To us, nothing says a fairy-tale Europe like exploring historic stunning castles. We’ve visited several stunning castles in Europe and we’re always on the lookout for more. We’ve listed all of the castles, chateaux, palaces, fortresses, and citadels we’ve mentioned on Tapped Out Travellers.
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No one does Christmas quite like Germany.
From traditional handicrafts and quirky ornaments to local delicacies and sweet-scented mulled wine, there’s absolutely nothing you can’t find in a German Christmas market, whether you choose to wander the most popular ones or visit those hidden in some quaint medieval villages. Here are the 10 best German Christmas markets not to be missed in Germany.
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Schloss Burg, located in Burg an der Wupper (Solingen), is the largest reconstructed castle in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and a popular tourist attraction. Its early history is closely connected to the rise of the Duchy of Berg. – Wikipedia
There are only so many things that shock us about Germany anymore, having lived here for a number of years. The literal translation of many words is enough to make a grown man giggle (Handschuhe anyone?) but they are efficient and straight to the point. Every once in a while, however, there comes a phrase or name that just makes us question everything we know about this beautiful country. The name ” Schloss Burg” comes to mind. A handsome castle nevertheless, its name means “Castle Castle” in any way you try to translate it.
While Schloss typically refers to a larger castle, and burg to a slightly smaller castle, neither mean palace or mansion or any other type of royal household. Yup, we spent the day visiting Castle Castle. Oh Germany, it’s a good thing you’re pretty.
Roughly 35 minutes from Dusseldorf, Schloss Burg is not accessible via public transit. There is a train that leads to the town at the bottom of the hill but it is a fair climb to the top for anyone on foot, or on a bike. It is a steep 10% incline, with lots of turns and curves. While on our last trip up, passed a few cyclists making the journey, many of whom stopping frequently to catch their breath. The crowds at the top of the hill gave a small cheer for any bikes that made it to the top.
Beside the castle is a small town of vendors, restaurants and what appears to be personal homes. This used to be part of the artisan’s village, just on the outside of the castle walls. Parking is directly beside the castle; it can get full rather quickly so arriving near opening hours is your best bet for a spot near the top. This is especially true during the warmer months and sunny, clear days.
We did some chair-lift people watching from the castle wall. As a person deathly afraid of heights (I can’t stand on a step stool without getting weak in the knees), just watching this thing was enough to make me sit down for a break. I’m sure the view was incredible.
After an hour of running around the outside of the castle, head into the castle courtyard and check out the main attraction; the museum. It costs 5 euro per person, kids under 3 are free, and there is an English booklet available for 2.5 Euro. I have been trying to collect history books from each area that we visit but they do not seem to sell many in English, so I snatch them up whenever I can; promotional material and 20-page information packages seem to be the next best thing.
The first thing we noticed was that the inside was not stroller friendly. I quickly put the stroller back in the car and came back; another important reason to have the car parked close to the top. Also, the castle entrance does not offer stroller parking.
The courtyard has a cannon, torture pieces and a well (with a safety gate for the little ones). There are lots of stairs to go up; start on the right-hand side, next to the wall, and follow the arrows.
Once in the ‘lobby’, to the right was a stage and chairs set up for the children’s show that would be put on in an hour, to the left was the start of the museum tour, self-directed of course. We walked from room to room, checking out the architecture, paintings and collection pieces on display. The little one demanded that we not hold hands so we went through each room a little faster than we had wanted, but it kept him busy, out of trouble and most importantly, happy.
There are a number of stairs to climb up and down during the initial tour. Eventually, we got to the outer section where we traveled the bridges to get around the courtyard and into the next section of the castle. Halfway through, there was an option of going up three narrow flights of stairs and checking out the view from the top of the castle, or continuing around. Since I am terrified of heights, the hubby and toddler went without me. He didn’t have enough hands to carry the kid and the camera so we don’t have any pictures to show off, but I could hear the little one giggle the entire time so they had fun.
There were random doors on the left-hand side of the walls, as we walked through the bridge to get downstairs. Each doorway led to another part of the museum; it took us to the main floor, the downstairs, then back upstairs and eventually back to the bridge. I would have to say this tour took around 1.5 hours to complete.
We played a little more in the courtyard then stopped for lunch. We stopped at a chip truck on site for bratwurst mit brotchen und pommes (sausage in a bun, with fries). Then we smelled the waffles. Down the hill, beside the castle, opposite the parking lot, we found the Wafflehaus.
We asked the munchkin if he would sit long enough to wait for his order, mainly because we expected to wait a minimum of 45 minutes to be served, like every other restaurant in Germany. He agreed and we sat outside. We were served roughly 10 minutes after we ordered, hubby and I were very pleased. The waffles were huge and the ice cream was strong. We didn’t eat half of what was on our plate but it was fun and only cost 19 Euro. Second lunch? Don’t mind if I do!
