This section is dedicated to take away all your "I wish someone had told me that before I went!" experiences. This way, you can spend less time settling in, and more time making new friends in your chosen hostel. We share our insider knowledge of tips, tricks and important things to look out for in Duisburg.
In general, Duisburg is more an industrial city and although it has some old buildings, a few days there would be enough for sightseeing. If you like opera or classic music, you can visit the Deutsche Oper am Rhein or go to a Duisburger Philharmoniker concert; both are among the best in Germany. Other interesting places which are worth your attention are the German Inland Waterways Museum; the St. Johann Baptist church, which is more than twelve hundred years old; the Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord; and the Wilhelm Lehmbruck Museum. You need more than a day to visit these places. Duisburg is also about twenty-five kilometers away from the Düsseldorf Airport, which is almost as close as Düsseldorf itself is.
Duisburg has been populated since ancient times and was one of the major industrial centers in Germany for the whole nineteenth and the first half of the twentieth century. Then, most of its historical buildings were destroyed first by the Nazis and then during World War II. The city has not fully recovered since.
There are not many hostels in Duisburg, but you can find some about ten kilometers from the center; getting there may require that you change transportation. Most Duisburg hostels are in very quiet areas, so you should not expect any party atmosphere. Getting to your Duisburg hostel from the train station is also a bit tricky, as you need to change public transportation. Do not take taxis –- they are really expensive.
Written by local enthusiast for Duisburg hostels
George Traveller