72 Hours in Dusseldorf: A Slow Travel Guide
This past summer, Curtis and I spent 72 Hours in Dusseldorf and we had such a lovely time! I always adore Germany, and honestly, Dusseldorf was no exception. It was a true slow travel weekend, complete with affordable street food, a stroll in the park, and a whole lot of wandering. If that sounds like your thing, then let’s jump into all things Dusseldorf!
72 Hours in Dusseldorf
We traveled from Rotterdam to Dusseldorf by train, which was a nice and easy 2 hour train ride. I’d recommend buying tickets ahead of time if you know when you’ll be travelling. Many times travelling by train in Germany requires a seat reservation, which isn’t commonly needed in the Netherlands, so just something to keep in mind when booking.
We arrived on a Friday night and walked to our AirBnb from the train station. Dusseldorf’s train and tram system connects the city really well, but a lot of times we like to walk when we first arrive in a new city to stretch our legs.
We stayed in an AirBnb, which is our favorite method of accommodation when backpacking Europe. Our AirBnb was one of the best we’ve ever had! It’s so nice to have the comforts of home, like a record player and a French press, when you’re otherwise living out of a backpack.
Friday Night in Dusseldorf
If you’ve been around Brume & Daisy for a little while, you know Friday night usually means one thing for our family: pizza! Even though our family runs a pizza restaurant we still love to have it when we’re out and try new places when we travel. So we hit up 485Grad Neapolitanische Pizza & Wein (i.e.: 485 degrees Neapolitan Pizza & Wine!) for just that, pizza and wine!
And nothing follows pizza better than ice cream, am I right? We asked the staff at the pizza place where we should go for “eis” afterwards, and they recommended nordmann’s, which was just down the street. This was really good ice cream, folks, very light and flavorful. I got a summer-y lemon basil and Curtis got his very favorite butter pecan.
A Weekend Wander in Dusseldorf
Just like when we’re home, weekend mornings on the road start with a little coffee, a little breakfast, and a bit of lounging around and getting ready slowly. It’s so important to me that we travel slow and we don’t go at everything too hard. I’ve talked about slow travel on my blog before, but I truly live it, too!
When we’re ready to get out and about, usually our first stop is for a little more coffee. It’s just our favorite! We found a cool neighborhood near our AirBnb with lots of cute shops, and this coffee shop, Cafe Huftgold, which is well known for its tasty espresso and sweet treats.
Then we wandered down to the waterfront to explore some of Dusseldorf’s markets. There was a soccer game happening that day, so even though it was a chilly day, people were out and about. We stopped for a quick and cheap lunch in the Carlsplatz Market, then went for an afternoon walk along the Rhine.
No trip to Germany is complete without döner (hear about the döner I’m still dreaming about in my Berlin City Guide) so we did a bit of research to seek out the best in Germany.
The best is unarguably Dene & Gör, and the line outside the door verifies that in my opinion. If you’re looking for a cheap meal that will stuff you to the gills, you must try this döner.
Saturday Night’s (More Than) All Right in Dusseldorf
I told you, when we travel, we like to eat pizza. So, what did we eat on Saturday night? More pizza! This time we made a jaunt out to Pizzeria Romantica, which is a cash-only family-owned pizza place that has been in the biz for decades. Watching the crowds hoard around this place on a busy Saturday night was very Pizza Haus-esque for Curtis and I.
But what makes take out pizza extra fun in Germany is that you can visit any local convenience store, pick up a couple of beers, and drink them in the park while you wait for your pizza to be done. We did just that!
Which brings me to my next, and very favorite, Dusseldorf trip. If you’re in Dusseldorf on a Saturday night, you must visit the the Trinkhalle! A Trinkhalle is basically a convenience store, but on Saturday nights many of them post up a DJ-station outside the business and there’s a dance party in the street.
We visited three different Trinkhallen on Saturday night. Each DJ was spinning real vinyl, and keep in mind Dusseldorf is kind of a hot bed for this music. Many of them had lights and concert effects — the works. And buying a beer was just as easy as popping into the convenience store for a $2 bottle of beer to drink in the street. My, how I love Germany.
Sunday in the Park in Dusseldorf
Our trip to Dusseldorf was not all pizza and Trinkhallen. We also love getting outside when we travel, so on Sunday we decided to adventure out to Aaper Wald where there are options for nature walks and hiking. We took a tram to Aaper Wald and then walked the trails for several hours. There a couple of outposts with little cafes where you can stop and have a beer (we did!) if you need a break.
And part of this area is the Dusseldorf Wildpark, which is basically a free nature preserve. This would definitely be a fun activity to do with kids, but Curtis and I had fun walking around looking at the deer and other animals roaming.
Happy Travels!
Until next time — there’s more slow travel guides coming from this trip soon. Let’s continue to chat on Instagram or Twitter, where I’m @brumeanddaisy. And don’t forget to come find me over on Goodreads. Let me know what I should read and review next.
And don’t forget, Pre-Loved Podcast returns on January 21st! Chat to you then.
Talk soon my loves, Emily
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