Over the course of 4 years, we have visited Schloss Burg a handful of times. The most notable visit was our son’s 6th birthday. Those pictures up top, those were just before he turned 3; what a turn around. Schloss Burg offers a room within the visitor’s center, just outside the castle gates. This was available to use for 3 hours, and we had to provide our own catering and decorations. I don’t know about you, but after having 6 birthday over 2 months, I am sick and tired of chicken nuggets and fries. This was a great opportunity to bring something a little nicer for the group; after all, he has been with this group of children for the past 3 years in school and this would be his last birthday party in Germany.
I digress. The hall was fairly inexpensive, and I purchased a children’s tour for the kids only, and an adult tour for the parents. There were 20 kids (siblings were allowed to come), 10 parents, plus the hall, it came to 200 euro. Not bad, I have to say. The tour guides were available in English and German, and they did a terrific job of keeping the kids entertained and educated.
I will not divulge too many of their secret ‘facts’ about the castle, but there were a number of poo jokes. This is a medieval castle, it’s not like they had indoor plumbing or anything. The kids had a great time.
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Here we inform you of our 20 Things to Know Before Visiting Germany, including crucial German etiquette standards and how to travel throughout Germany with grace and dignity.
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Dusseldorf is the beautiful home of over a half million people. It is also the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the seventh most populous city in Germany. It has also been my home for the past 3 years and I love finding new and interesting things to visit with the kids, or when family comes to visit.
For more great tidbits of information on how to get along in Germany, check out 20 Must-know things before traveling to Germany
Dusseldorf is as expensive or as cheap as you want it to be. There are so many free things to do, free walking tours and inexpensive public transit, that there is no need to spend a lot of money if you don’t want to.
The restaurants along Ratinger Straße, otherwise known as the Longest Bar in the World are full of great selections for any budget. Some are less child-friendly than others but there is something there for everyone. There is something close to 300 bars and eateries in the area to choose from.
On the other hand, Dusseldorf is the capital city of the state and the fashion center of Germany so if you are looking to spend your money very quickly, there is no better place to look than Dusseldorf. Konigsalle, Kings street in English, is where you will find the high-end shops, and Schadowstrasse houses a shopping center (Schadowstraße Arkaden) with even more luxury brand names.
Hotels closest to the Altstadt and near the main transit lines are going to cost more than hotels and apartments a little further away, or even on secondary transit lines (lines that require a transfer to get to the main tourist areas). That being said, we always recommend using public transit while in the city. Even locals are hesitant to drive when not needed; it’s just too busy. More on that below.
Having lived here for over 3 years, it is easy to say one can actually live here and never see it all, but that is not practical information for visitors.
Depending on the time of year, there are various festivals and holidays happening on the weekends. Give those specific events an extra day or two on top of your schedule and 3/4 days should be enough to see the city properly.
Now, if you plan on day trips from Dusseldorf to the plethora of amazing cities in the area, you are will want to add those to your plans as well. More of that a little further down.
As a local, I strongly advise you not to drive. Enter the city, park at your hotel, and leave it there until you are ready to leave. Even day trips can be accomplished via public transit. The city is so FULL of people going here and there, that the highways and local streets often report traffic jams and accidents. If you are not accustomed to German road signs or busy city-driving, I do not suggest Dusseldorf be your testing grounds.
That being said, public transit is extremely affordable and very easy to use. Download the Rheinbahn app and plug in your Destination and Origin address, and it will tell you exactly how to get to the station, which train to take and how much it will cost. The app will even allow you to add your bank information so you can purchase the appropriate tickets right there on your phone. A QR code will generate and voila, instant train ticket. However, it is your responsibility to make sure your code is scannable when asked ( I.E your phone battery doesn’t die) as the fine is upwards for 100eur per person. Personally, the hubby purchases a ticket and screenshots the code, then texts it to everyone in the group.
This is also why a portable battery charger is so important. Check out this power bank.
Google maps will give you the same train route information, with times and station names, but you can not purchase tickets from Google, nor will it tell you which type of ticket to buy. When in doubt, there are ticket machines at most train stations (none at the bus stops, but the driver can easily sell you one – in German) and the trains themselves have self-serve ticket machines. Purchase a Type A ticket worth 2,60euro per adult for a one-way ticket within the city limits.
