Germany’s largest metro area by population – 53 cities from Dortmund to Essen and Oberhausen – is proving that post-industrial doesn’t mean post-opportunity. Since the last coal mine closed in 2018, the Ruhr has ingeniously adapted its industrial heritage: the Ruhr Museum keeps innovating, while the Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord unveiled new climbing walls and event lighting, drawing fresh tourism and a #25 Instagram Posts ranking. Tourism momentum is real after a record 2024 for the state, and the region – ranked 26 in our Green Space subcategory – is gearing up for the huge IGA 2027: five garden shows across the metro offering 2.6 million visitors an answer to what people and the city of the future need. The FISU World University Games – in converted and new venues – is another summer highlight. The #7-ranked Weather should cooperate.
Urban transformation continues with Duisburg’s 6 Lakes Wedau development, a $545-million mixed-use project turning 150 acres of rail corridor into 3,000 residential units. In Essen, the Krupp-Belt redevelopment is bringing mixed-use towers and tech-lab space to market by mid-2026. Real estate remains among Western Europe’s most affordable, attracting talent, investment and money: 2024-5 FDI projets in clean energy manufacturing and advanced logistics.