Travel guide

Düsseldorf travel guide

Everything you need to plan a few days in NRW’s capital – written for visitors who land at DUS and pick up a car.

Updated By the DUS Car Hire editorial team How we research

The short answer

Düsseldorf is a compact Rhine city of about 630,000 people, known for fashion, art, Altbier and one of Europe’s biggest Japanese communities. Two or three days are enough for the Altstadt, Königsallee, MedienHafen and a museum; add a car for day trips to Cologne, the Ruhr or the Rhine valley. Spring and early autumn are the most pleasant; trade-fair weeks are the busiest and most expensive.

Airport
DUS, 10 km from the centre
Best time
April–June, September
Must try
Altbier, Senf, Rhenish dishes, ramen
By car
Easy in, park in garages

Best areas to explore

Altstadt

Old town with brewhouses, the Rhine promenade and the Rhine Tower nearby. Mostly pedestrianised – park in a garage.

Königsallee & Carlstadt

Luxury shopping on the Kö, galleries and the Carlsplatz market in the elegant Carlstadt.

MedienHafen

Former harbour with Gehry buildings, restaurants and hotels; underground garages make it easy by car.

Oberkassel

Leafy left-bank district with cafés and the best Altstadt skyline views; the Rheinkirmes takes place here in July.

Pempelfort & Derendorf

Residential inner-city areas with good restaurants, close to the Hofgarten and the S-Bahn.

Kaiserswerth

Historic village on the Rhine with imperial palace ruins, only 10 minutes from the airport.

When to visit

May, June and September bring mild weather and long evenings on the Rhine promenade. December has the Christmas markets and February the street carnival with its Rose Monday parade. Watch out for big trade fairs such as boot, ProWein or MEDICA: hotels and rental cars become scarce and expensive – check the month planner.

Getting around

In the centre, walking, the U-Bahn and Rheinbahn trams are the easiest way around. A rental car pays off for day trips, meetings outside the centre, families with luggage, or business in districts like Seestern, Rath or Ratingen. See parking in Düsseldorf and driving in Düsseldorf.

Food and drink

  • Altbier in the old-town breweries (e.g. Uerige, Füchschen, Schumacher) – refilled automatically until you put your beer mat on the glass.
  • Düsseldorf mustard and Rhenish classics such as Sauerbraten or “Halve Hahn”.
  • Japanese food in Little Tokyo.
  • Carlsplatz market stalls for a quick lunch.

A 3-day plan with a car

  1. Day 1 – City: Altstadt, Rhine promenade, Rhine Tower, MedienHafen in the evening. Leave the car in a garage.
  2. Day 2 – Cologne or the Ruhr: Cologne Cathedral or Zollverein in Essen, about 45 and 30 minutes away.
  3. Day 3 – Rhine and culture: Kaiserswerth and the Nordpark in the morning, K20 or Kunstpalast in the afternoon – or a trip to Roermond (NL).

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

8 answers

Two days cover the main sights; three or four let you add Cologne, the Ruhr or the Rhine valley by car.

Not for the city centre, but a car is the easiest way to combine Düsseldorf with day trips, trade fairs outside the centre or the Dutch border region.

Late spring to early autumn for the Rhine promenade and beer gardens, and late November to December for the Christmas markets.

The centre or Altstadt for sightseeing, MedienHafen for modern hotels, and the airport or Messe area if you have a car and early starts.

Hotels and parking are pricier during trade fairs. Outside fair weeks prices are moderate for a German city.

Trams, light rail and buses cover the city, and S-Bahn trains link the airport and main station in about 12 minutes.

Yes. Cologne, the Ruhr cities and the Dutch border are all within about an hour by car.

Fashion and shopping on the Kö, art, trade fairs, Altbier, Carnival and a large Japanese community.

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