11 Things to Do in Frankfurt: More Than an Airport

Most people land in Frankfurt and leave within an hour. That is their mistake. I stayed three nights and found a city of strong coffee, river walks, old town charm and a skyline that surprises you around every corner. Here is what I actually enjoyed doing there.

Wander the Rebuilt Old Town

The Romerberg square is the heart of it, ringed by half timbered houses and the old city hall. Frankly, much of this was rebuilt after the war, but it is done so well it feels ancient. I took my time in the little alleyways, found bakeries and craft shops, and ended up on the cathedral square looking up at the giant tower.

Walk Both Banks of the Main River

The river divides the city, and both sides have long flat walking paths. On the south bank I watched people jog, picnic and drink along the green. On the north side the museums line up in a row. I crossed the old iron footbridge for the best view of the skyscrapers behind the river. Do this at sunset.

Drink Apple Wine in Sachsenhausen

Across the river, the Sachsenhausen district is the home of apple wine. The traditional taverns pour it from blue and grey stoneware jugs, and it arrives tart and fizzy. I ordered it with a plate of green sauce and boiled potatoes. The neighbourhood gets lively at night, and the locals are genuinely friendly once the glasses are out.

Climb Above the City at the Main Tower

Frankfurt is the only German city with a real cluster of skyscrapers. The Main Tower lets you go up for a panorama over the whole thing. On a clear day you can see the Taunus hills to the north and the city spread out below like a model. Book a slot around golden hour and it is worth every euro.

Visit the Staedel Museum

Sitting alone on the museum bank, the Staedel holds seven centuries of European art. I went for the impressionists and stayed for the fourteenth century panel paintings. It is the kind of museum where you can move at your own pace, and it is rarely overcrowded even on a weekend.

Explore the Frankfurt Zoo and Palm Gardens

If you want a green pause, the Palmengarten is a big botanical garden in the west of the city with glasshouses full of tropical plants. The zoo, right next door, is one of the best in Europe for animal welfare. I found an hour among the trees refreshing before returning to the concrete.

See the Goethe House

The writer Goethe was born in this tall old house near the old town. The interior has been carefully restored, and it gives you a sense of how a wealthy Frankfurt family lived in the eighteenth century. It is a small, quiet stop, and it made the rest of the old town feel more human.

Take the Streetcar Through the City

Favor the trams over the metro for sightseeing. The big trains go underground, but the streetcars stay above and weave past the opera house, the fairgrounds and the river. I bought a day pass and just rode lines until something caught my eye. It is the cheapest guided tour in Frankfurt.

Eat Currywurst and Cheesecake

Frankfurt has a serious food scene. The local sausage, historically served with green sauce, is worth trying, and the frankfurter kranz is a ring shaped cake with jam. I grabbed lunch at a market stand and dessert at an old cafe. My advice is to eat where the office workers eat, not where the tours stop.

Shop the Weekend Flea Market

On Saturdays, the riverside embankment fills with stalls selling vintage clothes, records and odd furniture. I walked the whole stretch and came away with a few small things and a better feel for the city. It is relaxed, local, and a lovely way to spend a weekend morning.

Use It as a Base, Slowly

Frankfurt is a transport hub, but the trick is to treat it as a destination in its own right. Give it two full days. One for the old town, river and museums, and one to just wander the neighbourhoods and eat properly. That is enough to understand why the locals love living here, despite the skyscrapers looming over them.

One more quiet pleasure: start a morning at the Green Sauce market, then ride the old town tram to the river in daylight. The city rewards the unhurried traveller, and I kept finding corners of it that never make the transfer brochures.

Skip the airport transfer for once. Stay a night or two, walk the river, and order a glass of apple wine in a tavern across the bridge. You will leave knowing Frankfurt as more than a place trains pass through.