Five matches will take place in the capital of North Rhine-Westphalia during the European Championships. The city is expecting such exciting nations as France, Slovakia and Ukraine. Our Austrian neighbors and their national coach Rangnick are also expected in Düsseldorf on June 17. And with them, of course, a large number of fans who want to find out whether the "longest bar in the world" really is as cheerful as we always hear.
10 am. This street is a myth. Anyone who talks about Düsseldorf mentions Königsallee sooner or later, albeit in a trivialized form. Düsseldorf's Kö is a household name throughout the country. The elegant boulevard stands for pure luxury shopping, expensive brand-name clothing and all kinds of bling bling. As the Rhinelander says: "Mer moss och jönne kann!" Even if normal soccer fans certainly don't come to Düsseldorf to shop, it is interesting to see how glamorous a city presents itself in its center. Of course, there are also numerous eateries among all these chic boutiques. For breakfast, we recommend the two cafés not more than a kilometer away from the Kö Café Buur and Buur Deli. Real works of breakfast art are served here.
12 o'clock. Around 10,000 Japanese will be in Düsseldorf during the European Championships in June and July. Japanese? They're not even playing in the European Championships? That's right. They live permanently in Düsseldorf, the third-largest Japanese community outside their own country. The soccer travelers from all over Europe have them to thank for the fact that they are in Little Tokyo experience the Asian way of life. Japanese stores, galleries and, above all, fantastic Japanese restaurants can be found between the main train station and the city center. Nowhere else in Germany, for example, is sushi prepared more authentically and better than here. And it's no secret in the city that the izakayas in Düsseldorf also create a real atmosphere. Izakayas? Quite simply: Japanese pubs. Soccer fans will be delighted.
3 p.m. Fancy some spectacular architecture? You can admire plenty of it in Düsseldorf's Medienhafen. It's only fitting - where media people and artists come together, things can be a little more avant-garde. Three deconstructivist buildings by star architect Frank O. Gehry alone can be admired. Mockers claim that you could easily recognize them. They would be the ones that have obviously been worked on by a can opener. But that is of course just bad gossip from people who have no idea about art and culture. But you can be sure that they will be the first to take photos of the buildings for their Instagram accounts. The fact is that, like the Elbphilharmonie concert hall in Hamburg, the Medienhafen has quickly become a Düsseldorf landmark. And some of the best restaurants have also set up shop here.
6 pm. Why not allow a little maritime atmosphere when you're already so close: Düsseldorf's public viewing area is being set up on the banks of the Rhine. All matches of the German team and all other matches taking place in the Düsseldorf Arena will be shown here. In addition to the banks of the Rhine, there will also be a Fan Zone where all the matches of the tournament will be shown. In addition, a varied stage program is planned there, some of which will be organized by clubs from the Lower Rhine Football Association.
8 pm. As soon as the referees have blown the final whistle for the last match of the evening, the stampede is set to begin: soccer fans from all over Europe have been waiting all day for the action to finally get underway so that they can find out for themselves whether Düsseldorf's old town really is the "longest bar in the world". There are supposedly over 250 pubs in one small section of Düsseldorf's old town alone. Not even the traditionally hard-drinking English are likely to manage a quick visit to every single one of these establishments on a weekend. It's enough to visit all the pubs that make up the heart of the longest bar. They are located in the famous Bolkerstraße. There's a pub there, no joke, called: Ballermann 6. It's supposed to be wild there.
10 am. Beautiful Wilhelminian-style villas, alternative cafés, owner-managed stores, chic manufactories and restaurants: you can sense that the Flingern district of Düsseldorf is something special and consciously sets itself apart from the bling-bling image of other parts of the city. Good breakfasts and a popular terrace in good weather can be found at the restaurant Beethoven. Glazed all around and with a tempting range of dishes, the Café Hüftgold guests. You can't say you're being taken in by a fraudulent label here: cakes, ice cream, cheese toast - everything your psyche and hips need to live.
1 p.m. For one reason, it's a shame that the European Championship tournament doesn't take place in the fall or winter. During this time, the "Wheel of Vision" Ferris wheel is always located in front of Burgplatz in Düsseldorf and offers panoramic views from a height of 55 meters. In summer, however, the wheel takes a break. So the people of Düsseldorf and all its guests will probably have to wait for the Rhine Tower to discover Düsseldorf from the very top. The Düsseldorf television tower serves as a viewing tower in the city. What's more, visitors can choose between a charming bar and a good restaurant. The restaurant is located 172 meters above the ground and has a gimmick that many TV tower restaurants are proud of: It rotates once around its own axis within an hour.
3 p.m. Life like in a vacation brochure? At least for a few hours? In that case, a trip to the Benrath Castle. It is located just 10 kilometers from the city center of the metropolis, even if its elegant pink appearance and charming gardens make it look as if you have just traveled back in time. Düsseldorfers love the palace and its park, especially in winter, when the Christmas market adds to the already festive atmosphere. Incidentally, as soccer fans from all over Europe will be amazed to learn, Benrath Palace consists not only of the humble palace, but also of an impressive ensemble of pleasure palace, hunting park, gardens and ponds. The ensemble is considered Düsseldorf's most important architectural work of art.
6 pm. Soccer has long since become music, theater and pop culture. This can be felt in Düsseldorf during the European Championships in front of the Playhouse at Gustav-Gründgens-Platz. According to the organizers, the square will be the cultural hotspot of Euro 2024 in Düsseldorf. The extraordinary façade of the Schauspielhaus will be illuminated in the Euro design and will be brought to life by local artists from the cultural and music scene. Sounds promising, even if the fans from Düsseldorf's host nations may be surprised by the Rhenish-Westphalian jugglers' art. Especially when dialect comes into play ...
8 pm. Düsseldorf is traditionally a club and music city. The legendary Ratinger Hof alone has produced one or two bands such as Die Toten Hosen, but now only lives a life of sad nostalgia as Der Hof. A very trendy place and a tip for a really fine evening would be the Salon des Amateurs on Grabbeplatz. The drinks here are inexpensive, the crowd is relaxed and the selection of electronic music and DJs is first class. Perhaps the coolness of this place has something to do with the fact that it is located in the Kunsthalle Düsseldorf - and actually offers newspapers as well as coffee and cake.
Copyright cover picture: On the Rhine promenade in Düsseldorf © Düsseldorf Tourismus