Tickets can be purchased per destination, as a day ticket (this is the best option when there is more than one destination on today’s schedule), group tickets (3 people or more, regardless of stops, or 2 people with multiple stops – are the most economical ways to use this ticket). The Dusseldorf Card is available for 1 to 4 days, as a single user, or group(3 adults)/family (2 adults and 2 kids under 14) and this includes free or discounted entry into dozens of museums and sightseeing activities. The card can be purchased online and printed at home, or from the Tourism Office at the Altstadt. Check out Free things to do in Dusseldorf with the Dusseldorf Card for more on that.
We have already mentioned how much “fun” it is to find family-friendly, budget-friendly accommodations near the city centers can be. If you missed it, you can find that here. These locations have been Tapped Out Travellers verified and we believe they are your best choice, at any budget level, in terms of location and amenities.
Best Budget Hotel: Premiere Classe Düsseldorf-City
Best Mid-Range Hotel: Hotel Barbarossa – Tapped Out Travellers tested and approved
Best Luxury Hotel: Best Western Ambassador Hotel
Best Airport Hotel: Maritim Hotel Düsseldorf
Not every eatery is welcome to children. Kids tend to be loud, messy and many guests just aren’t interested in eating next to them, right or wrong they may be. Because of these unfortunate facts, knowing which restaurants will welcome your kids with open arms and which will serve them under duress (if they even allow you in the door), can be difficult. We have therefore made a short list of establishments that have either been Tapped Out Travellers tested or vouched for by several families from the local toddler group.
MAREDO Steakhouse Düsseldorf Bolkerstraße
Maredo is a great steakhouse restaurant in the heart of the Longest Bar in the World and they openly welcome children. Not only is there a separate kids menu, but they have a great set of kids crayons and colouring pages to help keep them distracted while waiting patiently to be served. Maredo also offers a full salad bar buffet with most menu options, so no one is ever left hungry for long.
Bolkerstraße 40-42, 40213 Düsseldorf
Hausmanns
Hausmanns looks to have a great family-friendly atmosphere, and the area is spacious enough to accommodate a stroller or two in the walkways. While there is no kids menu listed on the website, there are plenty of dishes that the children are sure to love.
Hafenstraße 9, 40213 Düsseldorf
Vapiano MedienHafen
This local Italian restaurant does not spare the details. The kid menu offers shaped pasta or pizza for anyone under 12 years old, and there are 6 flavours of ice cream to choose from for dessert. There is outdoor seating during the warmer months where most guests congregate when they are not interested in hearing families, leaving the children to be children in the calm and quiet indoors.
Hammer Str. 17, 40219 Düsseldorf
400Grad
A little something for everyone, 400Grad offers pizza, pasta, and burgers. There is no set children’s menu but a burger or pizza can easily be shared between the kids.
Berliner Allee 33, 40212 Düsseldorf
Frittenwerk
Poutine outside of Canada? What?!
Our house specialty – the poutine (pronounced “Pu-ti: n”) – probably does not know many yet. (No, that really has nothing to do with this Vladimir). At the convenience stores in Canada you can not get past Poutine. No wonder – because it tastes phenomenally delicious. And that’s why we brought this snack to Dusseldorf. At the Fritten factory, the ‘Classic Quebec Poutine’ consists of our extra wide-cut house fries. They are juicy inside and really nice on the outside. They also have to because we sprinkle mozzarella cheese curds that blend with our homemade gravy. A dish of absolute addictive potential. We certainly can not get enough of it. – Frittenwerk
Friedrichstraße 145, 40217 Düsseldorf
Pantakea Pempelfort is a children’s café in Dusseldorf. They have an indoor play area within reach of the adult’s cafe eating area and is perfect for mixing play dates with mommy dates. There is a fee to enter, like most play groups but the atmosphere and freedom (for parents and children) are well worth 2,60euro. Pantakea Pempelfort allows children up to the age of 2.5 years to join.
There are several Duck ponds around the city, and each one has a great field for the kids to run around in. These green spaces make for amazing picnic spots in the summer and are always full of kids. They also happen to be full of hungry ducks. We found this sign not far from our house and couldn’t help but snap a photo of it.
Check out the street art on Kiefernstrasse and the architecture in MedienHafen. Both of these can easily be done with the kids or while they are sleeping.
A little further north, check out Dusseldorfs own castle ruins along the Rhine, Kaiserswerth. From here, the kids can climb the castle to explore the area and have a nice scenic walk along the Rhine, or through the woods, whichever they choose. In the end, there is a great area for coffee, ice cream, and lunch while the kids play in the Pirate Park.
For more things to do in town with your kids, check out our dedicated list; Top 10 Things to do in Dusseldorf
When heading out of the city, even to neighbouring Duisburg, it is best to consult the Rheinbahn app or the ticket office at the Dusseldorf HBF to make sure the right ticket is bought. The machines will only sell you the ticket, they do not ask about destination stations and they do not define their ticket choices – poor planning on their part but what can you do. Crossing the town line is easily done and you won’t even notice it since most train and bus lines service both cities on the same route. Type K tickets, worth 5,80euro per adult will successfully get you across without incurring fees. This is when the HBF will sell you a group ticket at a lesser cost.
