Düsseldorf walking tour & city guide

The Altstadt and the Rhine

The Altstadt, Düsseldorf's old town, has hundreds of bars, pubs and restaurants in a small area, many of them serving altbier, a dark local beer brewed on the premises. The Rhine Promenade runs along the river beside the old town, a favorite place for walks and sunsets, past the Castle Tower and the Burgplatz.

Königsallee and the MedienHafen

Königsallee, known as the Kö, is a boulevard lined with designer shops on one side and a tree-lined canal on the other. Further south, the MedienHafen is a former harbor transformed with striking modern buildings, including three twisted Gehry towers. The Rhine Tower nearby has an observation deck high above the river.

A classic walk through Düsseldorf

Start on Königsallee and walk its length beside the canal. Head into the Altstadt through the narrow lanes around Bolkerstraße, then out to the Burgplatz and the Rhine Promenade.

Follow the promenade south along the river to the Rhine Tower and finish among the Gehry buildings of the MedienHafen. The walk is about 4 kilometers.

Visiting tips

Düsseldorf is pleasant from spring to autumn, and its carnival in February is one of the biggest in Germany. Cologne is just 25 minutes away by train. Locals have a friendly rivalry with Cologne, especially over beer.