One of the most beautiful Christmas markets to enjoy in Germany are the ones in Dusseldorf. This western German city is located on the Rhine River and is known for its fashion industry and art scene. During the holiday season, this city gleams with lights, wooden chalet stalls, an ice-skating rink and live performances.

Overall, Dusseldorf is an industrial city that is the capital of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is located 40 minutes north of the city of Cologne, which also boasts one of the best Christmas markets in Germany. In fact, I got to visit the Cologne Christmas markets in 2019. In addition, Dusseldorf has three harbors along the Rhine River and holds a lot of history after being devastated from World War II.

Dusseldorf, Germany was the first destination I visited on my 2022 Christmas market trip. I visited this German city with my friend Kristy of Ventre’s Adventures and we enjoyed one day in Dusseldorf at the Christmas markets. From there, we met our other friend Caitlin of My Darling Passport and explored the Christmas markets in Luxembourg and Alsace, France.

Afterwards, my friends and I departed ways and I ended up visiting Basel, Bern and Zurich, Switzerland, along with Liechtenstein.

In this article, discover the best things to do with one day in Dusseldorf at Christmas!

**Please note that this blog post uses affiliate links meaning that if you make a purchase via my affiliate link, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only promote and talk about products and services that I have used and like. During my time in Dusseldorf, 25hour Hotel Das Tour hosted me for one night.

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Traveling to the Christmas Markets in Dusseldorf:

I traveled to Dusseldorf, Germany by taking a flight from Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey to Dusseldorf International Airport with a layover in Lisbon. I found great flight deals through Skyscanner!

Traveling to and from Dusseldorf to other, nearby, European cities can easily be done by taking the train or a Flixbus. I personally believe it is easier to travel around to different cities in Central Europe by using public transportation, but if you’re looking to go off the beaten path, then I suggest renting a car!

Getting around Dusseldorf at Christmas is easy. The city has ride sharing apps like Uber and Bolt as well as city taxis. Dusseldorf also has an extensive public transport network. You can take the U-Bahn, which is the subway; the S-Bahn, which is the local city train as well as buses and trams.

What is also great about visiting Dusseldorf in a day trip is that the city is easily walkable! Since my hotel was around a 20-minute walking distance to the Christmas market, Königsallee and riverfront, I barely used public transit.

Where to Stay in Dusseldorf at Christmas:

During my night in Dusseldorf, Germany, I stayed at 25hours Hotel Das Tour. This modern, luxury boutique hotel is situated in Dusseldorf’s Le Quartier Central. Overall, 25hours Hotel has locations throughout different cities in Europe and each property offers a different theme.

The 25hours Hotel Das Tour mixes a French, artistic flair with German engineering. The reason why it’s one of the best places to stay at in Dusseldorf is because there is a restaurant and rooftop bar to enjoy; sauna to relax at; gym to workout in; café to get work done and bikes you can take around the city. It’s the perfect hotel for a fun city getaway!

During my stay at 25hours Hotel in Dusseldorf, I stayed in the large room that had stunning views of the city along with a comfortable queen-size bed, rain shower, smart TV and more.

I loved having late night drinks at The Paris Club on the rooftop of the hotel. It overlooks the roofs of Dusseldorf and features an incredible drink menu. After staying at three 25hours’ properties around Europe, I can say that these hotels have some of the best breakfast buffets! There was nothing better than waking up in Dusseldorf and enjoying a cappuccino with smoked salmon, fresh fruit, croissants and eggs!

In addition to all the incredible amenities, you can also find a flower and gift shop in the lobby and the hotel will also host fun events like yoga sessions, city tours and cooking classes.

Things to do in Dusseldorf at Christmas:

Experience a Dusseldorf Christmas Market:

There is no doubt that the best thing to do in Dusseldorf at Christmas is to visit the magical markets! In fact, it is the markets that light up this industrial city.

Overall, there are three main Christmas markets in Dusseldorf and each one has something unique to offer. As you wander through each Christmas market in Dusseldorf, you will be impressed with the imaginative designs of each chalet stall and what they have to offer from food to artisanal crafts. (You can also find smaller markets scattered throughout the city.)

The Dusseldorf Christmas market dates for 2022 are November 17 to December 30 and the markets you must visit are the popular stands outside of the Rathaus (Old Town Hall), which is the Handwerker-Markt as well as the Altstadt-Markt and the Schadow-Markt.

Regarding the Dusseldorf Christmas market opening hours, each one starts at 11am and ends at 8pm. Each Christmas market in Dusseldorf, Germany closes early on Christmas Eve and doesn’t open at all on Christmas Day.

The Christmas market that Kristy and I mainly spent time at was the Handwerker-Markt in front of the Dusseldorf Rathaus. Located on Marktplatz, we enjoyed all the beautiful decorations, listened to Christmas carolers, watched our glühwein be made in front of us and savored delicious bratwurst! Discover what to eat at German Christmas markets.

As you wander through the Old Town, you must stop at the Altstadt-Martk on Flinger Strasse. These Christmas market stalls resemble the old Burgher houses and it’s a lovely spot to sip some glühwein, savor potato pancakes and eat gingerbread cookies. What is nice about this market is that it’s centered around a Christmas pyramid, which showcases Dusseldorf’s history.

