Düsseldorf

Düsseldorf, the state capital of North Rhine-Westphalia, may suffer by comparison to Köln's remarkable skyline, but the elegant city has more than enough charm—and money—to boost its confidence. It has a reputation for being one of the richest cities in Germany, with an extravagant lifestyle that epitomizes the economic success of postwar Germany. Since 80% of Düsseldorf was destroyed in World War II, the city has since been more or less rebuilt from the ground up—in part rebuilding landmarks of long ago and restoring a medieval riverside quarter.

At the confluence of the Rivers Rhine and Düssel, this dynamic city started as a small fishing town. The name means "village on the Düssel," but obviously this Dorf is a village no more. Raised expressways speed traffic past towering glass-and-steel structures; within them, glass-enclosed shopping malls showcase the finest clothes, furs, jewelry, and other goods that money can buy.