Düsseldorf Travel Guide
A detailed destination guide for your next Germany vacation
Düsseldorf Overview
Düsseldorf is one of the economic centers of Western Germany and is located in the densely populated Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan area, with more than 10 million inhabitants.
The city is famous for its nightlife, carnival, events, shopping, also for fashion and trade fairs, like the Boot Messe (famous for boats and watersports) and Igedo (fashion). Every year more than 4 Million people visit the big fun fair (Kirmes) during 9 days in summer.
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Things to See
The tourist information office (across the street from the train station) has free maps with walking routes designed around a specific theme (e.g., Art Route
, Düsseldorf in 1 Hour
).
- Old City, (U-Bahn stop: Heinrich-Heine-Allee). 16-1. The place where everyone can get drunk and party because there are so many bars and pubs. Sometimes called the longest bar in the world because of all the bars and pubs. Other than that, it's just enjoyable to walk around. Some notable buildings: Heinrich Heine's birthplace, the Schlossturm (Castle Tower), St. Andreas Church, Neander Church.
- Rhine Promenade - along the river bordering the Old City, it leads all the way down to the Media Harbor.
- Media Harbor, (Tram stop: Platz des Landtages) - has several interesting buildings designed by Frank Gehry, Claude Vasconi, and David Chipperfield.
- Rhine Tower, (Tram stop: Platz des Landtages). Adults: € 3.40. editThe 240-meter high Rhine Tower is right on the Rhine river, near the Media Harbor. It offers a 360-degree view from the restaurant, at 172 m. Amazing views. The restaurant serves food and overpriced beverages, but it is worth a trip for the view.
- Once a year, like in many other German cities, a Night of Museums is organized by the City of Dusseldorf and the consulting firm Ernst (Ernst vacation rentals | Ernst travel guide) & Young.
- The annual Christmas market, which centres around the Altstadt.
- Once a year, there is a carnival-Kilmes-along the Rhein during summer. In the park, there are roller coasters, Ferris wheel, flying jinny and also beer garden. And Watermelons are sold everywhere in this park. You may get it as soon as possible. The extent of this theme park is not so big, but many people want to go there and enjoy it.
- Benrath Palace and Park, (Tram stop: Schloss Benrath, S-Bahn stop: Benrath S) - the Corps de Logis is the central building of the three-wing maison de plaisance which was erected for the Palatine Elector Carl Theodor by his garden and building director Nicolas de Pigage. Construction was completed in 1770 - a complete work of art that unites architecture and nature in one overlapping concept, one that is today rated as one of the most beautiful palaces of the rococo epoch. The park besides the Palace has nearly 62.000 square meters.
Things to Do
- Altstadt - meaning
old city,
of Düsseldorf is very beautiful. You can find the Alt beer in a lot of traditional breweries like theUerige
,Füchschen
,Zum Schlüssel
orSchumacher
(tourists and local citizens like these places). - Königsallee, (U-Bahn stop: Steinstr./Kö) - internationally well-known, called the "Kö". Many high level fashion stores are at the Kö. It is sometimes referred to as the "Champs-Élysées of Germany".
- Film-Museum, Schulstraße 4. Tues-Sun 11-17, Wed 11-21. 3 €, Reduced, 1.50 €,; Students under 18 free.
- Hetjens Museum/Deutsches Keramikmuseum, Schulstrasse 4. Tues-Sun 11-17, Wed 11-21.
- Theatermuseum, Hofgärtnerhaus, Jägerhofstrasse 1. Tues-Sun 13-20:30.
- Stadtmuseum, Berger Allee 2. Tues-Sun 11-18.
Trips to Do
- Bonn, the former capital of Germany is located due south and easy to reach by train or S-Bahn.
- Königswinter - a small town reachable by train.
