Rooftops in Düsseldorf: the Rhineland capital seen from above
A city on the Rhine
The capital of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, of which it is the second-largest city, Düsseldorf has more than 600,000 inhabitants over 217 km². It lies mainly on the right bank of the Rhine, at the confluence with the Düssel, the small river that gave it its name; on the left bank, only the districts of Oberkassel, Niederkassel, Heerdt and Lörick belong to it. The city sits on the western edge of the Rhine-Ruhr conurbation, the largest urban area in Germany.
Renowned for its fashion and luxury boutiques, gathered along the Königsallee, the “Kö”, Düsseldorf also has a strong identity of its own: people drink Altbier here, the amber beer of the old town's breweries, and it is home to one of the largest Japanese communities in Europe, whose restaurants bring life to the Immermannstraße district.
From the Rheinturm to the Kö-Bogen
Seen from above, Düsseldorf lines up its landmarks along the river: the Rheinturm, the 234-metre telecommunications tower and the tallest structure in the city, the cable-stayed bridges that span the Rhine and, at their feet, the MedienHafen, a converted former port where Frank Gehry's three undulating Neuer Zollhof buildings stand. In the centre, the Kö-Bogen II, with its façade covered in more than 30,000 hornbeams, forms one of the largest green façades in Europe, not far from the skyscrapers of the 1950s, such as the Dreischeibenhaus.
Where to get a view from above in Düsseldorf
The Rheinturm and the MedienHafen
At the top of the Rheinturm, at 172 metres, the Qomo is a revolving restaurant that makes a full circuit of the city in 72 minutes; the ride up is free for its customers, whether they come for dinner or simply for a drink at the bar. At the foot of the tower, in the MedienHafen, the MIA Restobar occupies the 16th floor of the Colorium, the tower with multicoloured glass, facing the marina and Gehry's buildings.
The centre: Carlstadt, Kö-Bogen and the Quartier Central
A stone's throw from the Kö and the old town, the Observatory Bar sets up its open-air tables on the roof of the Ruby Luna Hotel, on the 13th floor, with a 360° view of the Rheinturm, the Rhine and the roofs of the Carlstadt. Further north, the panoramic bar of The Cloud One hotel, on the 7th floor, looks onto the green façade of the Kö-Bogen II. Further north still, in the Quartier Central, The Paris Club tops the 25hours Hotel Das Tour: a French restaurant on the 16th floor and a bar on the 17th, extended by a small terrace.
To the east and on the left bank
In Flingern, east of the centre, The Roof occupies the 6th floor of the b'mine hotel, with a restaurant, a lounge bar and several terraces open to the roofs of the neighbourhood. On the left bank, in Lörick, Otto's Skybar dominates the city from the 19th floor of the Lindner Hotel Düsseldorf Seestern, with a large terrace facing the Rhine and the silhouette of the centre.
Gastronomy and cocktails up high
Cocktails, highballs and sake
Düsseldorf's rooftops remain affordable for a major German city: expect to pay €12 to €14 for a cocktail at The Roof, €13 to €15 at the bar of The Cloud One, €14 to €15 at the Paris Club, €14 to €17 at Otto's Skybar and €15 to €19 at the Qomo. Each venue has its own speciality: exclusively French spirits and highballs at the Paris Club, sake and yuzu creations at the Qomo, sake and shochu at The Roof.
Dinner with a view
For a panoramic dinner, the Qomo serves creative Japanese cuisine while the room slowly turns, The Paris Club French cuisine and The Roof Asian and Nikkei fusion cuisine. The MIA Restobar offers regional cuisine with Spanish accents, and Otto's Skybar a quick weekday lunch.
A rooftop for every occasion
As a couple or with friends
For a tête-à-tête, the Qomo with its revolving room or the terrace of the Observatory Bar at sunset are hard to beat. With friends, The Paris Club and the bar of The Cloud One, which take no reservations for a drink, lend themselves to impromptu outings; Otto's Skybar hosts afterworks with a DJ, and most of the venues can be hired for parties or corporate events.
Getting around easily
All these rooftops can be reached by public transport. Trams serve the Landtag/Kniebrücke stop, at the foot of the Rheinturm, and Speditionstraße, in the MedienHafen. The Benrather Straße station on the Wehrhahn line stops in front of the Ruby Luna, and Schadowstraße in front of The Cloud One. Pempelforter Straße and the Wehrhahn S-Bahn station lead to the Paris Club, Kettwiger Straße (U75) to The Roof, and Am Seestern (U77) to Otto's Skybar.
Tips for making the most of Düsseldorf's rooftops
Choosing your season and time
The Rhineland climate makes the terraces dependent on the weather: the Observatory Bar opens its open-air roof only in fine weather, and the terraces of Otto's Skybar, The Roof, The Cloud One and the Paris Club fill up as soon as the sun returns. The Qomo and the MIA Restobar, fully glazed, stay open all year round, as do the indoor rooms of the other venues. Opening hours vary by day: check them before you go, book at the weekend when possible and arrive early in the evening to watch the sun set over the Rhine.
Photo : Martin Falbisoner / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0