Burgplatz is where the little River Düssel, which gave the town its name, flows into the Rhine. In the background is the former collegiate church, St. Lambertus, with the shrine of St. Apolinaris. Next to the bridge over the Düssel, the monument to Düsseldorf being granted the privileges of a town demonstrates impressively more than 725 years of town history (town status granted in 1288). The square is dominated by Alter Schlossturm, the old palace tower (now the Schifffahrt-Museum navigation museum) and last testimony to the princely palace from the 13th century that fell victim to flames in 1872. The generously proportioned Rhine embankment promenade is considered one of the most beautiful on the Rhine. Upriver, the Medien Hafen is characterised by outstanding architectural creations, and the elegant district of Oberkassel on the opposite bank by art-nouveau facades.

Take a sneak peek at a day in the life of a local by going on one of the most typical and easily accessible hiking routes in the region. Reaching some 673 metres (2,208 feet) in height, Pagasarri is one of the smaller mountains that surround Bilbao and most locals will have tried this hike at least once before. There are buses from the city centre, with a few different routes starting from the area of Zabalburu or from Peñascal, on the outskirts of the city. At the top of the mountain, there is even a bar selling 'bokatas', the typical no-nonsense baguette rolls filled with your local delicacy of choice, from tortilla de patata to txistorra or chorizo. If you've reached the summit of Pagasarri, you're already halfway to Ganekogorta, a summit at 998 metres (3,274 feet) which is a little further away.

The Botanical Garden of the Heinrich-Heine University is situated in the south of Düsseldorf at the Himmelgeister Rheinbogen (bend in the Rhine). As a research facility, it is not only dedicated to research and teaching, but also open to visitors throughout the year and offers a wide range of events including exhibitions, expert guided tours and lectures.

Two cities, two branches: The Deutsche Oper am Rhein and the Ballett am Rhein Düsseldorf Duisburg have jointly performed at Düsseldorf’s Opernhaus (1,292 seats) and Theater Duisburg (1,079 seats) since 1956. With one of the largest opera ensembles in the world and one of the major ballet companies in the German-speaking region, it is one of the prime addresses for musical theatre and dance in Europe. The programme includes: Grand Opera from baroque rarities all the way to contemporary musical theatre and a ballet that sets new standards with uncompromising aesthetics.