Cidade Turismo
Germany

Before you go

Your trip to Düsseldorf.

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

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Düsseldorf – Renânia do Norte-Vestfália Destination Colônia and Düsseldorf Capital

How to get there

  • Flughafen Düsseldorf (DUS) 9 km
  • Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof 2 km

Approximate road distances. Check flights and bus schedules before you travel.

Düsseldorf Airport (DUS) is about 9 km from the center, with S-Bahn and regional trains to the main station in about 10 to 15 minutes. Confirm before booking. From Colônia the train takes 20 to 30 minutes; from Frankfurt the ICE takes about 1½ to 2 hours, depending on the service.

How many days

One day is enough for the Altstadt, the Rhine waterfront, the Rheinturm, the MedienHafen and the Königsallee. With two days you can include the K20, K21 and Kunstpalast museums and Schloss Benrath.

When to go

From May to September, when the riverbank and outdoor cafés fill up. Christmas markets usually run from late November until just before Christmas. Carnival runs from 11 November until Ash Wednesday, peaking in the week before; it's lively, but the city gets very crowded.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

Do you need a car?

No. The Altstadt, the Königsallee and the Rhine waterfront are walkable, and the metro, trams and the S-Bahn reach the rest, including Benrath; validate your ticket when the machine asks. The city has an environmental zone (Umweltzone) for cars.

Suggested itinerary

An order that works

Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.

One day in Düsseldorf
  1. Morning
    Altstadt and Burgplatz

    Start at the Marktplatz, with the town hall and the statue of Jan Wellem, see the crooked tower of St. Lambertus and reach the Burgplatz, with the Schlossturm and the steps facing the Rhine.

  2. Afternoon
    Königsallee and K20

    Walk along the Königsallee by the canal to the Triton fountain and the Hofgarten. Then spend about an hour and a half at the K20 on the Grabbeplatz, with works by Klee and Picasso.

  3. Late afternoon
    Calçadão do Reno, Rheinturm and MedienHafen

    Follow the Rheinuferpromenade to the Rheinturm and go up to the viewing platform at 168 metres. Come down and finish among Gehry's buildings in the MedienHafen.

  4. Evening
    Altbier in the Altstadt

    Return to the Altstadt for dinner in a traditional brewery and try Altbier, the city's dark beer, served in small glasses.

2 days in Düsseldorf

Day 1

  1. Morning
    Old town on foot

    Explore the Altstadt at a relaxed pace: Marktplatz, St. Lambertus, Burgplatz and the Bolkerstraße, where Heinrich Heine was born. Descend the steps to the Rhine.

  2. Afternoon
    Kunstpalast and Hofgarten

    Follow the riverbank to the Ehrenhof and visit the Kunstpalast, with old painting, design and the glass museum. Cross the Hofgarten to the northern end of the Königsallee.

  3. Late afternoon
    Königsallee

    Walk along the Kö by the tree-lined canal, looking at the shop windows on the east side and the stone bridges over the Kö-Graben.

  4. Evening
    Dinner and beer in the Altstadt

    Choose a brewery in the Altstadt for dinner with Altbier and regional dishes.

Day 2

  1. Morning
    Schloss Benrath

    Take the S-Bahn to Benrath and visit the baroque palace of Carl Theodor, preferably on a guided tour, and the gardens that slope down to the Rhine.

  2. Afternoon
    K21 and Kaiserteich

    Back in the centre, visit the K21 in the Ständehaus, the former parliament building, with contemporary art, and walk around the Kaiserteich lake.

  3. Late afternoon
    Rheinturm and MedienHafen

    Walk to the Rheinturm to watch the sunset from the viewing platform and continue to the MedienHafen and the Neuer Zollhof buildings.

  4. Evening
    MedienHafen at night

    Dine at one of the harbour restaurants and return along the Rheinuferpromenade watching the tower's light clock.

Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.

Before you go

Frequently asked questions

How do I get from Düsseldorf Airport to the centre?

By S-Bahn or train: the S-Bahn departs from a station next to the terminal, and regional and long-distance trains stop at the airport station, linked to the terminal by an elevated train, the SkyTrain. The journey to Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof takes about 10 to 15 minutes.

Düsseldorf or Colônia: where to stay?

Either works logistically, as the train between them takes 20 to 30 minutes. Colônia has more historical monuments; Düsseldorf has more shopping and contemporary art.

How many days to set aside for Düsseldorf?

One day for the centre and the Rhine waterfront; two to include the museums and Schloss Benrath.

What is the rivalry between Düsseldorf and Colônia?

It's a long-standing, good-humoured rivalry between the two neighbouring cities, visible in beer (Altbier versus Kölsch), football and Carnival. Asking for Kölsch in a Düsseldorf brewery usually gets you teased.

Are shops open on Sundays?

Generally no: most shops, including the Königsallee, are closed on Sundays. Restaurants, bars and museums usually open.

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