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10 October 2012 Düsseldorf on the banks of the Rhine is the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany’s most populous state. Recognised for its high quality of life (ranking fifth worldwide, Mercer 2011), the city scores with excellent infrastructure, modern architecture, tradition and cultural attractions of international distinction. The tolerance and cosmopolitan nature of the city are evidenced in great friendliness towards tourists (ranking second in the "Most Tourist-Friendly City in Germany 2010" study). With close to four million booked accommodations and countless millions of day visitors Düsseldorf is a popular city break destination in Germany all year round. That the city holds much attraction is also seen in the growing population figures over the last few years, currently standing at over 590,000. Düsseldorf is famed worldwide for its unique shopping facilities on the luxurious Königsallee, in the historic Altstadt (Old Town), and in the vibrant in-districts Flingern and Unterbilk. Especially in the Advent season, when the atmospheric Christmas market (22 November – 23 December 2012) transforms the city into a veritable winter wonderland, the metropolis on the Rhine becomes the number one shopping city. The popular Altstadt never sleeps, not even at night: With some 260 restaurants, bars and inns, it has been known for decades as the “longest bar in the world” and is also home of the Altbier – a real Düsseldorf speciality. The MedienHafen with the Gehry buildings and other architectural highlights by international star architects has established itself as yet another alluring nightlife district. For peace and recreation, Düsseldorf offers sprawling parks and gardens right in the heart of the city. One such attraction is Schloss Benrath (Benrath Palace). This late baroque ensemble of palace and park is one of numerous museums found in Düsseldorf. Many sights can be conveniently explored on a “HopOn HopOff tour” in a comfortable open-top double-decker bus. February in Düsseldorf is dominated by the Carnival (7 – 11 February 2013). With some 300 carnival sessions and costume balls, the metropolis is a proud bastion of Rhenish Carnival. The season finds its climax in the Rosenmontag Procession (11 February 2013), which winds its way through the city centre attracting a million visitors every year. In 2012, the state capital will once again be underlining its importance as an art and culture metropolis of international standing with numerous events. From 29 September 2012 to 10 February 2013, the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen K21 Ständehaus will present “100 x Paul Klee – History of the Paintings”. The next highlight in autumn will be in the Museum Kunstpalast where new works by artist Andreas Gursky will be exhibited from 22 September 2012 to 13 January 2013. In May next year (17 – 19 May 2013) hundreds of thousands will again be swinging along at Germany’s biggest jazz festival, the Jazz Rally. In summer, the Biggest fun fair on the Rhine (12 – 21 July 2013) will attract the usual multitudes with looping roller coaster, ferris wheel and rapid log flumes. The gateway to the city for many tourists and business travellers is Düsseldorf International Airport at only ten minutes from the city centre. More than 20 million passengers pass through here every year. The airport has great significance for Düsseldorf as the centre of one of the main economic regions in Europe. It is also important for the Trade Fair Centre Messe Düsseldorf. The latter is responsible for organising around 40 international trade fairs, some of them leading in their field. Every year, DüsseldorfCongress, the biggest location provider in North Rhine-Westphalia, brings countless interesting events to the Rhine metropolis. Düsseldorf has one of the most modern event venue infrastructures in Germany including the Esprit-Arena, ISS DOME, CASTELLO Düsseldorf and the Mitsubishi Electric HALL. In the sporting sector, the city will be making the headlines as the 2012/2013 season will start with the promotion of Fortuna Düsseldorf into the Bundesliga. www.visitduesseldorf.de Source: Düsseldorf Tourist Board