The next morning, we trained to Neuss, just outside Düsseldorf, for a first-time skiing experience at Alpenpark Neuss (Skihalle Neuss) — Germany’s first indoor ski slope. Inside the giant temperature-controlled dome, snowflakes floated gently from above as we learned the basics of skiing on real snow. The kids took to it instantly — gliding down the beginner slopes with confidence and huge smiles.

From there, we headed into Düsseldorf, a city famous not just for its Rhineland charm but also for being home to Europe’s second-largest Japanese community (after London). The area around Immermannstraße is known as “Little Tokyo on the Rhine,” filled with Japanese restaurants, markets, and bakeries. We enjoyed authentic ramen and sushi before strolling through yet another Christmas market, where we couldn’t resist grabbing warm Nutella crêpes to end the evening.