Things to do in and around Düsseldorf

In My Humble Opinion
1

Since everyone was so helpful when I was planning my trip to Peru, here I am once again. . .

A friend of mine just moved to Düsseldorf, Germany and will be living there for a few years. Because I’m a big nerd for travel, I’m trying to swing a trip for a week or two in December (if I have a good sales level this month at work, I’ll pick up the flight at the start of next month. Looking online, it looks like LAX to Düsseldorf will run me about $700 round trip. Is this good? Bad? Can I get a lower flight maybe?).

Things you need to know about me:
[ul]
[li]I am an epic history nerd. I am particularly an epic World War 2 history nerd.[/li][li]I love museums: art and history, mostly.[/li][li]I love shopping, especially for picking up neat things for my house when traveling.[/li][li]I’m a 23 year old female who has nothing against a good beer or dance club.[/li][li]And, assuming this trip goes well, I might be going back a few more times to see other neat things in the region.[/li][/ul]

Now, I know absolutely nothing about Düsseldorf, aside from where it is (and that’s because I just looked it up on Google Maps). What is right around there that is neat to see for a history nerd like me? I’d love to see some Nazi stuff, but I don’t have the faintest of clues to what’s around there, if anything.

I’m also looking at grabbing a EuroRail pass, if she’d be willing to go to Paris or something for a few days (it looks like it’s about a 5 hour train ride). I’d be down to replace Paris with something else in another country, though it would be pretty awesome being in Paris around Christmas time.

I’ve heard there are neat things around Germany and France in December for Christmas, but I know nothing about it. Also, will it be super snowy? I looked up the temperature and it appears the average is 51 degrees, but that doesn’t mean much, what with being an average temperature and all.

Ok, so I’m totally open. Lay it on me please, Dopers!

2

It’s just a 20 minute train ride from there to Cologne, and I found Cologne a fascinating city.

I mean, you could spend a whole day or more just a the cathedral. I’m not one who usually goes all nutty for churches, but this cathedral is something else. It’s amazingly breathtaking.

They also have a great zoo, wonderful bakeries, and best of all: THE CHOCOLATE MUSEUM.

You’ve got to go to Cologne!

3

Oh, noted! Thank you. I actually forgot to mention in the OP that my favorite thing about Peru (aside from the amazingness that is Machu Picchu, of course) was the beauty of every single church there. I seriously could have spent hours in each one!

4

Aachen - Charlemagne’s cathedral and a generally amazing little city.
Duisberg Zoo.
You’re surprisingly near to Maastricht - hire a car or take public transport (don’t know how easy that would be, I’ve only ever driven it) and see the caves used as shelter etc during sieges from centuries ago right up into World War II.
Go up the Rheinturm (can you? I don’t know. But be sure to look at the clock).
Dusseldorf has many galleries and museums of its own, including one about the Nazis.
Barbarossa’s castle (ruins thereof).
There’s so much around there - I recommend just reading up on it and choosing, because you won’t see it all!

5

Sorry, forgot to mention that probably the nearest concentration camp Gedenkstätte is at Breitenau, in Guxhagen. I’ve never been there though.

I also forgot to second, third and fourth that you MUST go to Cologne.

6

You should, Cologne is a very nice city, but don’t tell anyone in Düsseldorf. They don’t exactly like each other. :wink: