One of the best things to do when you’re visiting Cologne is taking a day trip to Düsseldorf. The city has beautiful corners and much more to offer than one might think.
In my opinion, Düsseldorf is always worth the day trip from Cologne. Düsseldorf is the perfect destination to add to your Cologne itinerary and you don't need a lot of time to see the most important places to visit in Düsseldorf. You won’t discover just one main highlight in the city, but many little jewels.
Düsseldorf - The perfect day trip from cologne
HOW TO GET TO Düsseldorf FROM cologne
In order to get to Düsseldorf I recommend traveling by train from Cologne, or from anywhere in Germany with the Deutsche Bahn. For example traveling from Cologne main station or Messe/ Deutz to Düsseldorf takes only 30 minutes by train and it departs every 10-20 minutes! This will not only save you the tiresome search for a parking space, but also expensive parking fees in the city. From Düsseldorf main station you walk under ten minutes to the old town.
There is no need for a car. In the center you can easily reach the most important sights on foot and even if you want to go a bit further outside the train and bus service is very well developed!
There’s also the international in Düsseldorf (DUS) or the "Konrad Adenauer" (CGN) in Cologne/ Bonn connecting several European cities. From the airport you can also easily get to the city by train!
WHAT IS Düsseldorf FAMOUS FOR?
The Media Harbor
The most famous buildings of the Media Harbor are the three crooked Gehry buildings of the American star architect Frank O. Gehry in the colors white, silver and red. You can walk along the Rhine promenade, past the Rhine Tower and then you're already in the picturesque harbor.
THINGS TO DO ON A DAY TRIP In Düsseldorf
Rhine Promenade
Düsseldorf has the longest Rhine promenade! Especially on sunny days, the beautiful walkway along the Rhine is an absolute hotspot and everywhere people sit, stand, stroll. From here you can walk to the media harbor which takes at a leisurely pace maybe half an hour.
Düsseldorf Old Town
In Düsseldorf's old town you will find pub after pub and restaurant after restaurant. The Altstadt is not called the longest bar in the world for nothing! Even in the early afternoon there is a lot going on here and if you are visiting, you can order a famous Alt beer for lunch without hesitation. And if you like beer, a visit to a brewery is a must on your day trip to Düsseldorf.
the Königsallee
The Königsallee, or Kö for short, is Düsseldorf's shopping mile. Here you can find pretty much everything your shopping heart desires. From H&M to Louis Vuitton, pretty much everything is represented here. Make sure to also check out the side streets - there are more budget-friendly stores and cute boutiques.
The Rhine Tower
One of the absolute highlights in Düsseldorf is probably the Rhine Tower. Tickets for the Rheinturm cost 9 Euros and allows you to take the elevator to the observation dome.
CONCLUSION
I think this list of the best things to do in Düsseldorf will help you create the perfect day trip! Düsseldorf is not a big city but nonetheless has tons of interesting sights and districts. Düsseldorf makes the perfect day trip from Cologne. However, Düsseldorf is not quite cheap, you should definitely take that into account when planning a day trip to Düsseldorf.
I've only been to Düsseldorf once and I can't wait to come back another time and discover even more of it!
If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to write them in the comment section below. ⇣
xx
Nina