- Cologne
- Brühl, a nearby suburb of Cologne (Cologne vacation rentals | Cologne travel guide) contains the Augustusburg (Augustusburg vacation rentals | Augustusburg travel guide) Palace which has been placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List (List vacation rentals | List travel guide). The palace is one of the key works of Balthasar Neuman, and contains one of the finest Rococco interiors in the world, the highlight being the main staircase. Also in the grounds is the magnificent hunting Lodge of Falkenslust. Brühl (Brühl vacation rentals | Brühl travel guide) can be easily reached by train. The theme park Phantasialand is also in Brühl.
- Ruhr area (Ruhrgebiet) - if you are interested in heavy industry and/or industrial culture this might be a worthwhile trip. It is located about 50 km north of Düsseldorf. The region, which was the center of montan (coal and steel) industry in Germany is going through a structural transformation and presents their industrial heritage with pride on the Industrial Heritage Trail
Getting there
By plane
- Düsseldorf International Airport (DUS) is the third largest airport in Germany and offers connections to 175 destinations worldwide. The main airport of Düsseldorf is located about 15 kilometers away from the main railway station. It takes 12 minutes by city railway "S7" to the main railway station, by car, bus or taxi about 20 minutes. The costs are € 2,20 for city railway or bus ("Preisstufe A"), about € 20/ € 22 for taxi-taxis are located in front of the airport terminals.
- Airport Weeze (NRN) - Frequented by smaller, low-cost airlines flying into Düsseldorf. The airport is 80 kilometers away from Düsseldorf main railway station, by car or bus a 90 minutes drive (bus: 5-6 departures per day, € 14 fare).
- Düsseldorf-Mönchengladbach Airport (MGL) - This airport is about 40 minutes away from Düsseldorf, although not currently served.
By train
The Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof (main station) is a major stop for Deutsche Bahn (German state railway).
By car
Düsseldorf is connected to the highways A3, A44, A46, A52, A57 (via Neuss) and A59.
Getting Around
- By bus, tramway or subway: network operated by Rheinbahn AG
- By suburban railway (S-Bahn)
More specifically, for timetables of buses, trams, etc. use:
- bahn.de (German, English, French and Italian)
- vrr.de (German, English and French)
- Net Plan of regional transfer service
Most spots of Dusseldorf can be reached by local transportation. Tickets must be purchased and postmarked before using the transportation service. After postmarking you usually have 90 Minutes to reach your final destination. Ticket Class A
is adequate to reach your destinations within Düsseldorf.
[ source: Wikitravel ]
Maps and Driving Directions to Düsseldorf
Travel Insider Tips for Düsseldorf
I recall going for FRUEHSCHOPPEN and drinking ALT BIER at 11 in the morning. The place was packed and the Beer was wonderful !!
Shared by Klaus Plikat, Nov 2009
... I like just chilling out, visiting the markets, watching the boats on the Rhine. I like evenings at Em Pootzke on Mertengasse, or sometimes if a good band is playing, Dr Jazz in Flingerstrasse. For meals, just about anywhere, but Zum Schiffchen is my favourite.
Shared by Clayton West Scouts, Jun 2009
Love the city. One of the famous cities that celebrates the yearly Fastnacht in February.
Shared by Fernanda Klinger, Nov 2009
Korschenbroich - beautiful little village near Duesseldorf. I just loved walking in the woods there :)
Shared by Zenobia Tamboli, Jul 2010
I'm a native d'dorfer- best city in Germany. Try frankenheim alt!
Shared by Meike Frahm, Nov 2009
You can go on a train along the Rhein from Mainz to Dusseldorf to see all the ships and castles. In Dusseldorf is the longest Bar in the World.
Shared by Werner Reimund, Apr 2010
Concerning altbier, there are some smaller breweries like füchschen (little fox), schlüssel and schumacher you should also try for comparison - some of them are sweeter, some are more bitter... find the best for your taste. frankenheim you can actually get everywhere in germany, so it's kind of a general
altbier-taste ;) ...
Shared by Leena Peters, Nov 2009
Always took the Köln-Düsseldorfer line.... great trip, visitors shouldn't miss this!
