Dusseldorf, a city filled with museums, fashion, architecture, and galleries is a gorgeous city that many fall in love with, the best thing? You can see all the main spots in just a weekend.

 

We’ve compiled a 48-hour itinerary for Dusseldorf, with our best tips on places to see, things to do and attractions to visit. Enjoy!

 

Day one, start the day by exploring Altstadt

 

Altstadt means “Old Town” in German, and a lot of German cities own their version of this. Dusseldorf’s Altstadt doesn’t disappoint.

 

This suggestion is the very top of the list, as we truly believe it would be a great start to your weekend in Dusseldorf, you’ll get to gawp at the beautiful architecture, soak in the culture and witness the history of the city for yourself.

 

Move onto Burgplatz

 

Just around the corner of Altstadt is Burgplatz. This is a must-see part of Dusseldorf, where you’ll be able to view the Rathaus Schlossturm and the St.Lambertus Basilica. You’ll also be able to see the Catwheeler fountain, which you’ll notice is a popular theme across Dusseldorf. Legend has it, Dusseldorf’s locals cartwheeled down the streets of Dusseldorf after the Count of Berg defeated the Arch Bishop of Cologne in 1288.

 

Take a cruise down the Rhine

 

This will only take about 45 to 60 minutes of your time, but it’s completely worth it. The Rhine dominates the city, with a beautiful landscape (something you can enjoy when you’re off the cruise). From this, you’ll be able to enjoy the beautiful skyline of Dusseldorf and see the city in a whole new way… leisurely.

 

Visit some museums and galleries

 

A city so rich in culture and history, as you can imagine, has so many museums and art galleries for you to choose from. Some of our favorites include:

 

• Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen – a modern art museum.
• Neanderthal Museum – A museum dedicated to our ancestors that lived in caves.
• Dusseldorf Film Museum – All film lovers need to visit this interactive museum.
• Schifffahrtmuseum – Located in the last remaining tower of the Dusseldorf museum, the exhibitions begin at the bottom and make their way to the top, based on age.
• Heinrich Heine Institute – dedicated to the life and work of Heinrich Heine.

 

Day two, visit the Medienhafen

 

An hour or two dedicated to just walking around the Medienhafen is a must. Architects were given a blank canvas and a lot of freedom, being told to transform the once desolate harbor into one of the most interesting, contemporary and architecturally beautiful places in Germany.

 

You’ll more than likely run into a few tourists taking pictures of the groovy buildings, but locals work here – how lucky are they?

 

Climb the Rheinturm

 

Make your way over to the Rheinturm (it’s not a far walk from the Medienhafen). You’re allowed to climb to the top of this telecommunications tower, giving you an amazing view of the city from the observation room.

 

Also, there’s a revolving restaurant at the Rheinturm, this will be sure to be one of your favorite memories of your trip to Dusseldorf.

 

We’d also love to see some of your best shots taken from the Rheinturm.

 

Shopping

 

No holiday is complete without a shopping trip. And Dusseldorf is arguably one of the best shopping locations, like, ever.

 

Honestly, there’s just rows and rows of sparkling shops from designers, independent and high street. There’s absolutely no way that you won’t be tempted by at least one of them.

 

Give yourself enough time to make your way through the vast array of amazing shops, it goes on forever and ever. There are also beautiful views and parks along the way.

 

You could spend the best half of your day shopping in Dusseldorf, it really would not be hard.

 

Gardens

 

If you’re looking for something else to do in Dusseldorf, that might not tempt you to spend all your money, they boast incredible gardens. Some of our favorite gardens are:

• Nordpark
• Japanese Gardens
• Botanical Garden of Heinrich Heine
• Rheingärtchen

 

These are wonderful places to people watch, soak in nature and appreciate Dusseldorf for its incredible beauty.

 

Top things that you have to see

 

Like with every trip, you’ll find yourself wandering around, discovering things for yourself. So, here are our top recommendations that you just can’t miss when you visit this amazing city.

• Altstadt
• Königsallee
• Rheinturm
• Rhine Embankment Promenade
• Cartwheeling man
• Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen
• The MedienHafen
• Philara Collection
• Kiefernstrasse – a colorful street filled with incredible street art. An art lover’s dream.

 

Take this as a checklist, and you’ll be sure to have one of the most amazing trips ever.

 

Places to eat

 

Dusseldorf has so many places to choose from to grab a bite to eat, you’ll find cafes, fast food, and restaurants all around the city. With traditional German food and a selection of international food, you won’t struggle to find delicious food to tuck into. Our favorite places in the city are:

 

• Yomaro Frozen Yoghurt – These are just delicious, whatever the weather
• Schicke Mutze – a cute, unique cycling cafe, perfect for all the Instagrammers out there
• Dox Restaurant – a delicious Japanese restaurant that we could, quite honestly, eat at every day.
• Bob and Mary – If you’re looking for traditionally German / European, we couldn’t recommend this place enough.
• What’s Beef – A traditionally German restaurant with very admirable ethical views.
• Uerige – Who doesn’t like eating at a pub every once in a while? This classic pub-grub style German restaurant is tasty, fun and serves great beer.

 

We hope this gave you a little help in planning your weekend in Dusseldorf. Don’t forget, we love to hear your comments, suggestions and see your travel pictures.