Düsseldorf offers a range of different experiences close to one another: Hofgarten as a public park, culinary destinations such as Carlsplatz and Little Tokyo, and cultural attractions around Schloss Benrath. When choosing accommodation, first consider which of these themes you want to shape your stay. This will help you factor specific destinations and suitable connections into your plans without overloading your daily itinerary with a long list of stops.

Parkland and city history at Hofgarten

Hofgarten is Düsseldorf’s oldest public park. It covers around 27 hectares and features a large expanse of water and numerous sculptures. It was created as a public promenade. This combination of parkland and outdoor art makes it a destination in its own right for anyone who wants to include a public park in a city break. Its size and varied design features give a visit a different character from a single exhibition destination.

From traditional German fare to Japanese cuisine

Carlsplatz is a culinary destination for shoppers in Düsseldorf. There you can discover traditional Düsseldorf fare as well as Italian, Indian, French and Persian food. The range thus extends from regional cuisine to offerings from several international cuisines. Individual restaurants and vendors may change, so do not set your expectations on a particular establishment without checking its current offerings.

Düsseldorf’s traditional breweries are also part of the city’s culinary scene: they uphold the brewing tradition and offer a taste of brewery culture. Along the Rhine Promenade, the Kasematten offer dining with a view. These are different reasons to take a break: brewing traditions here, and food with a view of the promenade surroundings there.

Little Tokyo invites you to discover Japanese culture and cuisine. Along Immermannstraße and in the side streets, you’ll find ramen and sushi, izakaya tapas bars, grill restaurants and Japanese cafés. If you’d like to combine this theme with a guided activity, the “Sushi, Sake and Japanese Lifestyle” tour lasts two hours and includes four culinary tastings. Check the tour format and availability before booking. This lets you compare the time commitment of the tour with a more flexible visit to the various restaurants.

Cultural attractions and Schloss Benrath

The Aquazoo Löbbecke Museum combines a zoo, aquarium and natural history museum; it also regularly hosts special exhibitions. The exhibitions on show may change. The Museum für Gartenkunst at Schloss Benrath offers a different focus: it is dedicated to European garden design and provides an overview of around 2,500 years of garden history. Its collections are displayed across around 2,000 square metres in 41 rooms. The comparison can help you choose: the Aquazoo brings together several types of natural history institution, while the Museum für Gartenkunst explores a clearly defined subject in depth.

The park at Schloss Benrath is freely accessible. Check for any temporary restrictions before your visit. To get there, take the U72 from Ratingen through the city centre to the “Schloss Benrath” stop. The S6, RE1 and RE5 run to Benrath S-Bahn station; from there, the palace is a ten-minute walk away. Services and timetables may change, so it’s a good idea to check current connections before travelling.

Getting there and further planning

For the journey from the airport, the S11 runs directly from Düsseldorf Airport’s terminal to Düsseldorf Central Station; the journey takes about twelve minutes. Check this information against the current timetable before travelling as well. If you’re interested in cycling, Düsseldorf offers two different points of interest: the roughly 20-kilometre Climate Cycle Tour provides information about climate protection projects and climate adaptation. The Rhine Cycle Route also passes through Düsseldorf; in North Rhine-Westphalia, it runs from the Drachenfels in the Siebengebirge to Emmerich am Rhein. The Climate Cycle Tour focuses on a specific theme, while the Rhine Cycle Route is part of a longer-distance route.

This way, you can decide whether parks, dining, culture or getting to Benrath should take priority, without assuming that all activities need to fit into the same daily itinerary.

Discover more destinations: Wittlaer, Garath, Kalkum, Holthausen, Rath, Benrath, Angermund

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