Bremerhaven is a busy port city on the North Sea and the largest fishery pier in Europe. Walk the promenade and stop in any of the restaurants here for the freshest seafood ever, just barely out of the sea.

There’s a fascinating museum in the German Emigration Center, situated on a historic site in the New Harbor, where seven million Europeans set sail for the New World. For history buffs and anyone with German ancestry, it’s an amazing experience. First you “become” a passenger, wait on a dimly lit dock, then go on board and try to find your cramped and creaky sleeping cabin. Even Ellis Island is a part of the experience. At the end, you can research your genealogy.

Then tour Bremen, a charming fairy-tale city to the south. The market square is impressive: St. Petri Dom; an ancient Rathaus; a 16th-century guildhall; a modern glass-and-steel parliament building; and gabled town houses all compete for your attention. Then wander and shop Bremen’s old town, fashionable among artists who have restored the tiny cottages to serve as galleries and workshops.