Travel review - Düsseldorf delights at Christmas
Mulled wine, tasty street food, tinsel and baubles galore - German Christmas markets are all the range in the UK - but if you want the genuine experience you’ll need to hop on a flight to Germany itself.
They say that the western German city of Düsseldorf - or The Dorf when you get to know each other better - will use any excuse to hold a celebration.
So they'll have a Christmas market in the festive run-in then? Well, yes . . . but not just one, how about seven? And that’s just the city centre - there are even more in the suburbs.
Soak up the festive spirit on the Christmas markets trail, as I did on a whirlwind visit to Düsseldorf last weekend, and you get a good overview of what this vibrant riverside city has to offer - or if you prefer there’s a hop-on, hop off tourist bus, which does much the same but with history lessons thrown in.
Basing myself at the luxurious Düsseldorf Maritim hotel, right next to the airport after a mere one-hour flight from Bristol Airport with Flybmi, it was little more than a 20-minute train ride into the heart of the city,
The compact city centre is easy to navigate on foot but I also made use of a 19-euro, 72-hour travel card so I could use buses, trains and trams whenever I felt the need.
Düsseldorf is known for its high fashion, arts scene, distinctive old-style Altbier - a traditional, dark, top-fermented beer - and what it claims is “The Longest Bar in the World” (more of that later).
I started off in the main shopping quarter, home to luxury shops like Gucci, Karl Lagerfeld, and Karen Millen. The area is a mixture of dramatic ultra-modern buildings close to the boutique shops on Schadowstrasse and Königsallee.
Meandering through the differently themed Christmas markets we eventually ended up in the charming Altstadt (Old Town), all cobbles and traditional German buildings close to the Rhine. A one-hour boat cruise set off in the direction of the harbour, which is dominated by the 240m high Rhine Tower, or Rheinturm, which boasts the city’s finest aerial view as well as a bar and restaurant.
If the Rhine Tower is too high for your liking, the harbourside Wheel Of Vision at the Burgplatz Christmas Market ascends to a more friendly 55m, its 42 gondolas heated against any winter chill.
Having worked up a thirst and appetite it was time for a warming glass of glühwein and a quick snack of reibekuchen mit apflemus - delicious potato and flour fritters, deep fried in oil and served with apple sauce. Sounds odd? Trust me it works.
Wandering around near to the Burgplatz, you'll find many of the city’s museums, art galleries theatres and the opera house.
After that, a stroll along the riverside promenade takes you to the Dusseldorf’s Media Harbour area, a section of the city which is being transformed with dramatic architecture, none more quirky and interesting than the Gehry Buildings, colloquially known as Dusseldorf’s ‘dancing houses’. Striking dramatic angles, they are a fascinating counterpoint to the Rheinturm which towers over them.
Back near the fashion quarter a little later, I took time out for a delicious altbier and then watched the skaters, young and old, on the outdoor ice rink.
Dinner that evening was at the Im Goldenen Ring brewery and restaurant back on Burgplatz, with plenty of traditional meaty German dishes on the menu and, yes, more of that altbier.
Our party decided to end the night at that infamous “Longest Bar in the World” - more than 250 bars and restaurants crammed into a half-a-square mile section of the Altstadt.
Despite it being past 1am on a chilly December night the streets were absolutely rammed with good natured revellers tucking into street food and drinks. Any excuse for a celebration? They’re a hardy lot, these Dusseldorfians!
Fact file:
Ian stayed at Maritim Hotel Düsseldorf, which offers 533 rooms and suites, four restaurants and two bars and a wellness complex with pool, sauna, steam bath, fitness area and massage facilities.
Classic Rooms start from from 99€, Comfort Rooms from 109€ .
Visit www.maritim.com
Phone +49 (0) 211 5209-0
Email:info.dus@maritim.de
Ian flew with Flybmi, which offers daily flights from Bristol to Dusseldorf from £88 one way.
All fares are inclusive of 23kg of hold luggage, allocated seating, complimentary in-flight drinks and snacks and speedy 40 minute check-ins.
For more information, or to book, visit www.flybmi.com or call 0330 3337998.
