10 Things to Do in Dusseldorf on a Small Budget

The DüsseldorfCard is a fantastic way to get discounted entry into many local attractions as well as get around the city at no additional cost. This card, also called the Welcome Card, is a city pass to Dusseldorf, with free use of all public transport and entry to a number of local museums, plus a range of discounts. You can get cards that last 24, 48 or 72 hours.

These cards are outstanding for public transport if you’re outside of town, but even in town they offer tons of benefits. They allow entry into various sites including the film museum, the aquarium, the ceramics museum and art galleries across the city, and even some just outside of town.

Classic Remise Düsseldorf is a museum focused on vintage cars that's located in a historic locomotive roundhouse and features artefacts, uniforms, models and authentic vehicles. You can explore replica garages, service stations, parts shops and car dealerships, as well as accessories and models. You’ll also see vintage cars being cared for, as this isn’t just a museum but is actually a vintage car centre, and the shops, restaurants and service centres are all fully functional.

After you look around and maybe find that missing part for your project car, you can sit down and have a bite at the onsite eatery, which offers delicious food at affordable prices. Classic Remise Düsseldorf is about 20 minutes southeast of the city centre.

Public transport can be a wonderful way to get around the city without paying a great deal of money, especially if you have a public transport card. The card, called the DüsseldorfCard, can be purchased for different periods from a day to a week and offers free transport on buses as well as discounted entry to many local points of interest.

Dusseldorf is quite walkable, so you don’t even need to take public transport if you’re in the city centre. Still, if you want to catch some of the outlying attractions, anything from buses and trains to taxis are available to get you wherever you need to go.

Nordpark is 70 hectares of verdant green space and elegant colourful gardens that offer a serene escape from the hustle and bustle of the urban centre. Here you can stroll through garden paths lined with all sorts of local flowers and plant life. You can enjoy an oasis that’s ideal for sports pickup games with badminton pitches and even spots to have a quiet picnic. The park opened in 1937 and stretches to the east and west of Kaiserswerther Strasse.

After spending some time outside, you can visit the onsite Aquazoo Löbbecke Museum, where you’ll see 500 species of aquatic animals. It’s all just a 13-minute drive north of the city centre.

Düsseldorf City Rally is a self-guided tour of the city ranging from Old Town to the historic city centre where you'll learn facts and trivia along the way. The tour comes with a map and begins in the Altstadt area, then takes you through the Kö-Bogen Libeskind buildings and ends at Heinrich-Heine-Platz. The map comes with your Düsseldorf card and is a fun and vibrant way to learn about local sites.

At each spot, you can reference the pamphlet map and read questions and trivia to discover such things as a restaurant where Napoleon dined and the significance of cartwheeling in the city. At the end, you’ll complete a puzzle to enter a competition for a prize.

Kaiserpfalz Kaiserswerth is a castle ruin dating to the 10th century and is situated along the banks of the Rhine River with green space, towers and nooks to explore. This castle is filled with history, and the shadows of glorious deeds, the heroism and tragedy of wars and conflicts, and the footsteps of lords, ladies, kings and queens still reverberate through every remaining stone, enclosure and hallway. In addition, it offers phenomenal riverfront views and plenty of serene green space to kick back, relax and enjoy a picnic with the family or your partner.

The ruins are gloriously photogenic, so you’ll highlight your Instagram feed for months. It’s only about a half hour north of the city centre.

Rheinuferpromenade is a scenic riverfront walkway along the Rhine with serene paths, step seating and lots of indie boutique shops, restaurants, art galleries and cafes along the way. This embankment walk was established in 1997 to add a scenic and traditional flavour to a busy neighbourhood, and it succeeded. It runs from Old Town to the parliament buildings, a walk of over a mile, and also features cycling paths and plenty of opportunities for people and boat watching.

This site is filled with locals and visitors all year long, so it’s a good spot to soak up local culture and colour. From sitting and people watching to shopping and dining, it’s a good place to spend an afternoon.

Carlsplatz Market is a destination for foodies with regional and exotic produce, meat and poultry, fish, bread, artisan cheeses and other fresh and prepared foods. It’s a fun and vibrant spot to experience a different shopping culture from the luxury boutique fashion shops for which the city is known. Here you can enjoy deli specialities, herbs, teas, mustards and other unique culinary specialities. It’s not just German food, either. You’ll see vendors here selling everything from Italian to Indian, French and Persian foods to tackle every culinary taste.

The market is open 6 days a week, so almost any time you’re here you can explore the stalls. The free sights and smells are in the city centre.

Radschlägermarkt is a monthly bazaar and flea market that is a treasure trove of hidden gems from porcelain to paintings, furniture, vintage clothing and beyond. It’s held once a month and has been here since 1972 about 15 minutes north of the city centre (25 minutes by bus). Every month, hundreds of locals and travellers descend looking for hidden treasures and great bargains on gently used items.

If you’re into vintage fashions, this is the spot to pick up a 1960s miniskirt or worn biker jacket. You might also find vintage records, 1st-edition books or collectable toys from your youth. When you get hungry, the market is lined with food stalls offering delicious takeaway street food.

An altbier sampling tour allows you to take a brewery and brewpub tour of Dusseldorf to sample a beer speciality that they’ve been making here for centuries. Almost every bar and pub here has an altbier on draught, and a big question among beer lovers is 'alt or pils'? What makes altbier stand out is that it hasn’t yet hit the international craft beer scene as a big fad, even as other German beers are growing in popularity. If you want to experience the original German beer, this is the one that was initially just called 'beer'.

Some popular altbier venues include Uerige, Füchschen, Zum Schlüssel and Kürzer. All are in the city’s Altstadt (Old Town) area.