Fly from Nice to Düsseldorf

Düsseldorf is a greatly underestimated destination for a romantic weekend getaway or a trip with friends. While Germany's 7th largest city may not have the renown of Berlin, Cologne, Hamburg or Munich, it also has little to envy. Like its compatriots - and sometimes better - you’ll find respect for traditions mixed with forward thinking, an intoxicating festive atmosphere and love for life, and a disarming style that’s as distinct as it is natural.
This eclecticism makes it seductive to visitors whatever their age, tastes, or budget. It delights as much with a stroll along the Rhine as with a dinner perched 200 metres up; with a romantic castle as with a futuristic building; with sunbathing in a public park or an endless night of electro; with a cold beer in a festive brewery or with a sophisticated gourmet feast. They say you should always keep things interesting, and Düsseldorf has mastered the art!

• Wander the charming streets of Altstadt, the old city. Pass by Burgplatz to see the Schlossturm, all that remains of the City Palace, and ride the big wheel. Take a break in one of the quarter's 250 bistros.
• Stroll up the Königsallee (the King’s Street), the Champs-Elysées of Düsseldorf. At nearly a kilometre long and shaded by more than a hundred chestnut trees, the Kö as it’s called is a must-see, not just for its luxury shops, but for its sophisticated beauty and architecture as well.
• Go walking in the MedienHafen (Port of Media), a commercial port-turned-cutting edge business district. A marvel of contemporary architecture in the image of Neuer Zollhof, a group of three buildings by Franck Gehry.
• Go back in time by visiting the medieval ruins of the Kaiserswerth imperial palace, the ancient fortress of the famous Barbarossa, and Benrath Castle, a small rococo wonder dating back to the Enlightenment.
• Discover new modern artists in the city's many art galleries and rediscover the pioneers (Kandinsky, Warhol, Picasso, Matisse, Mondrian, Klee, and more) in K20 and K21, the two buildings of the North Rhine-Westphalia Art Museum.
• Travel to the ends of the earth in just minutes as you linger in the Stadtmitte quarter, home of one of Europe’s largest Japanese communities. Here you’ll find traditional shops, karaoke and sake bars, sushi and teppanyaki.
• Take time out along the Rhine or on the pathways and lanes of the many green spaces in the city: Hofgarten near the old city, the green giant Südpark, or Nordpark, the most romantic with its Japanese garden.
• Indulge in the two specialities of Brauerei Schumacher, the oldest brewery in Düsseldorf: alt beer, the local beer, and sauerbraten, a pot roast marinated and cooked in a sweet and sour sauce.
• Have a drink or eat at the restaurant at the top of the Rheinturm, a 240-metre tall telecommunications tower. Floor to ceiling windows line this slowly rotating tower, offering a 360° panoramic view.
• Buy everything you need to picnic on the banks of the Rhine at the stalls of Carlsplatz Markt, the best market in the city, just near Altstadt. On the menu: charcuterie, cheeses, shrimp sandwiches, and snacks from around the world.