The city you didn't know you had to visit
A city trip doesn't have to consist solely of museums and “must-see” highlights for me. Just give me a city with atmosphere. Trendy coffee spots with extra hot coffees, sunny terraces where everyone lives outside as soon as the sun comes out, cute boutiques, good matcha, bakeries full of chocolate croissants, and streets where you keep wandering from shop to shop. Oh, and big foreign supermarkets. I could seriously wander through there for an hour.
In less than four hours by train from Amsterdam, you suddenly find yourself in a city that, if you've never been there, really deserves a spot on your bucket list. A place that many people mainly know from Christmas markets full of lights, carafes of glühwein, and “Santa Tell Me” playing on repeat through the speakers. But outside the winter months, Düsseldorf turns out to be surprisingly fun.
From prejudice to favorite city trip
When you think of Germany, do you perhaps picture gray buildings, beer mugs, bratwurst, potato salad, lederhosen, and dirndls? Same. Or well, that's what I thought too. But swap the beer mugs for glasses of Altbier, the bratwursts for fresh sushi, and the lederhosen and dirndls for trench coats and cat-eye sunglasses.
Maybe totally unjustly, because before this trip, I had actually never been on a city trip in Germany. You hear stories about the raw atmosphere, alternative clubs, and a large nightlife scene in Berlin, while Düsseldorf always feels a bit under the radar to me.
Until a few weeks ago, I suddenly strolled past high galleries, unique architecture, stylish coffee spots, crowded terraces, and beautiful vintage shops (where I give a glimpse here)
The Kö and the stylish center
Start, for example, at the Königsallee, or as the locals say: the Kö. A wide boulevard with tall trees. The Rhine runs right through it, and everywhere you find luxury, but especially expensive boutiques whose windows look like mini-exhibitions. Think of Hermès, Prada, and Gucci. If this is a bit too much for you: further in the city, you can also find a ZARA.
What struck me immediately is how beautifully green Düsseldorf is. It is said to be one of the greenest cities in Europe, and you can see that. Everywhere there are stately parks where people picnic, walk, or relax on a bench. In the Hofgarten, right in the city, baby ducks waddled everywhere along the water, and let's be honest: just that makes you happy. Also handy if you have a loyal four-legged friend who loves trees and greenery!
And despite Düsseldorf being quite large, everything feels surprisingly close. By bike, you can easily get from one neighborhood to another. I participated in a bike tour through the city, perhaps the best way to see everything at once. For example, you ride over the Oberkasseler Brücke across the Rhine to another side of the city, and along the way, you see different neighborhoods, each with its own atmosphere.
Oberkassel and the MedienHafen
Oberkassel felt very different from the center. Quieter, a bit more upscale, and thus it is also called the Beverly Hills of Düsseldorf, and I understand why.
If you bike across the bridge to the other side, you end up at the MedienHafen, where modern architecture suddenly changes the entire skyline. There you also see the striking Neuer Zollhof buildings by Frank Gehry: with shiny white facades that almost seem to wave along the water. Gehry became world-famous for incredible designs such as the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.
Flingern and Unterbilk
What I also love about Düsseldorf is that the architecture has an eclectic appearance. Of course, you have the typical gray walls that every city has, but in between, colorful facades, modern buildings, or elegant houses with white walls and black glossy frames appear. Especially in Flingern and Unterbilk, there is such a stylish and picturesque atmosphere.
Those are immediately the neighborhoods where you want to be for vintage shopping; small boutiques and shops, with cute gifts and interior items.
Carlsplatz
In the center, you have the cozy Carlsplatz Market. You can get fresh vegetables and fruits, flowers of all kinds and sizes, and all sorts of local specialties, including the local wine. Be sure to grab a delicious Bao Bun at the market and for dessert at the corner at Yomaro a frozen yogurt with pistachio crumble.
Little Tokyo
And then there's Little Tokyo. What a treat that was. Japan has been at the top of my wish list for years, but it requires a bit more savings than a weekend in Germany. But as soon as you walk into Little Tokyo, it feels like you're visiting Japan. Japanese street names, restaurants where fresh sushi is prepared, supermarkets full of Japanese snacks, and bookstores with manga and anime. The best matcha latte I had at Matcha Café Wakaba. Together with a fresh mochi from Aiko’s Mochi, you couldn't make me happier.
Cheers to Altbiers in the sun
The city doesn't have one clear identity, and that's what makes it fun. You can go vintage shopping, wander through Little Tokyo for hours, bike past modern architecture, hang out in the park, or end the afternoon with an Altbier in the sun.
Image: DD_Tourismus
