Stand on the Rhine promenade at Burgplatz and you can watch the river traffic slide past while a waiter sets down an Altbier you did not order. That small ritual, repeated in the brewing houses of the Altstadt, is as good an introduction as any to how this city works.
Düsseldorf suits travellers who like modern architecture and public art as much as old streets, and who are happy to spend an afternoon walking between the river, the shopping boulevards and the bar quarter. The city was largely destroyed in World War II, so what you see in the Altstadt is a rebuild on historic plans rather than an untouched medieval core.
This guide covers the sights and experiences in and around the centre, with a one-day plan that strings them together.
Top things to do in Düsseldorf
1. Altstadt
The Old Town was almost completely destroyed during World War II and rebuilt according to historic plans on its foundation walls, which is why it reads as a real historic town. Within one square kilometre you will find about 260 bars, coffee shops and brewing houses, and at night and at weekends it turns into the "longest bar in the world".
This is the home of Altbier, a top-fermented dark beer, and they say it tastes best at the historical brewing houses. The Köbesse may be somewhat harsh but they are warm hearted, and if your glass is empty the next Alt arrives without you ordering it. Come in the evening to see the gas lamps, which the city still maintains in the old town and several historic districts.
2. Rhine promenade
The promenade on the bank of the Rhine is one of the most beautiful in Germany, and it sits on the right bank, where the sun shines onto this side all day long. It leads from Parliament via Mannesmannufer, Rathausufer, Burgplatz and Tonhalle to Rhine-Park, and it exists because a tunnel built in 1993 moved motorised traffic underground.
Most gangways for boat trips on the Rhine are near the Burgplatz, and many coffee shops put seats outside where you can watch and be watched when the weather is fine. Look down as you walk: the pavement is an artwork too, its sinuous design reflecting the waves on the river.
3. Burgplatz
At the old town limits next to the Rhine, this square held the erstwhile castle of the Earls of Berg, later the duke of Jülich-Kleve-Berg. The castle was later reconstructed as a baroque palace, which burned down in 1872; in 1888 the ruins were removed completely and only a tower was left. The square won an award as one of the nicest squares in Germany after World War II.
The tower today houses an inland navigation museum, and the coffee shop at its top offers a grand view onto the Rhine and the ships passing by. Combine it with the promenade and the Cartwheelers' Fountain, which stands on the same square.
4. Cartwheelers' Fountain (Radschlägerbrunnen)
This fountain at Burgplatz 13 carries the legend "we will stay cartwheelers, however crazy the world might be", and it sits under some wonderful old plane trees. The cartwheeler is a popular symbol within Düsseldorf and cartwheeling is an old tradition: according to legend, after winning the War of Worringen, the Earl of Berg asked the boys waiting for their fathers to show him they were happy about their fathers' return, and they began cartwheeling. Annual competitions continue the tradition today.
It is a small stop, so pair it with the Burgplatz tower and the Rhine bank rather than making a special trip.
5. St. Lambertus Basilika
Built with bricks in the style of the Lower Rhine Gothic, this church is a landmark of Düsseldorf, and its church hall was the last residence of St. Apollinaris, the city's patron. Its particular characteristic is the winding tower. Locals tell a story about a bride in a snow-white wedding dress who came to the altar pretending to be a virgin, after which the tower turned aside, and they say it will straighten again if a real virgin appears at the altar.
The tower is still twisted. After the war it was reconstructed as twisted as it was before, because the citizens love it that way. It is open 09:00-18:00.
6. City Monument (Stadterhebungsmonument)
An artwork by Bert Gerresheim in Müller-Schlösser-Gasse, donated by the society "Düsseldorfer Jonges" on the occasion of the 700th anniversary of the foundation of the town. It is a kaleidoscope of local history: the cruel battle of Worringen on the left, the signing of the foundation documents by the earl of Berg in the middle, and scenes on the right including four popes, among them Nikolaus IV raising St. Lambertus Church to a canon monastery. A market scene and trade goods of Düsseldorf also appear.
The monument is full of symbols, so go nearby and take account of details, then step back. On the left side, mind the men following the apocalyptic horse riders: their arms form the number 1288, the year of the battle of Worringen.
7. Hofgarten
By order of elector Carl Theodor, the architect Nicolas de Pigage planned and implemented the first public park in Germany, named Hofgarten. It became the prototype of the English Garden of Munich. In the oldest part of Hofgarten you find the Jröne Jong, and from there the "Riding Alley" leads straight forward to palace Jägerhof, which today houses the Goethe-Museum.
People like the self-luminous park benches on Riding Alley, and Hofgarten also houses sculptures by famous artists. It sits at the edge of Stadtmitte, so it works well as a break between the shopping streets and the Altstadt.
8. Königsallee
At the western end of Stadtmitte, close to the Altstadt, the Königsallee is an internationally famous boulevard and luxury shopping street running along both banks of the Kögraben canal. It is the anchor of the city centre's retail district.
The general rule for the area is that the farther you are from the Hauptbahnhof and the closer to the Kö, the nicer the neighbourhood, so plan your walk in that direction. The Bankenviertel lies to the west of the Königsallee, where the area between the parallel Kasernenstraße, Breite Straße and Königsallee has many impressive office buildings, some dating back to the 19th century.
