Things to do

Things to do in Düsseldorf

The Rhineland's elegant rebel: the world's longest bar (the Altstadt's 260+ pubs), Karneval madness, the Königsallee, and Japan's biggest European community.

Photos for Düsseldorf are still on their way. Every listing below is real.

Top things to do in Düsseldorf

Karneval capital, fashion city, and the Altbier old town.

Altstadt (Old Town) — The 'longest bar in the world': 260+ pubs in the old town, Altbier from the wooden barrels — Uerige, Schumacher, Füchschen.
Rheinuferpromenade — The Rhine embankment: the walk from the Altstadt to the MedienHafen, the sunset over the river.
MedienHafen — The harbour district: Gehry's twisted buildings, the Rheinturm (TV tower) view.
Königsallee (Kö) — The luxury boulevard with the canal: fashion flagship, the Kö-Galerie.
Kunstsammlung NRW (K20/K21) — The state art collection: Klee, Picasso at K20; contemporary at K21's Ständehaus.
Little Tokyo (Immermannstraße) — Europe's biggest Japanese community: ramen, bookshops, the Japan Day festival.

Free things to do in Düsseldorf

Düsseldorf is generous if your budget isn't. All of these cost nothing or close to it:

Rheinuferpromenade — The Rhine walk: free.
Altstadt wandering — The old lanes: free (the beer isn't).
Hofgarten — The city's oldest park: free.
MedienHafen (exteriors) — Gehry's buildings from outside: free.
Nordpark (Japanese garden) — The park's Japanese garden: free.

Festivals & the religious calendar

The town's own festivals:

Karneval (Rosenmontag) (February/March) — The fifth season: the Rosenmontag parade (one of Germany's biggest), Altweiber on the Thursday, costumes everywhere.
Japan Day (May/June) — The Japanese cultural festival: 600,000+ visitors, fireworks over the Rhine.
Christmas markets (late November–23 December) — The Altstadt and Schadowplatz markets: Glühwein, the handicrafts.
Bücherbummel / Jazz Rally (June) — The book mile and the jazz rally weekend.

And the national calendar:

Karneval (February/March (pre-Lent)) — The 'fifth season': parades, costumes, Altbier-fuelled street parties — the Rhineland does it biggest.
Christmas markets (late November–23 December) — Weihnachtsmärkte: Glühwein, the national December ritual.
German Unity Day (3 October) — Tag der Deutschen Einheit: the national holiday.
Oktoberfest season (late September–early October) — Munich's festival is the famous one; every region has its own Volksfest.

Exact dates are confirmed yearly — check local listings before booking around a festival.

Sports: Football

Fortuna Düsseldorf: the 95ers at the Merkur Spiel-Arena (54,000) — the Rhine derby vs 1. FC Köln is the fixture. Fortuna's yo-yo between Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga keeps the city on edge.

Ice hockey: the Düsseldorfer EG (DEG) — eight-time German champions, the winter sport. Table tennis: Borussia Düsseldorf dominates Europe.

Tickets: official site

What's new in Düsseldorf

Karneval's dates shift yearly — book hotels months ahead. The MedienHafen keeps adding architecture. Japan Day's May/June date is confirmed yearly.

Submit your event

Running something in town? Dayfari lists community events free — gigs, markets, fundraisers, club nights, temple and church programmes. Submit your event and it can appear in the town feed within a day. No account needed to suggest; the Dayfari team reviews every submission.

Common questions

How many days do I need in Düsseldorf?

Two full days covers the highlights above. Add a third for the day trips — see our day-trips guide.

What can I do in Düsseldorf for free?

Plenty — see the free list above. The town's festivals and markets are the other great free shows.

When is the best time to visit Düsseldorf?

Time it for a festival if you can — the calendar above is the cheat sheet. Otherwise, the shoulder seasons dodge the crowds.

More to explore in Düsseldorf

If you book through these links, Dayfari may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.