Shared by Cindi McClain, Dec 2009
Düsseldorf
[ source: Flickr]
Popular Points of Interest in and near Düsseldorf
Aquazoo and Löbbecke Museum
[ source: Düsseldorf Tourist Bureau ]
The aim of the Aquazoo and Löbbecke Museum in the northern part of Düsseldorf is to scientifically document flora and fauna and convey the fascination which it involves. Don't miss the Gentoo Penguin exhibit. The combination of animal shows and scientific collections and the extraordinary exhibition concept in customized architecture make the museum one of the most well-loved destinations in the City for a day out.
Hours: Daily from 10 am to 6 pm. Closed Dec. 24, 25, and 31. Jan. 1, Jan. 5.
Admission: 6 € Adults, 4 € Children 6-18, Family Card 12 €
Goethe Museum
[ source: Wikipedia ]
The Goethe Museum in the Schloss Jägerhof palace is dedicated to the life and works of the great poet. The museum is home to 1,000 exhibits and is sponsored by the Anton and Katharina Kippenberg Foundation. Kippenberg donated his private collection to the museum, including autographs; books; busts; paintings; coins; medals; plaques; and china.
Hours: Tuesday - Friday and Sunday 11am - 5pm, Saturday 1pm to 5pm.
Art of the 20th and 21st Centuries (Kunstsammlung K20, K21)
[ source: Flickr ]
Known as K20
this museum concentrates on the art of the 20th century. Important works from Picasso to Beuys can be admired here in the permanent exhibition. Temporary exhibitions with works of famous artists also attract many visitors. Since 2002, the Kunstsammlung also runs K21
, which is based in the historical Ständehaus and is dedicated to art from the 21st century. Guided tours in English are available.
Please Note: K20 is closed for renovations until Summer 2010.
Hours: Tuesday - Friday 10am- 6pm. Saturday and Sunday 11am -6.pm. Closed on Mondays.
Admission: 6.50 € Adults, $4.50 € Concessions, 15 € Family Card.
Film Museum
[ source: Flickr ]
The Film Museum opened in 1993 and is located in Düsseldorf's Old Town. Apart from different traveling exhibitions, it has a permanent exhibition on the history of films and cinema. The ground floor of the Film Museum is the Black Box Theater which shows historic and current art films. Tours and Workshops are offered.
Hours: Tuesday - Sunday 11am - 5pm.
Admission: 3 € Adults, 1.5 € Concessions.
Art Museum Kunst Palast
[ source: Wikipedia ]
The Museum Kunst Palast includes objects of fine arts from Classical antiquity to the present, including drawings, sculptures, a collection of more than 70,000 graphic exhibits and photographs. On the other side, there are a lot of examples of applied arts and design and one of the most outstanding glass collections. There is a great arts library too. The graphic collection includes 14,000 Italian baroque graphics. The Archive for artistical photography of the rhenanian artscene (AFORK) is part of the Modern Department.
The collection presents several works from Europe, Japan, Persia/Iran and some other places, beginning with the 3rd century B.C.. The art collection also include works from other periods such as Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, the time of Goethe, the 19th century, the 20th century and the present.
Hours: Tuesday - Sunday 11am - 6pm.
Admission: from 6 €
Benrath Palace (Schloss Benrath)
[ source: Flickr ]
The most famous of Düsseldorf's palaces is in the borough of Benrath and was built in the 18th century as a palace for the Elector Carl Theodor von der Pfalz. Today it is one of Düsseldorf's most popular excursion spots and houses various museums, such as the European Horticultural Art Museum. The court architect Nicolas de Pigage (1723 1798) designed the magnificent building and the rolling parklands in which you can promenade even today. The ensemble at Benrath has been proposed for designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Hours: April 16 - October 31: Tuesday - Sunday 10am - 6pm. November 1 - April 15: Tuesday - Sunday 11am - 5pm. Closed Monday.
Admission: A combined ticket for all museum in Benrath Palace is 10.50 € Adults, 7.50 € Concessions; Children under 18 free.
