Itinerary for a 5-day Holiday in Köln and Düsseldorf, Germany

Köln and Düsseldorf are two lovely cities in North Rhine Westphalia in Germany. Both the cities have a good mix of modernism and rich history. Situated along the Rhine River, both cities are known for their scenic beauty and a plethora of lovely experiences for tourists and visitors. They are just 45 kilometres apart and can be visited as a part of one trip.

As a family, we have visited Köln and Düsseldorf on multiple occasions. We live in Darmstadt, Germany. These cities are nearly 240 km from Darmstadt and can be reached in about 2.5 hours.

During our first trip, we used public transport to reach these cities and also to see different places in these cities. We did our subsequent trips in the car. In this article, I have shared my experience in these cities, exploring them by car and public transport. I have also written about the following:

• Accommodation
• Travel
• Itinerary
• Information and review about the places we visited and the restaurants we ate in
• My learnings and my recommendations for those who are planning a trip to these two cities

So, let’s start.

Accommodation:

Usually, when we travel as a family, we prefer homestays/apartments over hotels. The main reason is that these are big and spacious. At the price of a hotel room or sometimes just a little more, one can get separate rooms, a kitchen, in many cases 2 bathrooms too. Individual space is very important since we have two teenage kids, and homestays allow us that. We love the holiday experience of spending the day together and settling into our individual, comfortable space at the end of the day.

Our first trip was planned at the last moment, and we couldn’t find any Homestays at our preferred location. Hence, we booked a room at Holiday Inn Express through Booking.com. In our subsequent visits, we stayed in homestays.

Since I have first-hand experience staying in Holiday Inn Express, I shall share a few details:

The difference between Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express:

The significant difference between a Holiday Inn and a Holiday Inn Express is that the former is full service, while the latter is limited. In Holiday Inn Express, you wouldn’t find extra amenities like a swimming pool, fitness centre, etc., available at Holiday Inn, thereby making Holiday Inn more suitable for families and Holiday Inn Express ideal for short-stay business travellers.

However, since we didn’t plan to stay in the hotel room and planned to be outdoors most of the time, we chose Holiday Inn Express. 

Some notes for my readers:

If you plan to stay in Holiday Inn Express as a family and want your children accommodated in the same room, you can ask for a double bed and a sofa cum bed. That way, the room can accommodate four people. However, I will point out that the rooms are small. With four people, it can feel stuffy and cramped. A stay in Holiday Inn Express is ok for single travellers or couples. A single room for a family is ok only if you use the room for the night and plan to be outdoors most of the time.

Although Düsseldorf and Köln are not far, going by public transport and returning on the same day can mean time wastage in travel and delays. A better thing to do is to stay one night in Köln and one night in Düsseldorf. If you have more days and plan to see both the cities and nearby sites, stay two nights in each city. That way, you can save time and use it to spend time in the city. If you are there by car, stay wherever you wish. The driving time between the cities is under one hour. Staying longer in one place helps you save on overhead costs like cleaning charges, etc.

Here is the link we used for the hotel booking in Düsseldorf. You can apply filters and choose hotels or apartments/homes etc., based on your preference.

If you plan to stay in Köln, check out the accommodations here.

In either case, I would recommend staying somewhere close to the city centre if you plan to use public transport to visit places within the cities.

Travel:

Travel to these cities and within the cities (to visit various places of interest) can be done by public transport or car.

Option 1: Travel to Köln and Düsseldorf using Public Transport

The central station in Köln is called Köln Hauptbahnhof, and the central station in Düsseldorf is called Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof.

Deutsche Bahn (DB) is the company that offers train service in Germany. You can visit their official website (links shared below) to book tickets. Enter the name of your city as your source and find regional and fast trains to Köln and Düsseldorf using these links:

Trains to Köln Hauptbahnhof

Trains to Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof

Travel within the city using Public Transport:

For travelling within the city using public transport, there are three options:

Option 1: Buy a ticket (for 24hrs/48 hrs, as per your preference) on the official website for public transport in Köln and Düsseldorf. This is the link: Rheinbahn. You can buy tickets on their website/ the ticketing machine at the bus/tram stops.

Option 2: Buy a Köln Card or a Düsseldorf card. More details about these tickets are below:

Option 3: Take the Hop on Hop Off bus

This bus takes you to major tourist attractions in the city and includes an audio guide. You just have to check the timetable of the bus and the stops from where you can take it. You can either sit in the bus with the audio guide and complete the tour in 90 minutes OR hop off anywhere, explore the sites at leisure and then hop on again to head to the next destination.