Located on the city’s most popular fashion streets, the Schadow-Markt is a wonderful spot to enjoy Dusseldorf shopping. It’s also a great place to get roasted chestnuts, hot cocoa and more.

The other Xmas markets in Dusseldorf, Germany are the Engelchen-Markt (Little Angels market) that is splashed in dreamy golden lights and décor; the Sternchen-Markt, which is a more quiet market to stroll through, enjoy festive treats and shop; the Marchen-Markt, which is the children’s Christmas market where Santa Claus makes his way on Fridays and Ko-Bogen-Markt, which is a market that overlooks the Hofgarten city center.

24 hours in Dusseldorf is also not complete without riding the Ferris wheel (or Wheel of Vision) in the historic Burgplatz. It’s a great way to admire views of the city and the local Christmas markets.

Enjoy Ice Skating or Curling at Winterwelt:

In addition to the Christmas markets, you must also enjoy the fun winter activities at Winterwelt, which is in Corneliusplatz.

At this spot, you can go ice skating around a beautiful 19^th Century fountain. In fact, there are three ice rinks and one of those is where you can join in on a game of curling. As you skate with friends and family, you can also enjoy a DJ, the festive lights that surround the area and drink glühwein. It’s a fun area!

Go Christmas Shopping in Dusseldorf:

During one day in Dusseldorf at Christmas, you must do some shopping on the Königsallee. This street is like New York City’s 5^th Avenue, Paris’ Champs-Élysées and Los Angeles’ Rodeo Drive. You can find high-end fashion stores like Prada to women’s favorites like Zara as well as chocolate shops like Lindt to luxury jewelry stores like Cartier.

What is nice about walking along the Königsallee during Christmastime is that there is also a Christmas market to check out, adjacent to the Winterwelt!

If you’re looking for fun things to do in Dusseldorf at night, then you must enjoy the bars along Königsallee. Two popular bars to visit on this famous shopping street are Tino’s Bar and Bar Fifty Nine.

Another wonderful spot to shop through is the Carlsplatz market. At this lovely spot, you can buy beautiful Dutch flowers, fresh produce, baked goods, meats, fish and more.

Take in the Views at Medienhafen Dusseldorf:

One of the most picturesque spots in Dusseldorf, Germany is the Medienhafen, or Media Port. This is where you can enjoy beautiful views of the Rhine River, see the epic Rhine Tower and Altstadt from a distance.

Not only does this area have a lot of great restaurants, rooftops and cocktail bars, it also boasts The Living Bridge. It’s a pedestrian bridge, which creates the impression of a ship’s deck. This area is more popular during the summertime, but still worth a visit during the winter.

Additionally, the Rhine Tower (or Rheinturm) is also a wonderful spot to visit, especially during your first time in Dusseldorf, Germany. This iconic tower is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the city and was created by architect H. Deilmann and built in 1979 to 1982.

During a visit to the Rhine Tower in Dusseldorf at Christmas, you can admire views of the city and markets, see the Media Harbor and also the Dam in Cologne, if the weather is clear. The Rhine Tower sits at 168 meters/551 feet. You can also enjoy the lounge, QOMO, which is an Asian restaurant.

Visit the Top 10 Dusseldorf Restaurants:

Throughout the month of December, not only can you enjoy the food at the Christmas markets in Dusseldorf, you can also savor authentic German, Italian and international cuisine throughout the city.

During my time in Dusseldorf with Kristy, we ate at L’Osteria in the Altstadt. It’s an Italian restaurant with a few locations throughout Europe. I had the white truffle tortelli and it was delicious!

Below are the best restaurants in Dusseldorf, Germany:

• Sansibar (International Restaurant)
• Restaurant Vossen Dusseldorf (German Restaurant)
• Brasserie Hülsmann (German Restaurant)
• Nagaya (Japanese Restaurant)
• Staudi’s (A Michelin Restaurant featuring German and French food.)
• Nineofive (Pizzeria)
• What’s Beef? (Burger Restaurant)
• Restaurant Safran (Persian Restaurant)
• Bob & Mary (Burger Restaurant)
• The Duchy (A Michelin Restaurant featuring international dishes.)

Make Your Way into a Dusseldorf Museum:

Another great thing to do in Dusseldorf in December, during a day trip, is to visit one of the many museums. Below are a list of great Dusseldorf museums to check out:

• Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen (Modern German Art Museum)
• Classic Remise Dusseldorf (Luxury Car Museum)
• Neanderthal Museum (Ancestor Museum)
• Dusseldorf Film Museum (Cinematography Museum)
• Goethe Museum (German History Museum)

Check out these other great Christmas market articles:

Where to Vacation in December

Top Europe Christmas Markets to Visit

One Day in Bratislava, Slovakia at Christmas

I hope you all enjoyed discovering the best things to do with one day in Dusseldorf at Christmas. If you have any questions, please email me at info@browneyedflowerchild.com.

Basic Facts of Germany:

Currency: Euro, Capital: Berlin, Time Zone: Central European Standard Time

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