The Most Spectacular Places to Cycle in Dusseldorf

An organized bike tour starts in Apollo-Platz, and under the guidance of a professional guide, bikers cycle down the bustling Rhine Promenade, the Hofgarten, the main shopping street of Königsallee, Rhine Park, and Oberkassel Bridge and see some amazing modern architecture at Medienhafen before doubling back to the starting point. This 11.5 km route takes about two hours to complete, with the added bonus of interesting information about the city from the guide. Those who want to pace the tour according to their own preference can easily do it independently. The 1,928 meter stretch of the Rhine Promenade is the most loved part of this route. This scenic route by the river, lined with trees and restaurants, bars, and cafés, is the most cheerful area of Dusseldorf.

An alternative, especially for more enthusiastic bikers, is another organized tour that kicks off at Apollo-Platz, continues down the Rhine Promenade, to the Tonhalle, through the lush green Nordpark, on to the historic ruins of Barbarossapfalz, and takes bikers on a ferry to the other side of the Rhine, before heading back the starting point at the end of 3.5 hours.

Grafenberger Wald is a forest land, measuring approximately 100 hectares in area. The bike route through this forest is suitable only for very fit bikers, as the complete loop around the forest involves uphill and downhill biking. However, the landscape of the Grafenberger Wald is a worthy reward for the hard work. This lush green forest has an abundance of beautiful foliage, including stieleichen, redbuchen, maple, robinia, ash, birch, and chestnut trees. The park section of the forest, a popular site for locals, has dozens of deer, foxes, and pigs.

Unterbacher See, the locals’ favorite hangout in summer, has a 15-km-long cycling (and hiking) route through the forest. This route promises great scenery, an abundance of towering green trees, and rare bird species. Biking through this route can be combined with a dip in the lake.

Dusseldorf’s central train station (Hauptbahnhof) is a good place to start this trip. Bikers can then cycle down along the riverside, enjoying amazing views of futuristic architecture in Medienhafen and Rheinturm – the icon of Dusseldorf – and past the peaceful spot marking the mouth of the Rhine-tributary, Erft. Bikers can then take a pleasant break while taking the ferry across the river.

The next attraction in the route is Urdenbacher Kämpe, a natural reserve with a unique landscape. Bikers are rewarded with views of flowers, fruit trees, pastures, meadows, trees such as poplar, ash and cedar, rare birds, and the hardwood groves of the Alter Rhein region as they navigate this region. Benrath Palace, the gorgeous baroque-style palace with immaculate gardens from the 18th century, a short distance away, deserves a stop. After biking past the award-winning City Gate, bikers can cycle back to the Hauptbahnhof.