Six perfect places for a date

A multi-course meal, climbing tour or running kilometers together: These are the ways you can make it work with your crush 

Have you been lying awake every night for days because your thoughts are all about him or her? You can't get a bite to eat, not even your favorite dish? And when your cell phone rings, do you look at it so quickly that nanoseconds take on a new meaning? Then congratulations, there's almost nothing better than the famous butterflies in your stomach. But as soon as it comes to the first date, the question arises: where to go? But don't despair, because Düsseldorf has some wonderful places to go. And hopefully in 20 years' time you will still be telling your children where you met for the first time - even if they can no longer hear the story. Whether cozy, culinary or adventurous, these six places in Düsseldorf are perfect for the first of many dates! 

Appetite for each other: a date on Carlsplatz 

Candlelight, a glass of wine or two, a plate of pasta that you're happy to hand over a fork: this is how first dates at a restaurant go. Standard somehow, and there's nothing wrong with that. But if you want to impress, it's better to choose an alternative similar to the classic candlelight dinner. For example, with a visit to Carlsplatz! Not only can you make one of your first decisions together here - namely agreeing on a favorite flavor - but you can also extend the date if you like each other. Then it's not just a snack at the beginning, but you can try an appetizer at the next stall, only to move on to the main course one stall further on. After an intermediate course followed by dessert and coffee, it's not far to the old town, including a stop at your favorite florist (red roses!), if you want to top off your successful meeting with a drink. 

Flying high together: getting to know each other in the climbing park 

Does "wobbly suspension bridge" sound familiar to you in the context of dating? Then you've probably heard of the experiment that found that men are more likely to ask for a woman's number if there was a bit of adrenaline involved in getting to know her (i.e. the woman was standing at the end of a dangerous bridge instead of one that was easy to walk on). In other words: according to researchers, a racing heart accelerates interest in the other person! Fortunately, Düsseldorf only has safer bridges, but that shouldn't be a problem for your future love life. After all, bouldering also takes you to dizzying heights, especially as you can do the sport together despite possibly differing ability levels. In Düsseldorf, for example, the "Monkey Spot" in Heerdt on the left bank of the Rhine is a great place to celebrate your success after a daring climb on the climbing wall as a couple. Fresh waffles with cherries are the reward afterwards - and maybe even the first kiss. 

Walking on the Rhineor: Love is in the fresh air 

Not least due to the pandemic, many of us discovered walking for ourselves. This way of getting to know each other might seem a little old-fashioned or even boring, but on closer inspection it turns out to be quite ideal. Why? You are relatively safe (from viruses) because you are out in the fresh air and - not to be sneezed at - you are constantly moving. This makes sense for shy people in particular, as walking side by side is much more informal than the aforementioned restaurant visit, for example. When sitting opposite each other in a restaurant, you may run out of things to talk about, which happens less quickly, if at all, when walking along the Rhine promenade. The runners, cyclists or inline skaters passing by invite you to talk about your own interest in sport, for example, while the museums along the route reveal your taste in art. The beer at the Fortuna bar washes away the last of your embarrassment - which, in the best-case scenario, leads to you making an appointment for an evening at the nearby opera or a ride on the Ferris wheel. 

Dive into other (mini golf) worlds together 

"Oops, it's so dark here, I must have stumbled into your arms by mistake!" - Ok, sounds like a particularly bad pick-up line, but there's one place where it might just be forgivable. Mini golf in the dark! In the "GlowZone" in Gerresheim, you can try your hand at the 4-D version of the sport under black light. Although it's not quite as challenging as the aforementioned bouldering, it still gives you a first impression of your swarm's ambition, enjoyment of the game and winning/losing mentality. You cheer each other on on a total of 18 courses and in six themed areas such as galaxy, volcanic landscape and underwater world. The good thing is that if the sparks unexpectedly fail to fly, the date ends when you reach the final lane without you having to look for a possible escape route or find a good excuse to say goodbye.  

On tour together in Düsseldorf 

Anyone who has been communicating with each other via a dating app for a long time - as is common today and especially since the corona crisis - already knows the other person's hobbies before the first meeting. A great prerequisite for booking a tour together in Düsseldorf! After all, having the same interests, such as enjoying beer, Japanese culture or the history of the city, is a great way to bond. Apart from that, small breaks in conversation that might be awkward in other places don't carry any weight - after all, if in doubt, the guides will quickly explain a fact again, for example about the art of brewing or the history of the Medienhafen. What's more, you'll also get an impression of how your loved one interacts with other people. And that can never hurt.  

A Hollywood-worthy love story: an evening at the arthouse cinema 

Don't want to take any risks on your first meeting with your potential dream partner and would rather play it safe with a trip to the movies? Absolutely understandable! After all, your knees are probably shaking with nervousness anyway, as if you were spending your beach vacation in Siberia. You certainly can't go wrong with watching a movie together, especially as you have the opportunity to choose a movie theater in Düsseldorf. How about a rendezvous in one of the numerous arthouse cinemas? There you can enjoy not only togetherness, but also highlights ranging from Hollywood classics to rarely shown arthouse films. And before you know it, someone will be leaning in from the left or right, and ideally for many, many movies.

 Cover picture: Düsseldorf Tourismus GmbH - U. Otte