From your hotel, head to the Dusseldorf HBF and purchase your train ticket for the destination city ( Aachen, Koln, Munster…) and find your platform upstairs. To use the elevator, find the McDonalds in the center of the station and head towards the bathrooms (WC). The hallway directly behind the family quiet area will lead you to the elevators and less crowded sets of stairs for each platform. You can purchase tickets online and print from your hotel at a discount – since online gives you the non-refundable option, and the station does not… BUT the station does sell open-ended tickets on RE trains, which I much prefer. This means you are welcome to jump on any train, at any time, to and from your day trip destination, without being confined to a schedule.
For Example; a family ticket to Koln on a random Saturday could have cost me 15euro online with a schedule or 30euro at the station and I can leave whenever I want. Consider parking would have been horrible, plus the cost of parking, and the fact that this ticket was for all 4 of us; it was money well spent! AND, the trains all leave you at the center of town – try finding parking there!
On the other hand, when travelling for weekend trips, like Hamburg or Amsterdam, we prefer to purchase the less expensive tickets with a time frame. The price differences increase with the duration of the trip. It can easily cost half the price to simply decide now when you plan on coming home… they say non-refundable but they will upgrade your ticket to a different price should you miss your train or need to come home early. There is a small fee and you pay the ticket difference (as peak travel time costs more), and you lose your seat reservation. For more planning and scheduling information regarding regional trains in Germany, be sure to check out Kids on a Train, where we discuss the different types of Bahns and how to make reservations.
Driving all the way to Nuremberg in one day, while keeping our sanity, was looking more and more impossible as the day grew nearer. Hubby had the great idea of stopping “halfway” in order to give us all a break and ease into this vacation.
This choice was Würzburg and when he said he had picked the perfect hotel, he wasn’t kidding.
Location was perfect! I couldn’t have asked for a better hotel.
We missed our turn a few times but the GPS kept telling us to make the next right, so not all was lost. I hate when you miss one turn and you practically have to circle the city to try again. All roads lead to our hotel, apparently.
Once we found it, parking was simple. We checked in, offloaded our gear and made our day pack ready for exploring the city in December. We took one look out of our hotel window and bam! Christmas market! Right there! It was insane
We came back around 7 pm, the kids were getting tired and cold. Hubby helped me bring them upstairs, get them ready for bed and popped back downstairs for a snack.
Everything is walking distance from the hotel. Literally everything. So while we never used public transit, we did see lots of trams and buses drive by us as we walked along the streets, so that’s good news.
We only stayed the one night, but the parking situation was pretty calm. Every car was packed into a little space, double even triple parking. Leave the spare key with the reception and away you go. We parked behind a delivery truck and the next morning, our car was moved to the side street while he unloaded and moved on. It was back in its previous spot when we were done exploring the city.
Side note, they allowed us to leave the car, without additional charge, after we checked out. Since check-in isn’t until 3 pm, I imagine there wasn’t a high demand for our spot at noon.
The room was great. Or I should say, the rooms were great, plural. Since we booked this the night before, there wasn’t much left in terms of options. We ended up booking two rooms; one with a double bed and one with a single bed. The single room went to the boys and munchkin brought up his cot. I had the double room and co-slept with the baby.
The kids enjoyed having a room to themselves. I enjoyed not being woken up at 5 am and asked every 10minutes if it was 6 o’clock yet. Being alone with the baby meant she could wake when she wanted to. And she didn’t want to until 7 am. Hubby, on the other hand, can sleep through war (whereas the baby is a very sensitive sleeper). Once the munchkin jumped up at 5 am, he was handed a tablet and all was good in that room. Perfect accommodation scenario to start off the vacation.
Breakfast was cute. It is not included on the reservation but since we didn’t want to hunt down a cafe on Monday morning, we added it to the bill.
Regular breakfast options such as eggs, bacon, yogurt, juice, and breads were served. The kids got to pick it out themselves and they were happy with their choices. They each grabbed an apple on the way out, for a snack later. Who can say no to that?
This hotel is by far, my absolute favorite Christmas market hotel. It was so easy to get to by car, and the location itself is perfect for walking around the city. Just amazing.
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We have narrowed down our list to the top 10 things to do in Dusseldorf with the kids during a quick weekend adventure.
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We decided to meet in Hamburg and spend a few days before heading back to Dusseldorf. So how to spend a weekend in Hamburg with the kids, let’s look at what we did.
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