The advantage of a hop-on/hop-off bus is that it is not as crowded as regular public transport. Unlike regular public transport, this will not take you to places that tourists normally don’t visit ( like residential locations, industrial hubs, etc.) on regular public transport routes. So, as a tourist with limited time in the city, your time doesn’t get wasted; you also get to see everything.

Option 2: Travel to Köln and Düsseldorf by car:

Another alternative is to drive down, which is much faster and gives you complete flexibility. You don’t own a car, you can rent one. We have rented vehicles from SIXT multiple times and found their cars of top-notch quality.

While you are here, you can reach my articles:

How to get a driving license in Germany- Step-by-Step guide

My Experience with renting a car in Germany

Itinerary:

Here is the itinerary you can follow when visiting Düsseldorf and Köln:

Day 1: Düsseldorf: Visit Rheinuferpromenade, Rheinturm, Cruise on the river

Day 2: Düsseldorf:Neanderthal Museum, Schloss Benrath, and Königsalle

Day 3: Köln: Visit Köln Cathedral; River Promenade, and River Cruise

Day 4: Köln: Visit the Chocolate Museum, Zoo and Ferris Wheel Ride

Day 5: Köln: Visit Phantasialand

 Now, I shall take you through the itinerary details.

Day 1:

Reach Düsseldorf and check in. Explore Rheinuferpromenade and end your day with the sunset cruise

Activity 1: Explore Rheinuferpromenade:

Rheinuferpromenade is a 1.5 km long promenade lined with cafés, restaurants, galleries, and shops on one side and the mighty Rhine on the other. 

The stretch is very active, especially in summer when tourists and locals flock in to enjoy the sun and sights of the mighty Rhein River. One can enjoy the lovely views, relax in a cafe or restaurant, and savour local food and beer. 

Along the promenade, you will also find Basilika St. Lambertus, Schifffahrtsmuseum (Maritime Museum), Marktplatz ( central market square), Filmmuseum, etc. So, the options of spending time along this stretch are many.

If you are new to Düsseldorf and this is your first day in the city, I recommend the Altstadt Guided Tour. It starts at Marktplatz. This 1.5-hour tour with a city expert is a must if you want to see the city from the eyes of a local and learn some fun and interesting facts and historical snippets that only locals know. Also, taking this tour gives you free entry to the maritime museum.

Since this place is lined with cafes and restaurants, it would be an ideal place to stop by for lunch. After lunch, head to Rhein Turm.

Activity 2: Climb Rhein Turm for lovely views:

Rhein Turm is a 240-meter-tall telecommunications tower. One can enjoy spectacular city views from the M168 viewing platform (at a height of 168 m ).

The interesting thing is that the Rhein Turm is open till late at night, and there are discounted tickets if you wish to see it early in the morning or at night. You can see even as far as the Köln Cathedral from the viewing platform when the weather is nice. It also houses a snack bar where you can sit with your favourite snack and drinks and treat yourself to this unique experience. 

Here is one of the lovely views from the viewing platform:

The tickets to the Rheinturm can be bought on their official website, OR You can buy the entry tickets from the counter at the entrance. Alternatively, if you have the Düsseldorf card (information already shared above), you get a discount on the entry ticket to this tower.

Activity 3: Explore the Promenade further:

After visiting Rheinturm, climb down and continue further on the promenade. You will come across the harbour area, where you will find many modern and historical buildings known for their unique architecture and design. Many souvenirs sold in Düsseldorf depict these structures. So, don’t miss taking a walk further and checking them out.

If you want to visit both Rheinuferpromenade and Rhein Turm, you need at least 3-4 hours. A walk along the Rheinuferpromenade is long and can tire you. Do make these considerations when you are planning a visit.

Activity 4: End your day with a sunset cruise on the river:

After all the walking, all you need is some rest and relaxation. You can get both by taking a sunset cruise on the river with live music.

Alternatively, if you prefer a tour with information about all the sights, you can choose to take a Sightseeing Cruise. If you take this tour, I recommend you start your day with this tour before you explore the promenade.

You can order food on the cruise, but I highly recommend trying restaurant Bona’me. It was recommended to us by a friend. We absolutely loved the food and lively ambience. My review of the restaurant is available here. 

Day 2:

Visit the Neanderthal Museum, Schloss Benrath and Königsallee.

