Office space for rent: Ruhrallee 9, Dortmund

Dortmund, famed for decades for its coal and steel industries, is now embracing change and emerging as a major player in the biomedical, microsystem and high-tech industries. Catch up with like-minded business people in the on-site bistro and the building’s communal meeting spaces, where networking is just part of the average day. Transport links are impressive too, with rapid onward travel via the B54 onto the national road network, while Dortmund Hbf Bus and Train Station is just minutes away. Breathing space comes courtesy of the Stadtgarten and West Park, both offering a pleasant walk on a sunny day.