7 ways to experience the best of Frankfurt 

Fast-paced Frankfurt is a compact cosmopolitan hub on the banks of the river Main. Best known for banking, a book fair, Goethe and its high-rise skyline, earning it the nickname “Mainhatten”, Germany’s fifth largest city is also where you’ll find an old town which rose from the ashes of the Second World War and cosy neighbourhood taverns serving tangy apple wine. Join the locals for a drink, try original Frankfurter sausages, cycle to the city forest, grab a deckchair in the botanical gardens or explore the museums along the riverbanks – here’s how to spend a few days in the city.  

The Museumsufer or Museum Embankment is a cultural highlight in Frankfurt. Here, along the northern and southern sides of the Main, you’ll find an impressive collection of museums housed in grand Wilhelminian-style villas, sleek modern structures built by accomplished international architects and existing venues which have often been extended. The idea to group museums together was first developed in the 1970s and continues to evolve and expand today. Get stuck into everything from local history to modern electric music, but don’t miss the Liebieghaus, one of the most notable sculpture museums in the world, or the Städel Museum, with an art collection spanning 700 years. Admission to many museums is free on the last Saturday of the month.    

Work to restore part of Frankfurt’s medieval centre, destroyed during air raids in 1944, didn’t start until 2012. The six-year project, involving 15 reconstructions and 20 new buildings between the cathedral and the Römerberg square, saw the removal of post-war concrete and the return of half-timbered houses and the historic street network to the city’s smallest district. Take a stroll around the alleys and squares, looking out for highlights such as the Haus zur Goldenen Waage (House of the Golden Scales) with its Renaissance façade; the pastel-hued Hühnermarkt, a historic market square; and Hinter dem Lämmchen, a jumble of houses and courtyards which dates back to the 14th century. Leave time for the shops, cafés and restaurants in this area too.  

Open since 1871, Frankfurt’s glorious Palmengarten is located in the upscale Westend district. The botanical gardens are home to thousands of native and exotic plants, some more than a hundred years old, as well as several species of butterfly. The centrepiece is the grand 18m-high palm house with its glass and steel canopy, still one of the largest in Europe today. There are also kiosks and cafes, pedalos and rowing boats, and playgrounds for children. Come to learn, hang out or simply unwind on one of the deckchairs on the grass. If possible, time your visit to coincide with one of the regular flower shows and exhibitions, often accompanied by lectures and tours, or the programme of outdoor concerts in summer.  

In a country renowned for its beer, Frankfurt is the place to come for apple wine, known locally as Ebbelwoi. Deeply rooted in Hessian tradition, the flat fermented drink is served from grey stoneware jugs decorated with blue floral artwork and best enjoyed in one of the city’s historic taverns or Ebbelwei-Wirtschaften. Expect simple interiors with wooden benches and communal tables. Here you’ll also find regional dishes such as loin ribs with sauerkraut or Frankfurter sausages served with mustard or horseradish. Other must-try specialities include Handkäs mit Musik, round sour-milk cheeses marinated in olive oil, onions and caraway seeds, and Grüne Soße, a finely balanced mixture of seven herbs served with boiled eggs and potatoes.  

The longest tributary of the Rhine, the river Main flows through the centre of Frankfurt and is a big part of local life. Join others walking, cycling or sitting along the banks, or take a trip out on the water. Regular boat tours head towards the West Harbour or the Gerbermühle, passing key landmarks and offering fabulous views of the city’s famous skyscrapers. Look out for the Main Plaza built in the style of a 1920s New York high rise, the Commerzbank Tower at almost 260m tall and the Westhafen Tower designed to resemble a giant glass of apple wine! Plan your trip for early evening to see the buildings’ lights start to twinkle over the rest of the city.   

German poet, playwright and novelist Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was born in Frankfurt in 1749 and lived in the city until 1775, when he moved to Weimar. Today you can visit his (rebuilt) family home on Großer Hirschgraben, including the room where he created many of his early works. For more history, head over to the Römerberg square in the heart of the old town. Here you’ll find the Römer building with its stepped–gable façade, the city hall since 1405; the Fountain of Justice, which was filled with wine during emperor coronations; the house where Frankfurt’s first bank was established in the 17th century and a plaque commemorating the book burning by the National Socialists in 1933.  

Like many places in Germany, Frankfurt is a city that takes cycling very seriously, with well-marked bike lanes and public repair centres. The municipal administration even has its own cycling office. Getting out on two wheels is a great way to visit neighbourhoods such as Bornheim or Nordend, venture further along the river or explore the surprising amount of green space beyond the centre. Keen cyclists will enjoy the MainRadweg, which passes through Frankfurt on the route between Aschaffenburg and Mainz; or the GrünGürtel-Radrundweg (green belt cycle path), a 64km loop around the city that runs along the Nidda river, through the herb gardens in Oberrad and into the Frankfurt city forest, one of the country’s most wooded urban areas.