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Düsseldorf in 24 Hours

It was already dark when we arrived in Düsseldorf , and the outside temperatures were ridiculously close to 0ºC. Which didn't stop us at all from leaving the comfort of our hotel in search for currywurst and a first contact with the city.

We met our guide from the Düsseldorf Tourism Board on the way to the Media Harbor, one of the most intriguing and fascinating parts of the city. Apart from boasting the twisted Gehry Buildings, the newest symbol of the city, the Media Harbor also hosts a myriad of restaurants, bars (that serve delicious cocktails, nevertheless!), coffee shops, discotheques and hotels.

Düsseldorf shares its tragic past with so many other cities in Germany. It was almost completely destroyed during the Second World War. Nevertheless, it was revived and rebuilt and it is now one of the trendiest cities in the country. It became famous for its nightlife, for the great array of cultural events organized here year round, while also being a shopaholic's dream and a foodie's fantasy.

Next morning, after a delicious breakfast at InterCity Hotel Dusseldorf, we headed to the modern Düsseldorf airport to witness the unveiling of an extremely cute airberlin aircraft decorated in Christmas livery.

However, towards noon, we were back in the city, for a tour of the Old Town.

We started with Gluhwein (hot mulled wine) and chocolate at the Angels Christmas Market. Gluhwein is incredibly popular in Germany during the winter months, and with good reason - when temperatures drop below 0ºC, this is the most delicious way to keep warm.

Next, followed a relaxing stroll through the Old Town, and lots of window shopping. Germans really love their bread and pastries and the this passion could be see everywhere.

But it wasn't all just looking and no eating. We stopped for a toasted almonds tasting at Gagliardi, where we had the pleasure of sampling some of the best toasted almonds ever. The flavors ranged from vanilla and rum to chili. Yum!

And we also visited the Lowensenf 's Museum of Mustard, a little shop that sells some of the fanciest and mind-blowing mustard flavors. The shop has a mustard tasting area, and we all had a blast sampling different mustard flavors, one more interesting than the previous. After tasting 'Strawberry Mustard', 'Chilli Mustard', 'Honey Dill Mustard', 'Cassis Mustard', 'Coconut Curry Mustard', 'African Banana Mustard' and 'Garlic Mustard', I fell for the 'Baked Apple Mustard' and bought a small 100ml jar for just under 2EURO, the perfect size to pass unnoticed at the airport security check.

Düsseldorf has some interesting statues, including the City Monument in Burgplats, a kaleidoscope of local history, and the Cartwheelers, a Düsseldorf symbol.

At mid-afternoon, we took a ride on the Düsseldorf Ferris Wheel, situated just by the Rhine, which gave us a different perspective of the city, as well as a nice view of the St. Lambertus Basilika's winding tower. Legend says that about 100 years ago, a bride all dressed in white came to the altar pretending she was a virgin. Ashamed, the tower turned aside. According to the same legend, the tower will straighten again only when a real virgin bride comes to the altar. Well... 100 years... and nothing!

24 hours is definitely not enough to get to know a city, but we couldn't leave without learning about Killepitsch - a local liquor flavored with 90 herbs, fruits and spices. The result is a strong flavor that makes an impression.

And since this was somehow turning into a culinary tour, we also went chocolate noodle shopping.

Our tour of Düsseldorf finished with a visit at the astonishing Tonhalle, one of the most elegant concert halls we've ever seen, where we witnessed the Düsseldorf Symphony Orchestra rehearsing. Uplifting!

And a tour of the Opera House where we had a look behind the scenes at the very well organized thousands of costumes that appeared on stage throughout the years.

The incredibly diverse culinary scene of Düsseldorf surprised us once more when the farewell dinner was hosted in the chic Thai restaurant Monkey's East at the invitation of the Düsseldorf Tourism Board. We talked about the great number of artists who call Düsseldorf their home, about the festivals and the local culture, and the general feeling was that Düsseldorf is a great city. We just couldn't believe we hadn't visit way before.

The next morning, airbelin flew us back home, and though our time in Germany seemed short to us, it was filled with great memories that we will cherish for a long time.

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