Dusseldorf has attractions to appeal to visitors of all ages and families planning a holiday in the city won’t struggle to find activities to fill their days. The two greatest attractions are actually outside of the city, but if you rent a car you’ll be able to get to Movie Park Germany and Phantasialand without any difficulty.
Bowling It may well be a sport played professionally by adults but ten-pin bowling is in fact an activity that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and with centres such as Cosmo Bowling in downtown Dusseldorf, there’s fun for all the family. Young children can make use of gutter guards and ramps to assist their ball down the lane.
Movie Park Germany Within reasonable driving distance of Dusseldorf is Movie Park Germany, an exciting theme park located in Bottrop-Kirchhellen. The park has real movie studios on site as well as a wealth of rides and attractions that will appeal to all members of the family. The park is split into six distinctly themed areas, these being: New York City, Downtown, Nickland, The Old West, Santa Monica Pier and Wonderland Studios. Among the many attraction on offer, highlights include the Pink Panther Street Show, Spongebob SquarePants Splash Bash, Danny Phantom Ghost Zone, Stormy Cruise and the Splat-O-Sphere. Phone: +49 2045 899 0.
The city is home to a number of green spaces, the most famous of which is Hofgarten Park, the country’s oldest park and an ideal destination to take the little ones for a picnic, a game of Frisbee or a spot of kite flying on a breezy day. The South Park (Südpark) on Siegburger Strasse is home to a small zoo featuring pets and farmyards animals that are sure to put a smile on the faces of young visitors.
Phantasialand Also outside of the city but reachable easily by car is Phantasialand, an amusement park situated in Brühl that’s often hailed as Germany’s answer to Disneyland. The park has numerous attractions including a variety of thrill rides such as the "Colorado Adventure" the Winja's Fear and Force and the Black Mamba roller coasters. Seven themed sections make up the park, these being: Alt Berlin (Old Berlin), Fantasy, Mexico, Silver City, China Town, Mystery and Deep in Africa. Phone: +49 2232 36 20.
Dusseldorf’s Old City is a cultural location in its own right and should form the most notable entry on any itinerary intended on covering the city’s top cultural sights. Aside from that, the city has a wealth of museums covering a broad spectrum of subject matter and appealing to visitors of all backgrounds.
European Museum of Garden Art
With an exhibition space covering some 2,000 square metres, the European Museum of Art Garden has an extensive collection of paintings, sculptures, prints, ceramics, models and books all with the common theme of garden art. Phone: +49 2118 99 38 32.
Housed inside a structure that formerly served as a castle, the Goethe Museum is a facility dedicated to celebrating the life and works of one of the country’s most respected writers. Documents and personal items belonging to the author are displayed in this modest but impressive museum. Phone: +49 211 899 6262.
Heinrich Heine Institute The Heinrich Heine Institute joins with the Goethe Museum in paying tribute to Germany’s literary scene, in this case celebrating specifically the life and works of Heinrich Heine (1797-1856), a writer best known for his poetry. The institute not only exhibits manuscripts of some of Heine’s most famous works but is also used as a centre for the discussion of literature and culture. Phone: +49 0211 899 5571.
Kunstmuseum im Ehrenhof Showcasing a collection of art that covers from the Middle Ages to the present day, the Kunstmuseum im Ehrenhof is one of the finest galleries in the city and a must for anyone with an interest in the work of German artists and artists from other parts of Europe also. Besides an impressive selection of paintings and sculptures, the museum features crafts, glassworks and graphic pieces. Of particular note are the selection of works from the 'Dusseldorf School', which includes contributions by Wilhelm Preyer, Carl Friedrich Lessing, Alfred Rethel and Johann Peter Hasenclever. Phone: +49 211 899 2460.
The Old Town or Altstadt is where you’ll find Dusseldorf’s best-known historic attractions and is a district with an immediate allure on account of its olde worlde charm and vibrant ambience. Winding narrow lanes with cobblestone surfaces are home to chic boutiques, top-notch eateries, traditional pubs and unique shopping outlets. It’s always a lively place and offers some great people-watching opportunities.
