Frankfurt - the centre of the universe?
It sure feels like it at times with Frankfurt being the major transport hub airport in Europe. The number of travellers transiting Frankfurt is enormous - Frankfurt is home to a top-10 airport, Europe's largest rail terminal and Europe's busiest motorway interchange. Busy doesn't cover it. But it does mean weekend getaways are very easy to organise.
The financial and commercial hub of Germany is more of a modern city than you might expect; the futuristic skyscrapers vie with the old merchant houses in Romer Square for example. Eclectic neighbourhoods like Nordend and Sachsenhausen get no tourist attention, yet they are classic examples of fine 18th century architecture and beautiful parks, while the museum area on the River Main is awash in visitors. Frankfurt makes for a very European city break.
Frankfurt's position as a crossroads for Europe enabled major commercial fairs like the Frankfurt Auto Show and the Frankfurt Book Fair to establish themselves. It also drew in a large immigrant population and Frankfurt today is a polyglot city - with resulting food, cultural and entertainment highlights like no other!
Wander the river district, stay for an operatic experience, dine in one of the many budget restaurants representing the foods of the world, view the space age skyline and revel in the world-class museums in Museumsufer on the banks of the Main.
Frankfurt is a wonderful city to soak up the best of German history and explore a modern view of architecture within. If you are thinking weekend breaks in Europe, Frankfurt is a great place to start.
Eating out in Frankfurt - cheap, expensive and everything in between!
Frankfurt truly covers the spectrum - from expense account restaurants for trade fair goers all the way down to neighbourhood cafes and brasseries that showcase Frankfurt's cosmopolitan population from all corners of the world.
Start in the 'eating road', or Fressgass to the locals, where you'll find a swag of restaurants and deli-style shops. You'll find whatever you want at a price to suit here - just meander to your heart's content. Get here via Hauptwache or Alte Oper subway stations.
Feel like splurging? It's only money, so head straight for the best steakhouse in Germany - the Surf-n-Turf Steakhouse on Grunebergweg 95. Stylish and a good range of aged steaks cooked by master chefs. For something completely different try the Taj Mahal on Schweizer, close to the CBD.
Middle of the range - check out typical German fare at Leib & Seele in the city centre or you can spice it up at Suvadee on Baumweg for some tasty Thai.
On a budget? Your tum doesn't have to suffer - ye olde faithful doner kebabs are available at Bizim Doner near Frankfurt-Griesheim station. Excellent! You should really try the local fast food - and you'll find Germany's answer to fish and chips at a Best Worscht in Town store near you. Basically, its sliced beef sausage served with tomato sauce and spices in a variety of as hot-as-you-can-handle grades.
Food in Frankfurt is fresh and not too heavy. The immigrant population has ensured a huge variety and it's very easy to find good quality food at good prices pretty much everywhere.
What to wear, when to go
Frankfurt is an easy to city to visit all year round because the weather is fairly moderate most seasons. The only time to not go is more based around the Auto Show and Book Fair dates than weather concerns. Spring and autumn are delightful with temps ranging in the low teens. Summer is generally warm at around 25C but can climb to an uncomfortable 30C or more! (Rare.)
Winter hovers around the 4-5C mark so is never really too cold.
It's dry for around 260 days per year so your chances of a sunny holiday are good!
Frankfurt - not just business as usual
It may be the business centre of Europe and home to Germany's stock exchange, the highest commercial building in Europe and the European Central Bank, but Frankfurt has a fun side as well! The pubs are excellent as are the many polyglot restaurants. Search out an apple-wine tavern and delight in the local traditional drink. Roam the historic area of Romerberg and enjoy the many parks and riverside walks.
Historic Frankfurt - you must visit the 14th and 15th century Romerberg area. Beautiful old buildings line the streets and cafes vie for your attention. Bloodline of Christ conspiracy theorists can indulge their curiosity in the Historischer Garten which has the remains of Roman and Carolingian foundations. The nearby Frankfurter Dom is the coronation site of Holy Roman Emperors from the 14th to the 18th century.
Culture - this is the home of the German philosopher Goethe so you'll see plenty of what he had to say at the museum bearing his name in Grosser Hirschgraben.
Bars - the Sachsenhausen area is just across a bridge (pick any one) from the CBD area and the old town contains dozens of old cider bars where you'll enjoy the local tipple to your heart's content. Enjoy the river bank area and the flea market open every Saturday along the river bank.