Things to Do in Düsseldorf, Germany 2026: Christmas Market and Little Tokyo

Best for: anyone basing themselves in Düsseldorf and taking the train to Cologne, Essen and Dortmund. The airport train also stops here.

Bear in mind: walking to the Altstadt and the Christmas markets takes a while; plan your way back in the evening.

Our hotel: Garner Hotel Düsseldorf Main Station, Graf-Adolf-Straße 94, 400 m from the main station. Four of us stayed four nights, 20-24 November 2025, and took day trips by train to Cologne and Dortmund from here. For the Ruhr cities, Berlin and Munich, see our where to stay in Germany guide .

On Booking it scores 7.4 (1,961 reviews), with 8.7 for location and 8.5 for staff. Guests praise how close it is to the station, the friendly staff and the breakfast; some complain that the rooms have no air conditioning, that some furnishings are worn and that the wifi is weak. Family rooms are available (Booking, 16 October 2026).

Best for: a first or short visit to Düsseldorf, and evenings at the Altstadt markets with a walk back to your hotel.

Bear in mind: the Altstadt’s narrow lanes stay crowded and noisy until late at night; ask for a quiet room.

Some people love it, some don’t; I love it. We had a cheeseburger, small fries and a drink. Drinks and peanuts are unlimited, so take as much as you like.

Of all the Christmas markets we visited, this stall on the Kö was the only one making chimney cake. We thought it might disappoint but tried it anyway: not bad at all.

The smell got the better of us and we ordered one: a pizza with the filling sealed inside, a bit like a stuffed bun. Exactly the kind of thing that gives you energy in the cold.

It caught our eye as we walked around, so we went in; we found out later that it is Turkish-run. I ordered a bagel, and my friends had a plate with burrata. The menu also has Turkish breakfast dishes such as menemen, eggs scrambled with tomato and pepper.

Our favourite in Little Tokyo. At this place, known for its huge bowls of ramen, we ordered chicken karaage ramen and gyoza. The ramen was excellent, so try it if you come; we liked the gyoza less, but it wasn’t bad.

I had always seen these fish-shaped sweets in Korean and East Asian dramas, and here we finally tried them: enoki mushroom, Nutella, and apple cinnamon. The apple cinnamon was good; the Nutella one was even better.

You don’t need public transport to see the centre; for me, exploring on foot is the best way. Train details for the airport and nearby cities are in the getting there section.

I froze on Schadowstraße in the morning, and in the evening on the Kö my jaw was so cold I could hardly talk. Düsseldorf’s December averages run from a low of 1.5 °C to a high of 6.6 °C (Deutscher Wetterdienst, 1991-2020), and the wind along the Rhine makes it feel colder. Bring a hat, gloves and thermal layers.

When we went back to Marktplatz in the evening some stalls had already closed; the markets on the other side were busier and still open. Daily hours and closed days are in the Christmas section below.

At night the streets are busy and full of music, but most places close early; we saw this even on a Saturday night. Don’t leave dinner too late.

Düsseldorf follows the Schengen entry rules, since Germany is a Schengen country. Our Schengen visa guide  sets out who requires one and the steps to follow; for a Christmas trip, start early. For a few words of German, see our German phrases for travel .