This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).
Founded in 1288 as a fishing village, Düsseldorf has evolved into an unofficial capital of western Germany, cultivating a reputation for fashion, finance and artistic flair along the way. Today, the city speaks to both its past and present — nowhere more so than in and around its Altstadt (Old Town), one of 50 districts. Here, ancient taverns rub shoulders with contemporary galleries and electronic music clubs. Sheep graze on city-centre meadows, sharing the banks of the River Rhine with busy cultural celebrations. November marks the beginning of two popular ones: the Christmas season and ebullient Carnival, which culminates in a week-long celebration around Easter.
The Altstadt is packed into an area of less than a quarter of a square mile — its 300 or so bars and restaurants so tightly crammed together, it’s been nicknamed the ‘longest bar in the world’. Its cobbled streets lead west to Germany’s oldest public park, Hofgarten, and east to its longest river. You can explore the Rhine with Weisse Flotte, whose ferries sail to the baroque village of Kaiserswerth, or sit in the broad, tree-lined Rheinpromenade at sunset. For better views than those offered by most waterfront terraces, make for Fortuna-Büdchen. The kiosk serves takeaway sandwiches, but it especially attracts the crowds on account of the green, picnic-perfect space around it.
Düsseldorf has over 100 museums and art galleries. Seek out the permanent collection at K20, which includes works by the likes of Picasso, Matisse and Warhol, then head to Kunsthalle Düsseldorf for experimental exhibitions. It’s worth venturing a short distance beyond the Altstadt to the city’s most unusual gallery. Hidden under a bridge, Kunst im Tunnel is a showcase for emerging artists, many of whom hail from local fine arts academy Kunstakademie Düsseldorf. Design enthusiasts can continue on a 20-minute walk to the MedienHafen (‘Media Harbour’). This former dockland is now home to some of Düsseldorf’s most impressive modern structures, including a trio of twisted buildings designed by Frank Gehry.
On the way back to the Altstadt, stop off at the Rheinturm, a landmark telecommunications tower. Inside is QOMO, a slowly revolving Japanese fusion restaurant that serves the likes of miso black cod and roast Wagyu beef to diners admiring the ever-changing view. Alternatively, continue west, across the shopping street of Königsallee and into Little Tokyo. It’s home to Europe’s third-largest Japanese community, and its restaurants include Soba-An, headed up by the country’s only female soba master. Back in the Altstadt, Ham Ham bei Josef has slow-cooked pork and crackling doused in mustard and served in a bread roll.
Locals swear by the digestive benefits of the city’s herbal schnapps, a brand called Killepitsch, made with 98 organic herbs, berries and fruits. Try it at the distillery’s bar, Et Kabüffke. With its tiny interior, wooden spiral staircase and orange-tinted lanterns, this is the cosiest bar in the Altstadt — although the crimson-coloured shots are typically served through a small window that opens onto the street.
The most beloved drink here is altbier, a hoppy, copper-coloured beer that was first produced in Düsseldorf in the 1800s and remains strongly associated with the city. In the Old Town, it’s brewed in four taverns. You’ll hear the crowds at Zum Schlüssel before you catch a glimpse of the 700-seat brewery. Nearby Brauerei Kürzer serves a darker altbier to a younger crowd. Uerige has stained-glass windows and cavernous rooms, and Füchschen, Düsseldorf’s largest altbier brewery, offers an equally charming, wood-panelled setting.
These pubs, like the beer they serve, are true to tradition. Altbier is served in a smaller, 250ml glass called a becher, so there’s less chance of it being drunk warm. With every fresh round delivered, a new stroke is added in pencil to your beer mat’s edge. Place it on the top of your glass to call time on the round — and the night.
Published in the November 2024 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK).
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