Dusseldorf or Bonn ?
 

Mid April, I will be doing a quick trip to CGN (arriving Sat am-leaving the next day back to EWR). As I've been to Koln a couple of times, I thought I'd do a side trip to city within a 20-40 min train ride. I'm not looking for museums, but merely want to do some walking around, sightseeing, shopping, eating etc for 3-4 hours mid day, as I will be staying in CGN. Most guidebooks (Fodors, Frommers etc) have only a page or 2 on each city, so was hoping an FT'er would be able to give me some help. If there is another city I should be considering, please let me know :cool:

I'd say that if it's nice weather, head to Bonn. Enjpy the Old Town, the University and adjoining gardens and have a leisurely lunch in the city. Very pictoresque.

Dusseldorf is a good choice if it's raining or colder. On the Konigsallee and the nearby department stores all the shopping needs one could ever have can be fulfilled. Food choice is well above Bonn and some of it is truly excellent. It has a more big city feeling and is mostly about business but shopping and eating are well catered for.

Another option would be Koblenz about an hour by train from Cologne, one of the most scenic German cities.

If you've an interest in beer, head to Düsseldorf. There are four brewpubs in the Altstadt that brew a unique beer (altbier) pretty much just brewed there.

Of course, that's just me :)

Düsseldorf is a modern city so not much to see if you're interested in old buildings, castles, cathedrals, etc. But they do have a nice promenade along the Rhine.

I second that. DUS is really a modern city and has good flight connections.

And the cool skytrain from the airport bahnhof to the airport terminal.

If you go to Bonn, you could stop at Bruehl (half way between Cologne and Bonn) and see Augustusburg Palace, which is right next to the train station. Nice European palace with extensive gardens.

Is the skytrain still working and on operation ? :D

Being a Düsseldorfer myself, my clear advice is: Enjoy Bonn :p

It worked yesterday and today around 2:30 pm. I have been a heavy user of it for about two years, now it has become a very rare occasion. I am still scared :o

Bonn vs. Duesseldorf? Tough one... They both have their charm. As I haven't spent enough time in either one of the cities but I think, I have seen more of Duesseldorf, I would go for Bonn.
Also, Brühl was a nice suggestion. I study in Brühl these days and I passed the castle a few times but never made it in. Yes, I feel ashamed of myself but I will try my very best to see it at some point.

Send me PM if you are interested to have a beer in CGN at some point.

Looks like RNE (with his son) will also be at Le Meridien Dom hotel Sat April 12 if you'd like to join us for a drink that evening it would be great!
PS- anyother FT'ers around CGN are more then welcome to join us as well!:D

well both are really nice, duesseldorf is better if u want to go shopping go out etc bonn is quite boring for that ( i lived there for 6 years.. ) but if the weather is nice the rheinaue in bonn and all the small village around are great koenigswinter for example i mean if u take tha train you can do both ... have fun :-D

As a previously regular traveller to Germany, I have to say that I have a soft spot for DUS.

A lot of people don't know, but it is the fashion capital of Germany, with great shops and designs.

It's a great town with good beer and nice people! :-)

Hm, working in Düsseldorf having relatives in Cologne and friends in Bonn - I tend to say Cologne over Düsseldorf over Bonn ...

But it's not only a question of weather. Okay, in sunny weather Bonn might be the nicer town, but it's much smaller.

It has been our capital for some year, but this not mean it has any flair of the big wide world, it's more a viallage - but this might be exactly the point why many people prefer Bonn over Düsseldorf. The people there are friendler and not that snobish than the inhabitants of Düsseldorf are sometimes - go for Bonn! :)

Thanks for all the info, I'll probably go with Dusseldorf, for the shopping and walking around (that is if the weather is ok ;) ). I assume there will be lots of trains from the Koln Hofbahnhof ? and that I will not need a reservation? Any suggestion for a casual lunch in DUS ?

Lots of trains from Köln Hbf to Düsseldorf Hbf (no reservation req'd) -- from there you'll take the U-bahn in the direction of Heinrich Heine Alle (3 stops). You'll need to buy a ticket. Its a Euro-something each way.

If the weather is nice (i.e. sitting outside) and you like seafood, I've always had a good lunch at the Fisch Haus, on Bergerstrasse basically right at Flingerstrasse. You're close to the Rhein there so you walk along the Promenade .

The fancy shops are mostly on the Königsalle (the "Kö") which is five or six blocks back towards the train station. I'm not much of a shopper so I can't give advice there, but I have heard the Schadow Arkaden mentioned and it's in the area also.