Bremen

Two cities, one state: Bremen and its deep-water port on the Weser River, Bremerhaven, make up the federal state of Bremen. In the old days, what is now Germany's smallest federal state gained its fame for the cotton, coffee, tobacco, and fruits it imported, as well as for the wood and wool it exported.

The city is still active as Germany's second-largest shipbuilding and maritime trade location, but its goods no longer travel exclusively over the seas. Although one of every three jobs in Bremen is port-related, the main employer in the state is actually Daimler, which manufactures a number of vehicle models here. Production for sea and land is matched by that for air and space: the wings for several Airbus aircraft models are assembled in Bremen, and EADS and OHB Technology manufacture space technologies here, including laboratories designed for the International Space Station, carrier rockets, and satellite systems.

And lest anyone get hungry or thirsty during their travels, Bremen also produces several world-famous foods and beverages, including Beck's beer, Jacobs coffee, and Milka chocolates. So much contact with the wider world has made the city independent-minded and cosmopolitan, and trade has led to a wealth of beautiful architecture and some of the world's finest maritime museums.