Activity 1: Visit the Neanderthal Museum.

The Neanderthal Museum is located about 20 kilometres east of Düsseldorf city centre. It is where, about 160 years ago, the first recognized Neanderthal remains were found. It is easily accessible by car and public transport and is totally worth visiting.

It has various exhibits, multimedia installations, audio presentations, and informational texts that tell the story of humankind starting at 4 million years ago. Using the museum app or the headphones (which can be plugged in to hear the relevant audio), one can get a good amount of information about the site and the story the exhibits convey.  The audio is available in both English and German. 

The museum also houses a cafe with a terrace and a museum shop.

Tickets for the museum can be purchased at the site OR booked on their official website OR here. Buy wherever you get a better price.

A note for my readers:

Reaching the Neanderthal site by public transport from Düsseldorf city centre can take about an hour, requiring some changeovers. So, account for about 2 hours of travel time to and fro. Apart from that, if you see all the exhibits, you may need about 2 hours at the museum. So visiting the museum can be considered a half-day activity. 

Note that there aren’t many options for a proper meal near the museum. So, after visiting the Neanderthal museum, you can consider returning to the city centre for lunch. After our museum visit, we did the same and had lunch at an Indian restaurant named Jaipur near Düsseldorf Central Railway Station (Hauptbahnhof). My review of the restaurant is available here. Alternatively, you can try Haus des Döners. My review is posted here.

After lunch, head to Schloss Benrath.

Activity 2: Visit Schloss Benrath:

Schloss Benrath is a Baroque-style pleasure palace about 15 kilometres from Düsseldorf city centre. It was constructed for the Elector Palatine Charles Theodor and his wife, Countess Palatine Elisabeth Auguste of Sulzbach. The construction of the palace began in 1755 and was completed in 1770.

As you enter the palace campus, the first thing that catches your eye is the beautiful pond with a fountain right in front of the palace. The palace complex has a main building called corps de logis (used by the royal family) flanked by two arched symmetrical wings, the Maisons de cavalière (which initially served as a house for the servants). Behind the palace is a park open for visitors during the day. 

Today, the main building, corps de Logis, can be visited with a tour guide. On the website, it is called the ‘The Palace ticket.’The two wings house the Museum for European Garden Art and the Museum of Natural History. Tickets can be purchased for visiting these museums on their official website.

We took a guided tour of the palace. It lasted about 1 hour. Our guide showed us the rooms and explained the meaning and significance of some of the artworks. She also explained the design aspects of the palace, the materials used, etc. 

A note for my readers:

Since we had little time, we just took a guided tour of the palace. However, visiting the palace, museums, and the park can take more than half a day. Also, if you travel from Düsseldorf city centre to the palace by public transport, you can account for roughly 2 hours of travelling to and fro. That can make visiting the palace a full-day activity. So, consider all these before planning your trip to Benrath Palace.

Activity 3: Visit Königsallee:

End your day at Königsallee. Called Kö by the locals, it is a boulevard in the city centre of Düsseldorf. The Kö is one of the leading luxury shopping streets in Europe. The stream of water called the Stadtgraben, bordered by trees, gives it its characteristic design. 

It is an active place, especially in summer, as you can find people walking, jogging, reading a book on one of the benches along the Stadtgraben, or tourists busy exploring the area, clicking pictures, or checking out the shops. The Königsallee connects to the Hofgarten, a massive garden, and is an ideal place for a peaceful walk in the evening or even a picnic.

Information about the shops, galleries, hotels, etc., at Königsallee can be found on their website

Alternatively, you can take a self-guided walk and learn more about the history of the place, the traditional shops and the story behind them.

With this, end your day in Düsseldorf. The next two days are in Köln.

Day 3:

Head to Köln. Visit the famous Kölner Dom, explore the riverside promenade, and take a cruise.

If you are staying in Düsseldorf and doing a day trip to Köln using public transport, take the S-Bahn to reach Köln. As mentioned earlier, Köln is located just 45 kilometres from Düsseldorf and is easily reachable by car or public transport. It takes about an hour to get there by S-Bahn. By RE, it takes about 40 minutes. By car, it takes 40-45 mins.

Activity 1: Visit Kölner Dom:

As soon as you exit the Köln railway station, you are greeted by the mighty Kölner Dom ( Cologne Cathedral). Kölner Dom is a Roman Catholic church whose construction began in 1248 and was completed in 1880. It is said that after the attacks of the 2nd World War, when the city was in ruins, this Cathedral stood intact and undamaged. It was considered nothing less than a miracle and has been a symbol of the ‘will to live’ since then.

