Why go
Use the Rhine as an orientation line: the Altstadt opens onto its promenade, while the central districts extend inland. A riverside outing and a museum visit feel different in wind or rain, so leave room to change the order of a day.
The full story
The small Düssel gave Düsseldorf its name, and the larger Rhine shaped its settlement and routes. The city lies mainly on the Rhine's eastern side; crossing the river changes the view back toward the centre. The Altstadt and riverside promenade make that geography easy to grasp on foot. Inland, the centre is more closely knit around streets, parks and museums, so it offers a useful alternative when the open bank feels exposed. The Lower Rhine setting brings relatively moderate winters and mild to warm summers, but conditions still shift through the day. There is little value in planning around an old average temperature or rainfall figure. For a practical visit, check the day's forecast, give the Rhine walk the more comfortable part of it, and hold an indoor art stop for wetter or windier hours. The river is the city's strongest planning landmark as well as part of its history.