Karlstadt Düsseldorf: the most charming quarter — an insider guide
Karlstadt is the quietest secret in Düsseldorf: between Königsallee, the Old Town and the Rhine, with Carlsplatz market, small cafés and the best quality of life in the city.
Karlstadt is the oldest extension of Düsseldorf, laid out in 1787 under Elector Karl Theodor. Unlike the Old Town directly to the north, which is loud with tourists, unlike Königsallee to the east, which is loud with commerce, unlike the MedienHafen to the south, which is loud with modernity, Karlstadt is simply quiet. Which is exactly why the people who genuinely want to live in this city live here.
What makes Karlstadt
Karlstadt covers about a square kilometre between Königsallee, the Old Town, the Rhine and Bilker Allee. The quarter is surprisingly green, with the Schwanenmarkt, the Spee canal and a good number of front gardens. The architecture is a mix of neoclassical houses, 19th-century facades and a few modern insertions.
Carlsplatz market, the heart of Karlstadt
To understand Karlstadt, go to Carlsplatz at nine in the morning. The oldest food market in Düsseldorf, trading since 1870, is open Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 6 pm. This is where people who care about quality do their shopping: truffles, cheese from Maître Philippe, fish straight from a Dutch fisherman, organic bread from Hinkel, hand-made Italian pasta.
Where to eat, where to drink
- Breakfast: the concept bar Liebevoll, Café Hüftgold on Mertensgasse.
- Lunch: Trattoria Eckart (Italian), Maranellos (vegetarian).
- Dinner: Kabuki (Japanese), Sila Thai on Bilker Straße.
- A drink: the Wagner Glas-Bar, or Bar Olio in the Kö-Bogen.
Where to sleep in Friedrichstadt
Karlstadt has three boutique hotels worth naming: The Fritz Hotel at Adersstraße 8 (31 rooms, designed by Vivian van Schagen), Das Carls Hotel on Carlstraße and the Boutique Hotel Berial on Bastionstraße.
Frequently asked questions about Karlstadt
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Karlstadt in Düsseldorf?
- Karlstadt lies between Königsallee, the Old Town, the Rhine and Bilker Allee, a quarter of about a square kilometre right in the heart of the city.
- Is Karlstadt safe?
- Yes. Karlstadt is one of the quietest and safest quarters in Düsseldorf.
- What is there to do in Karlstadt?
- Carlsplatz market, the Hetjens Museum, the Maximilian church, small cafés, quiet walks, and a night in one of the three boutique hotels.
- Which boutique hotel in Friedrichstadt would you recommend?
- The Fritz Hotel at Adersstraße 8: 31 rooms in three categories, designed by Vivian van Schagen.
Experience Düsseldorf — from the hotel.
31 rooms in Friedrichstadt, within walking distance of Königsallee and the Rhine. Book directly with the hotel for the best rate, with cancellation terms that depend on the rate.