Hannover

Hannover is somewhat off the Fairy-Tale Road, yet its culture and commerce influence the quieter surrounding towns. As a trade-fair center, where hotel rooms are sometimes hard to come by, Hannover competes with such cities as Munich and Leipzig. It's also an exemplary arts center, with leading museums, an opera house of international repute, and the finest baroque park in the country. Its patronage of the arts is also evident in unexpected places; as part of an international competition, architects and designers created nine unique bus and streetcar stops for the city. Designs include the massive, 60-foot stop with golden domes at the corners at Steintor and the green "roof garden" above the heads of those waiting for a bus at Leinaustrasse.