The State Academy of Art The State Academy of Art or Staatliche Kunstakademie is situated in the Altstadt on Eiskellerstrasse and is the city’s premier art facility. The impressive three-floor neo-Renaissance style building houses a collection of German artworks by famous names such as Erwin Heerich, KO Götz, Bruno Goller, Ewald Mataré and Albrecht Dürer. Phone: +49 0211 1396 405.
Providing visitors with an insight into four centuries of theatrical history is Dusseldorf's Theatre Museum housed inside the baroque designed Hofgärtnerhaus (Court Gardener House). The museum features a permanent collection based on the Dumont Lindemann Archive, as well as changing displays based on a variety of theatre related themes.
Dusseldorf has an excellent restaurant scene with the Altstadt alone featuring over 250 dining establishments and a good selection of eateries located in other parts of the city also. Up-market restaurants cater to visitors looking for the complete dining experience and high quality service, while pubs and bars across the city provide simple fare but invariably of a good standard.
The city has its fair share of international restaurants with Japanese eateries especially prevalent. Head for Klosterstrasse or Immermanstrasse if you’re fond of ramen, sushi, yakisoba or any other popular Japanese dish. On any night of the week it’s possible to dine on the cuisine of China, Thailand, India, France, Spain, Italy and Mexico, as well as that of a few more unusual destinations.
German eateries present dishes based on the city’s own style of cuisine, which itself takes its influences from the cuisine typical of North Rhine-Westphalia. Meat features heavily in the diet, with pork, beef and chicken being the mostly commonly used varieties.
A typical Dusseldorf meal is a combination of meat and something starchy such as bread or potatoes. Sausages are popular, with the variety known as blutwurst (blood sausage) appearing on many restaurant menus. Potato fritters known as reibekuchen are also a local favourite and are invariably served with black bread and sugar beet syrup, apple syrup or stewed apples.
Finally, don’t miss out on the chance to sample the unusual but surprisingly tasty creation known as himmel und aäd – with a name that translates as ‘heaven and earth’ this is a combination of mashed potatoes, fried blood pudding and stewed apples.
For shopping, the Altstadt is a good place to start, offering an impressive selection of outlets among which are numerous charming little independent shops selling traditional goods, many of which are made locally. The city’s primary shopping street and where you’ll find the most varied selection of retailers is Königsallee, a location with an up-market ambience and the place to find designer clothing and accessories. The street’s best-known emporium is undoubtedly the seven-floor indoor shopping centre known appropriately as ‘Sevens’.
For those days when you need a break from the indulgences of dining and shopping or the chin-stroking of sightseeing attractions and cultural venues, Dusseldorf offers an excellent selection of opportunities to get active outdoors. Whether you want to break out into a sweat hiking, mountain biking or playing tennis or take things a little slower golfing or fishing, the city has the facilities to suit.
Golf
Dusseldorf caters well to golf lovers, with an excellent selection of courses located both within the city limits and in its surrounds. Those closest to the city centre include the Dusseldorf Golf Club and Dusseldorf Hosel Golf Club, while among those a little further out are the Elfrather Muhle Club, Erftaue Golf Course and the Hummelbachaue Neuss Golf Club.
Fishing With the River Rhine on its doorstep, Dusseldorf offers anglers ample opportunity to indulge their passion. Visitors will need a Besucher-Fishereischein to fish legally; this is a license that’s valid for 90 days and can usually be obtained if you are already in possession of a fishing license from Europe or North America.
Grafenberger Forest offers some simple trails for riders who don’t like things too challenging; however, if you want something a touch trickier, then you’ll need to stick your bike in the boot of a hire car and drive for an hour or so to the Eifel region, where some much more advanced trails are available.
Tennis
Tennis can be played at a number of locations around the city, including Sporthallen Gerresheim on Heyestrasse, Center am Seestern on Oberlöricker Strasse and Cosmo Sports on Diepenstrasse.
Walking
It’s a simple enough activity but one made pleasant when pursued in some of the city’s picturesque parks and gardens. The Rhein Park, North Park, Malksten Park and Grafenberger Forest offer plenty of open spaces for strolling across as well as walking trails through pretty woodland areas.
Hotel and room is very clean. I feel confortabble stay there. Room size is big enough, and modern room interior. Breakfast is very good and there are choice of Continental Brekfast and Japanese breakf...
