Dusseldorf

The Rhine City is a popular destination for city-dwellers, especially among young people. During the summer time, Düsseldorf captivates with its beautiful Rhine river promenade and in winter with the Christmas markets. Among the following popular attractions in Dusseldorf you will find other attractions that give the special charm to the city.

The Rhine Tower: Dusseldorf's landmark is the Rhine Tower, which can be seen from both sides of the Rhine and from afar. With 240.50 meters it is the tallest building in the city and the tenth television tower in the Federal Republic. Built from 1978 to 1982, the Rhine Tower is now the carrier of radio and VHF antennas and serves as a viewing platform at the same time. The largest digital clock in the world is located on its side facing the old town. Another special feature are the panoramic windows of the tower, which allow the direct view of the tower.

The Rhine promenade: On the weekend, the promenade on the banks of the river Rhine becomes a pedestrian mile. In numerous restaurants you can taste the Rhinish cuisine and watch the hustle and bustle on the Uferstraße. The Freitreppe on the Burgplatz is also a place to relax. The Rhine promenade became popular in 1990. The design of the promenade has already received numerous awards, among others in the year 1998 with the Deutsche Städtebaupreis. The lakeside promenade is also the venue for some annual events such as the Dusseldorf Marathon, or the large fireworks on the occasion of the Dusseldorf fairgrounds. Only a few steps away is the Old Town of Dusseldorf, also a popular attraction for locals and visitors to Düsseldorf.

The Königsallee: The Königsallee in Dusseldorf's inner city is one of the most famous luxury shopping destinations in Europe. The numerous cafes, shopping malls, shops and jeweleries are the main attraction of Dusseldorf and visitors from all over the world come here. Located directly on the river Düssel, you can stroll and relax here. Already built in 1804 as a promenade on the eastern city wall, the Königsallee was already a favorite boulevard and celebrated its 210th anniversary last year. Today, Kö, as it is also called, is also a popular venue. Every year there are literary festivals, running events and a place where some carnival walks take place.

The Media Harbour: The Rhine determines the cityscape and cultural life of the city. At Düsseldorf Media Harbour, over the past twenty years, an architecturally attractive area has been created. Used as a commercial and inland port before 1990, the harbour is now the home of many renowned media companies, which earned it the name Media Harbour. Renowned tenants are Antenne Düsseldorf, the WDR and the film and media foundation NRW. Since the 2000s there are also some shops and around 40 restaurants, cafés and clubs. Despite the 600 companies located here, Media Harbour is the most sparsely populated area in Düsseldorf, with just under 100 inhabitants. However, a planned residential development is intended to change this fact. Also worth seeing is the Landtag building as well as already-mentioned the Rhine tower, which is located in the eastern part of the harbor.

The Old Town: Although the second smallest district of Dusseldorf, the old city is one of the most popular places in the city. During the day, attractions such as the Hofgarten, the town hall and the adjacent Rhine river invite visitors wander through the old town. In the evening it becomes a party of celebrations. More than 300 pubs, restaurants and clubs can be found on half a square kilometer. The many festivals gave the old town the nickname "the longest bar in the world". A must for a short visit to Dusseldorf  is the visit of the house brewery "Zum Uerige" near the Rhine. Also in the historical district are the market square and the castle tower.

The Benrath Castle: The castle of Benrath was commissioned in 1773 by the Elector Karl Theodor of the Palatinate as a widow's seat of the Electress. The leading architect was Nicolas de Pigage, the architect of numerous Baroque buildings and castles. In addition to the pleasure castle, the castle grounds also include the hunting park, some ponds and a canal system. The castle now houses the Museum of European Gardening, a Natural History Museum and the Stiftung Castle und Park Benrath. Tickets are available for 9 euros, with an ocassional discount 6 euros.

The Wildpark Düsseldorf: There is a number green areas in Dusseldorf, but the most popular of all of them is the Wildpark in the Grafenberger Wald. The entrance to the Wildpark is free of charge all year round. The enclosure, already built in 1927, now covers 40 hectares, with around 100 animals. In addition to wild boars, visitors can admire red-breasted and muffled deer in the naturally-arranged enclosures. Other inhabitants are pheasants, partridges and raccoons. Additional attractions in the Düsseldorfer Wildpark are the Waldlehrpfad and the many hiking trails around the large area.

With about 583,000 inhabitants, the city of Essen is one of the most populous cities in Germany. It became the European Capital of Culture in 2010 and is located north of the Ruhr. After founding of a cast steel factory by Friedrich Krupp in 1811, Essen quickly became one of the central industrial districts of the so-called Ruhrpotts. Today, there is a strong service industry and a growing popularity as a shopping metropolis.

Essen, besides being an industrial town, has a lot more to offer for those culturally and historically oriented:

The Grillo Theater was given to the city of Essen by the industrialist Friedrich Grillo in 1892. The Schauspielhaus offers classic dramas as well as modern classics and is located in the theater.

The Baldeney Lake was built as a water reservoir in 1931 and developed into a popular recreation area over time. A 15-kilometer-long trail leads around the lake and excursion boats of the "Weiße Flotte"are there to take on a cruise on the lake.

The Villa Hügel was built by the industrialist Alfred Krupp in the years 1868 to 1872. The castle-like pompous building offers first-class international art exhibitions, the Krupp Historical Collection and the permanent exhibition "Krupp heute". The entry is very sheap with a price of 1 euro.

The Grugapark Essen was born from the Great Ruhr Garden Exhibition in 1929. With an area of ​​700,000 square meters, it is one of the largest and most wonderful parks in Europe. The Grugabahn offers a tour of the park on its route of 3.3 kilometers. At the summer time concerts in the music garden invite you to visit and attractive events with summer festivals, well-known stars and children's events are appealing for almost every visitor.

The historical district of Essen-Kettwig, with its half-timbered houses, small streets, Rococo and Empire doors, offers an insight into life some 100 to 200 years ago.

The Luciuskirche was built between 995 and 1063 and was the first church in Germany independent of a monastery. It is also the oldest parish church on the other side of the Alps.

The Margarethenhöhe is a settlement which reflects the style of an English garden town. A stroll along the wonderful cottages and the central market square will provide you with a break and a glimpse of English architecture.

The Coal mine was protected as a monument in 1970 and today it is the center of the alternative cult scene. There are concerts, exhibitions and music, creative and sports courses.

Centro Oberhausen is a leisure and shopping center in Oberhausen near Essen, which opened in 1996. There are more than 200 shops spread out over two floors, and the Centro is home to some 23 million visitors annually.

A city with such a name can not help but have an excellent culinary landscape. The multiculturalism of the city of Essen is reflected in the offer, where around 100 nationalities have found a home. So the range stretches from local to oriental food, from French fries to caviar and from the small meal between to the 5-course menu.

Convince yourself of the versatility of the "Essener Genuss-Landschaft"  - you can find yourself in the individual restaurants, bars, pubs and cafés but also in the open-air gourmet mile. On these occasions, the local gastronomic scene is a source of food for family-friendly tasting prizes several times a year.