Düsseldorf: a taste of hedonism behind the business city

Some cities just don't speak to visitors. Düsseldorf is no exception. Perhaps this is the best reason to discover this Rhine city, one of Germany's largest metropolises.

Perhaps the reason for Düsseldorf's relative lack of image is that the city has still not managed to come up with an epithet that would give it the identity it needs to project itself onto the international tourist scene.

In Germany, Düsseldorf thrives in the shadow of its great Rhine 'rival', the Domstadt, or 'cathedral city', Cologne. But also Bonn, known as the former capital of the FRG. Or even FrankfurtGermany's financial centre, which is often referred to as 'Mainhattan' because of its skyscrapers.

Düsseldorf is first and foremost a business city. Not least because of the big names in industry that have their headquarters here. These include Rheinmetall, Henkel, Mercedes-Benz, Vodaphone (formerly Mansman) and the Max Planck Research Institute. For years, the symbol of Düsseldorf's economic success has been the Thyssen building in the city centre. This elegant building was completed in 1960.

The Rhineland city is also one of Germany's leading trade fair centres, with around twenty events and over a million visitors. And it is home to the country's fourth-largest airport, with over 20 million passengers.

As the regional capital, it is also the decision-making centre for the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. A Land of some 18 million inhabitants, as many as the neighbouring Netherlands, which generates 20% of Germany's GDP.

Behind the discreet Düsseldorf, luxury spreads out

So why all this media discretion? Perhaps it's because this metropolis of over 650,000 inhabitants is a happy success story. And one that asks nothing of anyone.

To fully appreciate its charm, you need to come and discover Düsseldorf. Behind its apparent shyness towards the rest of the world, the city shamelessly flaunts its prosperity. You only have to wander around the city centre to realise this.

Starting with the very pretty avenue that is Königsallee (nicknamed 'Kö' by the locals). On either side of the plane trees and art nouveau candelabras lining the former moat, the Königsallee reflects what the statistics show: Düsseldorf is one of the five richest cities in Germany in terms of purchasing power.

The 'Kö' is an incredible concentration of Porsches, Ferraris, Mercedes Coupés and BMWs, parked neatly in front of luxury shops, mainly for fashion, watches and jewellery. On the café terraces and in the bars, people are more likely to enjoy a glass of champagne or a grand cru than a pint of beer.

This display of wealth is rather surprising in a country that generally cultivates "the discreet charm of the bourgeoisie". But this passion for the finer things in life also explains the presence in Germany of some of the biggest names in French luxury: Guerlain, Louis Vuitton and L'Oréal.

The elegance of Düsseldorf is never better expressed than in the architecture of the Rhine city. Despite the destruction of the Second World War, and compared with Cologne, Dortmund and Essen, Düsseldorf has preserved some of its old architecture.

More than just the Old Town - Altstadt - which was largely rebuilt after the war, you should wander through the old streets of Carlstadt - which extends the Old Town. Here you will still find many houses dating from the 18th century.^e century and some beautiful churches. The opulent 1900s buildings - many in the Art Nouveau style - are still numerous on the Königsallee and along the Rhine promenade.

The Oberkassel district is a real gem on the fringes of the tourist floods of the city centre. Located on the left bank of the Rhine, it's all charm and pleasure. Villas and 1900 townhouses line the quiet streets and gardens. A place that is particularly popular with the French community.

On Luegallee, Oberkassel's main avenue, you'll find three French restaurants - including two brasseries and bakeries that cultivate the art of the croissant and the baguette! The most beautiful villas are located along the banks of the Rhine, on the Kaiser Wilhelm Ring. Here you can enjoy a panoramic view of the whole of Düsseldorf's old town. The meadows along the Rhine are a popular spot for picnics. But also flocks of sheep. You can be rich, but you can't forget a certain Rhenish bonhomie!

Architecture with the ambitions of a capital

The capital of North Rhine-Westphalia also boasts some very fine contemporary architecture. Here again, another facet of Düsseldorf to discover for this city, which decidedly likes to put itself on show. This time, along the majestic Rhine.

Bourgeois ashlar buildings are rapidly being replaced by contemporary structures, many of them grandiose. Starting with the Rhine Tower, completed in the 1980s. It offers an extraordinary panoramic view of the whole city and, on a clear day, the Rhine plain as far as Cologne Cathedral, 40km away.

At the foot of the TV Tower are the semi-spherical silhouette of the regional parliament, the TV offices and the open structure of the 'Stadttor' building, designed by German architect Karl-Heinz Petzinka. Totally transparent and open to the world, the 'Stadttor' won the prize for the most beautiful office building at the MIPIM in Cannes in 1998.

Just a few metres from this government district, a series of buildings of all shapes and colours stands as a challenge. Welcome to Düsseldorf's new masterpiece of contemporary architecture: the Medienhafen.

What was once the port has been transformed into a district where the greatest international architects have given free rein to their imagination. Like Frank Gehry (creator of the Guggenheim in Bilbao) and its undulating buildings whose silver facades attract influencers and photographers; or like William Alsop with his 'Colorium', a 17-storey skyscraper in the shape of a multicoloured mosaic. To round things off, enjoy a cocktail in the Dox Bar at the Hyatt Regency, whose towers - with their slightly severe minimalist design - form a focal point of the peninsula formed by the district.

The ideal way to discover the Düsseldorf skyline and admire this composite blend of contemporary and historic architecture: a one-hour river trip on a KD boat. It's also possible to take a boat out for private hire, perfect for MICE events.

Back to the heart of the city. Place Gustav Gründgens, which pays tribute to an actor famous for his portrayal of the Devil in Faust and former director of Düsseldorf's national stage, brings together everything that makes the metropolis quintessential: culture, architecture, economic power and, now, sustainability.

The slender silhouette of the 1960 Thyssen skyscraper is a reminder of a Düsseldorf confident in its economic strength. Since 1970, it has stood next door to the avant-garde National Theatre, which plays a nationwide cultural role for the city. Both now face Düsseldorf's largest environmental structure, an office building completely covered in wood. The building, known as Kö-Bogen II, has a total of 30,000 charms to cool the atmosphere. Three structures, three ideas of what Düsseldorf wants to be. An astonishing cocktail that cannot fail to seduce...