Weekend Away: Dusseldorf, Germany
Düsseldorf Itinerary
Arrival: Thursday
Departure: Sunday
Thursday afternoon/evening
Take the short trip from the airport to your hotel (see hotel recommendations below) in the city center (the center and Old Town are only about 12-15 minutes by train or car from the airport)
After check-in, get a first impression by walking to and around the city’s historic Old Town, home to “The Longest Bar in the World”.
Old Town and Longest Bar in the World.
The “longest bar in the world” means 260 bars, pubs and restaurants in under a mile. An uber bar hopping opportunity.This area is especially busy at night because the city is home to 4 major colleges including Düsseldorf University and a famous art academy.
Historic Old Town's Ratinger Strasse is especially popular with Düsseldorf’s art and fashion scene. Check out bars like: “Fuechschen”, “Zum Goldenen Einhorn”, "Zur Uel", "Ohme Jupp", most of them rustic German pubs serving the local „Alt“ Beer (only brewed in Duesseldorf).
Friday morning:
Media Harbor
Media Harbor is just a 15-minute walk from the Old Town, and visitors walk along the Rhine Promendade, considered the most beautiful on the Rhine in Germany. A great contrast to the historic Old Town, and it’s also great for nightlife: Here you’ll find modern restaurants and clubs, e.g.: “Berens am Kai”, “Club 3001”, “Rudas Studios” (a film studio turned restaurant).
Fun Fact#1: Düsseldorf is home to about 400 media companies including TV stations, advertising agencies and telecommunication firms, and their young workforce shape this area as well as the entire city.
Friday Afternoon
Shopping on Königsallee
A center of international fashion, Düsseldorf hosts some of the biggest fashion events and trade shows in the world and several designers and showrooms call the city home. Visit the Armani, Bulgari, Gucci, Jil Sander, Prada, and Versace shops on luxurious Königsallee (also known as Ko), one of Europe’s top shopping streets.
Saturday morning and afternoon
Art and Museums / Quadriennale 2010
There are 100 galleries and 26 world-renowned museums in Düsseldorf, including K20 & K21, www.kunstsammlung.de. Several of the world’s well-known artists also have their roots in Düsseldorf including Andreas Gursky, Joseph Beuys, Gerhard Richter and Jörg Immendorff.
And/or: Düsseldorf by HopOn HopOff Bus and Boat Tour
Another great way to explore the city is the new HopOn HofOff Bus, which started operating just months ago. The city tour includes 8 stops, among them the world-renowned shopping boulevard Königsallee, Historic Old Town and Rhine Tower, MediaHarbour, House of Japanese Culture and Buddhist Temple, Rhine River promenade, Aquazoo, and Castle Jägerhof. Visitors are invited to leave the bus at any stop to explore and then continue the tour on one of the following buses. The tickets can be combined with harbor boat tours at an additional charge.
Sunday Morning:
Tour of Benrath Palace and Park
Tour Benrath Palace. Built as a hunting and pleasure lodge for the elector, Carl Theodor, more than 200 years ago, Benrath Palace, in the south of Düsseldorf on the banks of the Rhine, is regarded as one of the most beautiful park palaces of the 18th century. The Palace also houses the European Garden Museum. www.schloss-benrath.de
Some other Düsseldorf Highlights:
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Castles & Gardens: 20 castles in and around city, award-winning gardens
•Neanderthal Valley (bones of pre-historic humans found here 150 ago) and Neanderthal Museum
•Gay & Lesbian: Pink Monday, local nightlife and organizations
•Heritage: Easy exploration of ancestral homeland, famous residents, Neanderthal artifacts
•Music: Jazz Rally, Opera House, one of birth places of electronic music (Kraftwerk, Sonic Youth, etc.), major performance venues,
•Koenigsallee: one of Europe’s premiere shopping and fashion boulevard
Flights
Direct flights from 10 American and Canadian cities and airports to Düsseldorf International Airport (DUS):Atlanta, Chicago, Ft. Myers, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Newark, Toronto, San Francisco, Vancouver
Fun Fact #2
Hotel Recommendations:
Hotel Stage 47
Every room is uniquely decorated and named after international stage and film actors.
Breidenbacher Hof Duesseldorf
Luxury Hotel with exceptional personalized service
InterContinental Düsseldorf
Hotel Nikko Duesseldorf
