Neuss

Neuss lies about 10 km west of Düsseldorf on the opposite bank of the Rhine and is one of the oldest cities in Germany, founded by the Romans as the military camp Novaesium in 16 BC. The trip is short and cheap: regional trains and S-Bahn services run from Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof to Neuss Hbf in roughly 10 to 15 minutes, and the Rheinbahn U75 Stadtbahn takes about 20 to 25 minutes; both are covered by the Deutschlandticket. From the station, the compact old town is a short walk away. The centre of interest is the Quirinus-Münster at Münsterplatz 1, a late Romanesque basilica of the early 13th century dedicated to Saint Quirinus, the city's patron. Around the square, the Markt with its town hall, the pedestrian shopping streets and cafés make for an easy morning. The Clemens-Sels-Museum, housed in a former villa and a modern extension near the Obertor, shows art from the Roman period to the present, and the Roman history of the city can be traced through finds in the museum. A short tram ride or walk leads to the Rosengarten and the Hafen area, where the Rhine harbour is a quiet alternative to the busier Düsseldorf Medienhafen. Visitors who come in late summer should check the date of the Neusser Bürgerschützenfest, a large traditional marksmen's festival held around the end of August, which transforms the town but also fills hotels and trains. The Neuss Rosengarten and the nearby Museum Insel Hombroich, a short onward ride, add a countryside afternoon for travellers who want art among meadows. Local food centres on Rhenish dishes, such as Sauerbraten, Halve Hahn and the local Alt-style beers, served in the brewhouses and inns near the market. A plan of a relaxed morning in the old town, lunch at the Markt and an afternoon at the museum fits easily into half a day, and frequent trains make the return flexible. April to October offers the best weather for strolling.