District Guide

Altstadt (Old Town)

The Altstadt or Old Town, located between the Rhine and Heinrich-Heine-Allee, is the heart of Düsseldorf. This pedestrian zone is said to be the "longest bar in the world" and most of the city's out- and indoor-events take place here, i.e. the Düsseldorfer Altstadt-Herbst, an end-of-summer festival. The Altstadt attracts both tourists and locals thanks to its beautiful location on the banks of the Rhine. Pubs, haute cuisine, snack bars and shops are all packed into this part of the city. Take the U-Bahn or a taxi to Heinrich-Heine-Allee and dive into the crowd. If the weather is nice, go for a stroll along the Rheinuferpromenade, where you'll have a beautiful view of the houses of Oberkassel, across the river. You can join the sporty crowd by renting a pair of inline skates from the G@rden Internet café, or simply sit down on one of the benches and relax.

Hafen

Follow the Rheinuferpromenade past the 234 meter (768 foot) high Rheinturm telecom tower, and you'll find yourself at the harbor. This area has changed in appearance a few times over the last century. Many parts of the once active harbor were closed in 1976. Others were simply abandoned. The Landtag brought new prestige to this area in 1988. About ten years of construction have made the harbor the most modern and trendy area of the city. In the early 1990s a tunnel was built to keep the traffic out of the city center. The regional broadcaster WDR finished its light-blue building in 1991. In 1998 the Stadttor, a glass-column gate to the city, opened its doors. The unusual buildings directly at the shore, one white, one red, one silvery, were finished last year. The architect: is Frank O. Gehry, who also built the Guggenheim Museum in Barcelona. The area is becoming a central location for media firms, broadcasters and production companies. Many new bars and stylish restaurants have joined the so-called "media-mile."

Bilk

Bilk is the students' part of town. This is mainly due to its location directly between the town and the university campus, as well as the public transportation hub at Bilk S-Bahnhof. There are many little shops in this area, including a few second-hand bookshops.

Königsallee/Hofgarten

You can't leave Düsseldorf without having done some window-shopping along the Königsallee. It's one of the things people will ask you back at home: Did you see the "Kö"? Every reputable designer label can be found here somewhere. If you're interested in architecture you should have a look at the listed Thyssen-Haus, the slender, three-layered house next to the white, piano-shaped Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus. It's best viewed when strolling through the Hofgarten (just walk to the end of the Kö—direction of the Rhine—and then through the tunnel). If you walk on, you will see the Theatermuseum and the Jägerhof, which houses the Goethe-collection.

Oberkassel

Watching the sun go down behind the beautiful facade of Oberkassel is a favorite pass-time for many Düsseldorfers. After sunset you can walk to the Oberkasseler Bridge, get into the tram, get out at the other side of the Rhine and walk along the banks—you may even come across a flock of sheep—or go window—shopping along the Luegallee.

Kaiserswerth

Kaiserswerth is a beautiful historic site, and wasn't actually part of Düsseldorf until 1929. It is reachable by tram or car, and functions as a recreation area for the city folk. Go for a walk by the ruins of the castle along the Rhine, have a break at one of the beer gardens or market cafes, or treat yourself to a three—star meal by Jean-Claude Bourgueil.

Benrath

Benrath — about ten kilometers (six miles) from the city center - is home to a beautiful 18th-century palace, complete with pond and gardens. Once the residence of Theodor zu Pfalz, it was designed by Nicolas de Pigage.

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