Have only 24 hours in Dusseldorf? Here are the top things to do in Düsseldorf, ranging from castle ruins to riverside promenades in the Old Town. Our quick Düsseldorf travel guide also includes Germany’s most elegant avenue.
We arrived in Dusseldorf, the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia on a Saturday afternoon, ready to experience the splendours of the newly opened 24 Hours Hotel Das Tour and the city itself, over a summery weekend.
Little did we know that the Rain Gods would compel us to rush back to the hotel in the evening, precious DSLR in hand. So it happens that all our photos of Dusseldorf had to be taken on our camera phones under a steel-gray sky.
But in retrospect, we think that worked out rather well. And since the morning after dawned bright and sunny, although with a delicious chill in the air, we ended up making the best of Düsseldorf after all.
While there are wonderful parks, forests and museums in the city as well, we focused our travels on the main historical, natural and architectural marvels. If you have 24 hours on hand like we did, you’d do well to soak in the magic at these spots as well. And don’t forget to get the DusseldorfCard for unlimited use of public transport and discounted entry to many attractions.
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24 Hours in Dusseldorf: Things To Do
Altstadt
We walked to the Marktplatz, the centre of Dusseldorf’s Old Town and found ourselves gazing at the stately Rathaus (Town Hall). An equestrian statue ofElector John William II dating back to 1711 stood in the middle of the square. He was a Duke who was born in Dusseldorf and died in the same city in 1716.
The freshly washed streets of the Old Town were brimming with football revelry. Germans; both young and old; were getting steadily high on beer, pommes (fries) and pizza. We found ourselves a beautiful vegetarian pizza for 7 euros and it was swimming in mushrooms, olives, basil, garlic and cheese.
Our tour of the Old Town ended at Burgplatz on the banks of the Rhine, bringing us to the city’s famous promenade. There this arresting castle tower caught our eye. Once, the Schlossturm held sway over the entire city. Now, it housestheSchiffahrtsMuseum, a marine museum tracing Germany’s shipbuilding and trade history. We recommend these tours for those wanting to explore the Altstadt:
The Rhine Promenade
The riverside at Burgplatz is a part of the 1.5km long Rhine promenade. Here, we gazed at ships and boats while a bar played Mama Lauda at top volume. A light breeze brought us the scent of an erstwhile downpour and we knew we’d fallen in love with Dusseldorf.
We walked along the water for some time before climbing a staircase to look down at the trees and the partying Germans, one of whom had shaken our hands while we walked! We recommend these fun tours for exploring the Rhine Promenade:
Königsallee (Must See During 24 Hours in Dusseldorf)
We had read that Konigsallee might be Germany’s most elegant avenue and we went searching for it in the late evening. And it more than lived up to expectations. The old town moat flanked by greenery on either side was a beautiful sight. Roman fountains and statues were to be seen at regular intervals and we spent a while admiring their features and architecture.
Konigsallee is famed for its shops and boutiques but our wanderings led us into a little garden that meandered into a construction site. On the other side of the construction side, we found yet another ethereal park. We could have stayed in that part of Dusseldorf until the stars came out and our hearts would still not be sated.
Kaiserpfalz (Offbeat Attraction for 24 Hours in Dusseldorf)
We love ruins of old castles and we decided to make time for Kaiserpfalz in Kaiserswerth on Sunday morning. It turned out to be the highlight of our visit to Dusseldorf. The imperial palace of the Frankish Emperor Frederick I also goes by the name ‘Barbarossa’. Exploring the stones and walls of the ruins was a mesmerising experience in itself.
But when we ascended one of the stairs and found ourselves looking at this gorgeous view of the Rhine, we felt like we’d discovered a bigger treasure. We also passed by balconies for the royal rulers. A stylistic sculpture titled ‘In Context’ stands beside the main ruins and was installed in 2014.
We used a different route to leave Kaiserpfalz and chanced upon a beautiful cafe with a vintage car on exhibit. Down below, a winding path along the Rhine took us through the verdant countryside. The charming walk ended at the gardens surrounding the castle borders and eventually, the main street.
The three best ways to explore Dusseldorf over 25 hours are: walking tours, segway tours (if you haven’t tried it, you’re seriously missing something!), and hop on hop off bus tours. Since its a largish city, you can’t explore it entirely on foot. Here are the best tours for making the most of Dusseldorf:
Where to Stay in Dusseldorf
We highly recommend you book your stay at the 25 Hours Hotel Das Tour when you visit Düsseldorf. Some of the reasons include a complimentary Canvasco or Freitag bag to keep all your things in during your stay, umbrellas, MINIs and power banks for free hire and gorgeous views of the city’s roof-tops! You can book the hotel here. But here are a few more options:
What To Do in Dusseldorf at Night
Go for beer tastings of course! Dusseldorf’s Old Town is full of chic bars and restaurants (over 300 apparently), earning it the nickname of ‘the longest bar in the world’. If online sources are to be believed, the bars are all interconnected! Altbier is a top-fermented kind of lager that is native to Dusseldorf and you can’t leave the city without tasting it! Here are some beer and nightlife tours we recommend:
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