Forget Berlin, this city just across the border is totally it now

Berlin. You want to see it anyway. Experience it. Tick it off your list. But Berlin also seems to have had its glory years, according to travel connoisseurs. This city across the border is totally it now.

And when the vloggers and bloggers and TikTokkers say it, we millenials believe it right away, don't we? Sometimes you feel like you're ancient when you're nowhere near that. Such a feeling of: I'm too old to rave in a musty club in Berlin. Just do that nice coffee on the terrace and a luxury hotel with a spa. Anyway, that location. Where to go? Düsseldorf, located just a few hours‘ drive from the Netherlands, has left behind its dull, corporate image in recent years and is emerging as a vibrant cultural and culinary centre. Yes, believe us. There is more than just that airport. Restaurants all over, high cuisine, clubs, cool shops and above all lots of... booze. Düsseldorf's Altstadt (old town) is often referred to as the ’longest bar in the world', thanks to the more than 300 bars, cafés and restaurants that are crammed into a few square kilometres here. Apart from its lively catering scene, the Altstadt also offers historical charm. Narrow streets, centuries-old buildings and a cosy atmosphere make this part of town perfect for a leisurely stroll or a night out. Doesn't sound bad, mind you. I want to.

And you know what's totally funny to know? That across the border you can actually find a kind of mini-Japan. Huh? Jawohl. Because Düsseldorf has a lot to offer on the culinary front too. The city has a large Japanese community and is known as the “little Tokyo on the Rhine”. The district around Immermannstraße is home to plenty of authentic Japanese restaurants where you can enjoy sushi, ramen and other Japanese delicacies. Düsseldorf even has one of the largest Japanese cultural festivals outside Japan, the Japan-Tag, which attracts thousands of visitors every year. Well, you don't necessarily have to catch it if you book a city tip, but for a good plate of sushi you're definitely in the right place here. Always welcome after a day of shopping, strolling and day drinking. Autumn is the time of year for a city trip, right, vloggers? Can we book already?