North Rhine-Westphalia

People in the Rhineland are usually credited with a pronounced cheerfulness as an attribute, while those in the Münsterland are said to be reserved. The Sauerland, according to popular opinion, consists of mountains, streams and reservoirs, while the Ruhr region is a chain of cities strung together. North Rhine-Westphalia, you quickly realize, likes to play with these clichés and preconceived notions, and even more so to refute them. What is true, however, is that Germany's most populous state presents itself as decidedly diverse, and the contrasts in culture, tradition and everyday life are precisely what make the region between Cologne and Arnsberg, Bielefeld and Kleve so appealing.