The interior and exterior of the cathedral are beautified with exquisite work ranging from sculptures to mosaics. 

The Cathedral stays open, and visitors are allowed to enter free of cost. If you wish to know more, you can also book a digital audio guide which offers an immersive dive, revealing the secrets and history of this extraordinary cathedral.

Since this is your first day in Köln, you could alternatively consider the Old Town Highlights Walking Tour, which not only covers the cathedral but also the Hohenzollern Bridge and the Old Historic Town Hall.

Activity 2: Explore the riverside promenade and stop by for lunch

With just a few minutes of walking from the Cathedral, you can reach the banks of the Rhine River. It is lined with cafes and restaurants and looks lovely.

Explore the promenade and have a relaxed lunch at any of the restaurants in the area. Here is my review of the restaurant ( Cosa Nostra), where we had lunch when we visited Köln. The review is available here.

Activity 3: Take a river cruise

Along the riverside promenade, you will find small outlets of various ship tour companies offering panorama city tours. You can enquire at the counter or book a panorama tour online.

Please note that despite the sights being obviously different, this cruise may seem repetitive if you have already done the river cruise in Düsseldorf. Therefore, I would recommend if you are visiting Düsseldorf and Köln on one trip, do a guided city tour in Düsseldorf and a river cruise in Köln or vice versa. That way, you will add more diversity to your experiences.

Day 4:

Visit the Chocolate Museum and Zoo and spend a fun evening on the Ferries wheel.

Activity 1: Visit the Chocolate Museum

If you are in Köln with kids, this day and the following day will be fun-filled and exciting with activities that will surely interest young travellers. Start day 4 with a visit to the chocolate museum. Explore how chocolates are made industrially and by hand. A guide explains the history of chocolate making and encourages you to taste and enjoy chocolates throughout your visit. A day in the chocolate factory is something that kids and adults will surely enjoy.

You can book the tickets either on the museum’s website or here. Compare and see where you get a better deal and book accordingly. Either way, I recommend that you buy your ticket in advance because on weekends and during the holiday season, the place can get quite crowded, leading to long waiting times.

Activity 2: Visit Köln Zoo and Aquarium

After lunch, head to Köln Zoo and Aquarium. The zoo is massive, with more than 10,000 animals from 850 species. This zoo also has one of the largest elephant parks in Europe. In addition to visiting the zoo, you can explore the aquarium, too.

The official website for the zoo is www.koelnerzoo.de. Please check it before visiting the zoo because the timings vary based on the season, and some parts of the zoo may be closed due to ongoing work. Inform yourself well before making a visit. The tickets can be booked here, or on their website.

Activity 3: End your day with a ride on the Ferris wheel in front of the Zoo

Before the sun sets, get on the Ferris wheel and enjoy the cool breeze and lovely views of the Rhine River and important landmarks of Köln. Riding on these glass gondolas is a unique experience that must not be missed.

Tickets for the ride can be booked here.

Day 5: Make a Visit to Phantasialand

Phantasialand is a theme park with rollercoasters and other fun rides. It is located about 30 km south of Köln in Brühl. By car, it takes about 30 minutes to reach Phantasialand from Köln.

If you use public transport, you can reach Brühl Hapupbahnhof (Central Railway Station) from Köln Hapupbahnhof. From Brühl Hapupbahnhof, you can take the shuttle bus to Phantasialand. You can find the timetable for the shuttle bus here.

Since Köln is quite close to Phantasialand, I recommend not missing this fun-filled experience when in Köln.

You can buy tickets for Phantasialand on their official website. Note that the earlier you book, the cheaper the tickets are.

Before I end the article, let me summarize the 5-day Holiday Itinerary in Köln and Düsseldorf:

Day 1: Düsseldorf: Visit Rheinuferpromenade, Rheinturm, Cruise on the river

Day 2: Düsseldorf:Neanderthal Museum, Visit Schloss Benrath, and Königsalle

Day 3: Köln: Visit Köln Cathedral; Rhein Promenade, River Cruise

Day 4: Köln: Visit the Chocolate Museum, Zoo and Ferris Wheel Ride

Day 5: Köln: Visit Phantasialand

See more pictures from these two lovely cities here.

To read more about our holidays, check the Holidays page of my blog.

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