Düsseldorf is a city on the River Rhine in western Germany and is the capital city of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is one of the economic centres of the country, and a major city within the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan area, with a population of 660,000 (2025). While Frankfurt is the German hub for financial services and many other German cities excel in various branches of industry, Düsseldorf has the highest concentration of professional services, creative industries and media, and is regarded as the German capital of fashion.
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Düsseldorf lies on the River Rhine, or more precisely, mostly on its right (eastern) riverbank. The corresponding western riverbank is mostly occupied by the neighbouring cities of Neuss and Meerbusch except for a small bit of land on the left bank belonging to Düsseldorf, which forms the District 4. Düsseldorf is divided into 10 districts (Stadtbezirke), which are referred to only using numbers.
The vast network of bus, express bus, tramway (Straßenbahn), and light rail/subway (U-Bahn/Stadtbahn) lines is operated by Rheinbahn under the VRR association. You may use any local transport, including commuter (S) and regional (RB, RE) trains, within your ticket's validity zone. For all trips within Düsseldorf, including the airport, you need Price Category A. As of 2026, fares for Category A are €3.80 for a single ticket and €7.60 for a 24-hour pass. Children under 15 pay a flat rate of €2.10 per journey. Tickets can be purchased via the Rheinbahn, VRR, or DB apps; at customer service centers; from ticket machines at stops; and from bus drivers (contactless payment preferred).
The city was largely destroyed in World War II, and there were very few old buildings left. People interested in modern architecture, however, will have much to see in Düsseldorf. Also, there are many modern public artworks, and on Stresemannplatz Square and the Rhine Bank, there are palm trees, not really something you'd expect to see on a cold day in October. Stadtmitte is the first part of Düsseldorf most travellers see, as it extends northwest from the Hauptbahnhof. It is a very no-nonsense district mostly filled with offices and retail, with few historic buildings, but not without its charm.
Football: 1 Fortuna Düsseldorf, Merkur Spiel-Arena, Arena Strasse (4 km north of centre on U-Bahn), ☏ +49 211 159 81200. Fortuna were relegated in 2026 and now play soccer in 3. Liga, the third tier. The stadium (capacity 56,000) hosted matches during the 2024 UEFA Euro Finals. (updated Jun 2026) Düsseldorf is a stronghold of Carnival. The 5th season starts on 11 Nov (11.11). at 11:11 with the handover of the keys of the city hall to the women. But the main carnival runs from Carnival Monday to Ash Wednesday. If you have the chance don’t miss the parade on Carnival Monday in February. Nacht der Museen.
Characteristic Rhenish dishes like Düsseldorfer Senfrostbraten (mustard roast pork), Rheinischer Sauerbraten (marinated beef with raisins), Halve Hahn (not a "half chicken", but a slice of cheese with mustard and a gherkin on rye bread) or Ähzezupp (pea soup) are offered everywhere within the old town. 1 Zum Kochlöffel, Friedrich-Ebert-Str. 41, ☏ +49 211 1 60 96 15. Very good German home cooking. You can go here for sandwiches to meals. Individual daily specials are being presented every day. Tasty and freshly prepared with passion. (updated May 2022) 2 Ham Ham bei Josef, Kurze Str. 5. Very good and varied food, and magnificent attention.
Düsseldorf is known for its many bars in the downtown (Altstadt) area. In fact, many people refer to the Altstadt as the "longest bar in the world" ("Längste Theke der Welt"). The most common drink is "Altbier" or simply "Alt." This dark beer, served in small glasses, is available at practically any restaurant in the city. Altbier is only brewed in breweries around Düsseldorf. Some of the traditional breweries are the "Uerige", "Füchschen", "Zum Schlüssel" and "Schumacher". In the Altstadt you can enjoy Schlüssel, Uerige, Schumacher, and Füchschen beers, at traditional brewery restaurants.
Düsseldorf is generally as safe as other European cities of similar size. However the surroundings of the central railway station might be a bit intimidating, particularly at night, if there are junkies around. In particular, the pedestrianised office district outside the rear entrance to the station, heading away from the town centre, is quite deserted late at night and best avoided.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Jul, Dusseldorf typically sees ~24°C daytime highs and 15 rainy days.
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