Old Town Düsseldorf (Altstadt) and "The Longest Bar in The World"
[ source: Wikipedia ]
Since the rock band Toten Hosen dedicated their song Altbierlied
(dark beer song) to Düsseldorf's pubs and bars, the longest bar in the world
has become famous far beyond the city. More than 250 pubs, restaurants and bars line the streets of the Old Town. Altbier is a specialty here, brewed from an old traditional recipe which is only brewed in a few places in the world since the end of the 19th century.
Rhine Tower (Rheinturm)
[ source: Wikipedia ]
The Rheinturm is a city landmark on Düsseldorf's harbor and a must for visitors to the city. The tower carries aerials for directional radio, FM and TV transmitters. and stands 234 meters. There is a revolving restaurant and an observation deck at a height of 170 meters. It is the tallest building in Düsseldorf.
As a special attraction, there is a light sculpture on its shaft, which works as a clock. This sculpture was designed by Horst H. Baumann and is called Lichtzeitpegel (light time level). The light sculpture on the Rheinturm is the biggest digital clock in the world.
Hours: The tower is open every day from 10am to 11.30pm.
Admission: 3 € to climb the lift to the top.
Related Sites
We collected some useful links related to Düsseldorf. If you know a few more sites not listed here, or also know some insider tips or point of interests for this destination? Please share and submit your Germany travel tip. If approved it will be shown on this page!
- Homepage of Düsseldorf: Düsseldorf (official home page)
- Wikipedia: Düsseldorf
- Wikipedia: Dusseldorf
- Schadow Arkaden
- Aquazoo Lobbecke-Museum
- Goethe Museum
- Filmmuseum
- Kunsthalle Dusseldorf
- Memorial museum for victims of Nationalsocialism
- Museum Kunst Palast
- Wilhelm-Marx House
- Schloss Benrath
- Colorium
- Official Düsseldorf City Homepage
- Messe Düsseldorf
- Philipshalle Düsseldorf
- Düsseldorf Altstadt
More about the History of Düsseldorf
In the 7th and 8th centuries, the odd farming or fishing settlement could be found at the point where the small river Düssel flows into the Rhine. It was from such settlements that the city of Düsseldorf grew. The first written mention of the town of Düsseldorf dates back to 1135 (then called Dusseldorp). It was told that under Emperor Friedrich Barbarossa the small town of Kaiserswerth, lying to the North of Düsseldorf, became a well fortified outpost, where soldiers kept their watchful eyes over every movement on the Rhine. Kaiserswerth eventually became a suburb of Düsseldorf in 1929.
By the mid-19th century, Düsseldorf enjoyed a revival thanks to the Industrial Revolution as the city boasted 100,000 inhabitants by 1882; the figure doubled in 1892. It was a target of strategic bombing during World War II, particularly during the RAF bombing campaign against the Ruhr industry in 1943 when over 700 bombers would be used in a single night.
In 1946 Düsseldorf was made capital of the new federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The city's reconstruction proceeded at a frantic pace and the economic transformation saw Düsseldorf growing into the wealthy city of trade, administration and service industries as it is known today.
What makes this Live Like a German Düsseldorf Travel Guide special...
This Düsseldorf travel guide provides you with an overview of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf pictures, and a local travel guide that suggests many special trips, unique activities, and vacation ideas, that you can't find in a typical Germany travel guide.
Some of this information is compiled from popular and well-known sources (e.g., such as Wikipedia, Wikitravel, and great pictures from Flickr). However, what makes this Germany travel guide special is that most of the travel suggestions and insider tips are provided by local residents, property owners, and our readers, who share and submit their travel tips with us. All submissions are then editorially reviewed to ensure high quality. All this information is logically organized within this destination guide to make it easy for you to find things quickly.
In addition, the Düsseldorf destination guide features restaurant recommendations, restaurant reviews, where to go for grocery shopping, sports activities, getting around, cultural events and highlights, entertainment, and health related information - so you are informed for your travel to Germany, and you can learn about all the cool things you can do during your Germany vacation!
