
Food and drink is both plentiful and of high quality. Brew Houses serve local beer and comforting, traditional food. Fine dining is also available at the Michelin starred Beren am Kai.
The main city centre is easy to get around on foot, as the attractions are fairly close to each other and there are no steep hills or tiring steps. The public transport infrastructure is cheap, efficient and plentiful and on-street parking is available in most areas. If you are planning to travel further afield, renting a car might be a good idea, although German intercity trains are both speedy and inexpensive.
For a city with friendly locals, great food, proud local traditions and fascinating places to visit – you can’t do much better than a visit to Dusseldorf.