9. Japanese quarter (Japanisches Viertel)
The quarter between Berliner Allee, Klosterstraße, Charlottenstraße and Graf-Adolf-Straße is known as the Japanese quarter, as the many Japanese companies tend to place their head offices there. This results in a proliferation of typically Japanese service providers, including many restaurants and specialist stores, and the companies often provide company apartments to their employees within the quarter.
Beyond the long-standing Japanese places, there are also many Chinese and South Korean establishments, so this is the part of the centre to head for when you want to eat. It sits within Stadtmitte, a short walk from the Königsallee.
10. Schadowstraße
Schadowstraße is another shopping street worth strolling, in the Stadtmitte district that extends northwest from the Hauptbahnhof. Stadtmitte itself is a very no-nonsense district mostly filled with offices and retail, with few historic buildings, but not without its charm.
Treat it as a route rather than a single sight, and use it to link the Hauptbahnhof end of town with the Königsallee and the Altstadt beyond.
11. Theatermuseum
The Theatermuseum occupies the Hofgärtnerhaus at Jägerhofstraße 1. It is open Tuesday to Thursday 12:00-18:00, Friday 12:00-21:00, and Saturday and Sunday 12:00-18:00, with adult tickets at €4 and concessions at €2.
It sits by the Hofgarten, so it fits naturally into a walk that takes in the park, the Jröne Jong and the Riding Alley.
12. Schifffahrtmuseum Düsseldorf
The shipping museum is housed in the old castle tower at Burgplatz 30, the tower that is all that remains of the castle ruins cleared in 1888. It is open Tuesday to Sunday 11:00-18:00, with adult tickets at €3 and concessions at €1.50.
Because it is in the tower on Burgplatz, combine it with the square, the Cartwheelers' Fountain and the Rhine promenade in a single stop.
13. Pegeluhr
On the Rhine bank, this clock also shows the current water level in the river. It is a quick look rather than a destination.
Check it while you are walking the promenade between Burgplatz and the Rhine-Park, since it sits on the same stretch of riverbank.
14. Liefergasse 1
Just 100 metres from the bustling Altstadt, the Stiftsplatz offers a tranquil atmosphere. Walking along Lambertusstraße near the intersection with Liefergasse, look for the historic house at Liefergasse 1, whose well-preserved, ornate facade is considered one of the finest examples of traditional architecture in the old town.
Use it as a quiet counterpoint to the bar quarter, and approach it from Lambertusstraße so you do not miss the facade.
15. Neanderkirche
The Neanderkirche stands at Bolker Straße 36. Opening is Friday and Saturday afternoon, and Sunday after the church service.
The population of the Rhinelands is mainly Catholic, and Protestants and members of the Reformed church were a minority, which makes this church a different kind of stop in the Altstadt. Check the days before you go, since the opening hours are limited.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start in Stadtmitte and walk the Königsallee along the Kögraben canal, then continue to the Schadowstraße. Head into the Hofgarten to find the Jröne Jong, follow the Riding Alley to palace Jägerhof, and visit the Theatermuseum at Jägerhofstraße 1.
Afternoon: Walk into the Altstadt. See the City Monument in Müller-Schlösser-Gasse, then St. Lambertus Basilika, then the historic facade at Liefergasse 1. Continue to Burgplatz for the Cartwheelers' Fountain, the Schifffahrtmuseum Düsseldorf in the old castle tower, and the view over the Rhine from the tower's coffee shop. Finish the afternoon on the Rhine promenade, checking the Pegeluhr on the bank.
Evening: Eat in the Japanese quarter between Berliner Allee, Klosterstraße, Charlottenstraße and Graf-Adolf-Straße, then return to the Altstadt for Altbier in the brewing houses, where the gas lamps and the Köbesse set the tone for the night.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to walk the Rhine promenade?
The promenade sits on the right bank, where the sun shines onto this side all day long, so any fine day works. Many coffee shops offer seats outside when the weather is fine, and the gas lamps in the old town and several historic districts create a particular atmosphere in the evening.
Do I need to order an Altbier in the Altstadt?
Often not. If your beer glass is empty the next Alt comes without you even having to order it, and many times the first Alt comes without even having to order it. The Köbesse may be somewhat harsh but they are warm hearted.
What are the opening hours and prices for the museums?
The Theatermuseum at Jägerhofstraße 1 is open Tuesday to Thursday 12:00-18:00, Friday 12:00-21:00, and Saturday and Sunday 12:00-18:00, with adult tickets at €4 and concessions at €2. The Schifffahrtmuseum Düsseldorf at Burgplatz 30 is open Tuesday to Sunday 11:00-18:00, with adult tickets at €3 and concessions at €1.50.
Why is the tower of St. Lambertus twisted?
There are legends saying wet arbors were used for reconstruction after a fire in 1815, but locals know better and tell a story about a bride pretending to be a virgin, after which the tower turned aside. The fact is that the citizens love their twisted tower, and after the war it was reconstructed as twisted as it was before.
Pick your dates, book a place near the Altstadt or the Königsallee, and let the promenade and the brewing houses set the pace of your visit.