Cidade Turismo
Germany

Before you go

Your trip to Frankfurt.

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

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Frankfurt – Hesse Destination Frankfurt and the Rhine Valley

How to get there

  • Flughafen Frankfurt am Main (FRA) 12 km
  • Frankfurt (Main) Hauptbahnhof 2 km

Approximate road distances. Check flights and bus schedules before you travel.

Check before buying. The airport (FRA) is about 12 km from the center, with S-Bahn (S8, S9) to the central station in about 15 minutes. The airport's long-distance station has ICE trains to all over the country. From Cologne, the ICE takes about 1 hour.

How many days

Two days allow you to see the old town, the cathedral, the Main Tower, one or two Museumsufer museums and have dinner in Sachsenhausen. With only one day, focus on the Römerberg, the Neue Altstadt, the cathedral and the view from the Main Tower. Add more days for day-trips to the Rhine Valley, to Heidelberg or to Wiesbaden.

When to go

From May to September the weather is warmer and the days are long, good for walks along the Main and for sitting in tavern courtyards. Winter, from December to February, is cold, but the Christmas market usually runs from late November until near Christmas. The city hosts large trade fairs, such as the book fair in October, when hotels fill up: check the calendar before booking.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

Do you need a car?

No. The center is walkable, and the integrated transport network uses U-Bahn, S-Bahn, trams and buses on the same ticket, which must be purchased before boarding. Frankfurt has an environmental zone (Umweltzone) requiring a green sticker on cars, and parking in the center is expensive and difficult.

Suggested itinerary

An order that works

Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.

One day in Frankfurt
  1. Morning
    Römerberg, Neue Altstadt and cathedral

    Start at the Römerberg, with the façade of the Römer and the half-timbered houses. Follow the Krönungsweg of the Neue Altstadt to the Kaiserdom and, if you have the breath, climb the 328 steps of the tower.

  2. Afternoon
    Paulskirche, Goethe-Haus and Kleinmarkthalle

    Have lunch at a stall in the Kleinmarkthalle (closed on Sundays). Then visit the Paulskirche and Goethe's birthplace, a few minutes' walk from each other.

  3. Late afternoon
    Main Tower

    Walk to Neue Mainzer Straße and go up to the Main Tower viewing platform to see the city from above at the end of the day, with the river and the cathedral down below.

  4. Evening
    Eiserner Steg and Sachsenhausen

    Cross the Main via the Eiserner Steg with its illuminated towers and have dinner in a Sachsenhausen tavern, with Apfelwein and Grüne Soße.

2 days in Frankfurt

Day 1

  1. Morning
    Old town and cathedral

    Römerberg, Neue Altstadt and Kaiserdom, with a climb up the tower. Pass by the Paulskirche next to the Römerberg.

  2. Afternoon
    Goethe-Haus and Kleinmarkthalle

    Lunch at the Kleinmarkthalle and a visit to Goethe's house with the Deutsches Romantik-Museum.

  3. Late afternoon
    Main Tower

    Main Tower viewpoint in the late afternoon, to see the city in daylight and then lit up.

  4. Evening
    Dinner in the center

    Dine near the Hauptwache or in the Neue Altstadt and walk along the north bank of the Main.

Day 2

  1. Morning
    Städel Museum

    Cross the Eiserner Steg and spend the morning at the Städel, from the old masters to contemporary art. The museum is closed on Mondays.

  2. Afternoon
    Museumsufer

    Choose another museum on the south bank, such as the Liebieghaus or the Filmmuseum, and walk along the Schaumainkai promenade.

  3. Late afternoon
    Palmengarten

    Take the subway to the Palmengarten and explore the greenhouses and gardens, or extend the visit to Grüneburgpark.

  4. Evening
    Sachsenhausen

    Return to Sachsenhausen and finish the day in a cider tavern, at the long shared tables.

Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.

Before you go

Frequently asked questions

How to get from the airport to central Frankfurt?

By S-Bahn, lines S8 or S9, from the airport regional station to the Hauptbahnhof (central station) or Hauptwache in about 15 minutes. Buy the ticket at the machine before boarding. By taxi it's about 20 minutes without traffic.

Is Frankfurt worth visiting or just a transit city?

It's worth at least one day. The city has a reconstructed old town, the coronation cathedral, Goethe's house, top-tier museums and the cider culture in Sachsenhausen, and it also serves as a base for the Rhine Valley.

Are shops open on Sundays?

Most shops are closed on Sundays. Museums, restaurants and the shops in stations and at the airport are usually open.

How does public transport work?

U-Bahn, S-Bahn, trams and buses use the same ticket from the regional RMV network. Buy it at the machine or in the app before boarding; there are no turnstiles, but there are inspections with fines.

What is typical Frankfurt food?

Grüne Soße, a cold herb sauce of seven herbs; the Frankfurter Würstchen sausage; Handkäs mit Musik; smoked chops, accompanied by Apfelwein, the local cider.

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