- Destinations
- Europe
- Germany
- Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Visitors to Germany do not find much to make them linger in the
sprawling city of Frankfurt on the River Main, unless their purpose
is business rather than pleasure. For most visitors to the country,
however, Frankfurt's huge showpiece airport is the point of arrival
and departure. The city is a major transport hub and an industrial
and financial metropolis that ensures it is the economic powerhouse
not only of Germany, but central Europe. Frankfurt is home to
Germany's central bank, the Bundesbank and Europe's most important
stock exchange, which has been trading since 1585.
For tourists Frankfurt does offer some sights, some intriguing
restaurants in the Nordend, a variety of artistic and cultural
events, and excellent shopping opportunities. Sightseeing
opportunities are mostly confined to the historical core of the
city, known as the Romerberg, where Charlemagne erected his fort in
medieval times. Most of the original buildings were destroyed
during World War II, but some have been reconstructed, including
the home of Goethe, Frankfurt's famous son who became Germany's
greatest writer. For shopping it is hard to beat the Zeil,
Germany's equivalent to New York's Fifth Avenue.
With its excellent rail connections and Autobahn system,
Frankfurt is the natural hub for travellers wishing to explore the
surrounding towns and countryside. It is also the venue for
numerous trade fairs, exhibitions and congresses, drawing about
12-million visitors a year to these events. The largest and best
known is the annual International Book Fair, which is attended by
thousands of publishers.
Information & Facts
Climate
Frankfurt has a temperate continental climate, characterised by
warm summers with occasional wet days, and cold winters.
Temperatures are not extreme and never severe. Winters can bring
occasional violent storms.
Eating Out
Frankfurt's diverse restaurant scene reflects the multicultural
make-up of the city. Whether you're looking for German classics
such as schnitzel and Eisbein and sauerkraut, local legends like
Frankfurter Hacksteak, or the very best of international cuisine,
you will find it here. Most traditional German restaurants are
located in the Fressgasse pedestrian street, and in the
Sachsenhausen area. The best Frankfurt restaurants serving modern
and international cuisine tend to be in the city centre or Westend,
while Nordend boasts some great cafés and a few ethnic restaurants.
Frankfurt restaurants have various trading hours and it is best to
call ahead and make reservations. Some Frankfurt restaurants
include a service charge in the bill but if this is not the case,
10% is customary. Prices include a VAT charge of 19%.
Getting Around
Public transport in the city is expensive, but efficient,
consisting of an integrated network of fast, modern underground
U-Bahn lines, S-Bahn city trains, trams and buses that operate from
4am to 2am. Several night bus routes also operate from 1am. Fares
are standard and are based on a zone system; most tickets are valid
for an hour and can be used for any amount of transfers between all
modes of public transport within that time. A variety of tickets
can be bought from machines at most stops including hourly and
daily passes, and tickets must be bought prior to boarding; single
ticket fares are more expensive during rush hours. The
Frankfurt Card(available from the tourist office) is good
value allowing for unlimited travel within greater Frankfurt, plus
airport shuttle transport and half price admission to museums. For
those attending a conference in Frankfurt, the tourist office has a
one-day Congress Ticket valid for unlimited travel in the city and
to the airport. Taxis are safe and plentiful, but expensive.
Driving a car in the city involves rush hour congestion, expensive
parking lots and confusing road systems so it's best to park and
use public transport while in the city.
Kids Attractions
Although parents would never bring children to Frankfurt for a
holiday, there are plenty of worthy attractions for kids to enjoy.
Parks and gardens are ideal in the summer months allowing children
the space to let off some steam, while in winter or rainy weather
there are plenty of child-friendly museums and exhibitions. Here
are some ideas for entertaining the kids on a short visit to
Frankfurt:
Language
German is the official language. English is also widely
spoken and understood.
Money
The unit of currency is the Euro (EUR), divided into 100 cents.
ATMs and exchange bureaux are widely available. The major credit
cards are becoming more widely accepted in many large shops, hotels
and restaurants, although Germans themselves prefer to carry cash.
Travellers cheques are best cashed at exchange bureaux, as banks
often won't change them. The quickest and most convenient way to
change money is to obtain cash from one of the ATM machines that
are ubiquitous features on all German streets. Banks are closed on
weekends, but exchange bureaux at airports and main railway
stations are open daily from 6am to 10pm.
Night Life
You might not expect a city known for its banking industry to
have much of a nightlife, but with its high rollers and
multicultural expats, Frankfurt parties hard after dark. So whether
you're looking for an epic night in the club or a laid back session
of jazz, Frankfurt will have what you're after. The best nightclubs
for techno and house are U60311, Kingkamehameha Club and Cocoon,
the latter rated one of the best clubs in the world.
Theplace for jazz is the esteemed Jazzkeller,
which draws big name artists from around the world. For opera and
classical music see what's playing at the Oper Frankfurt and the
venerable Alte Oper. Nightlife is clustered around the city's
northern part near Fressgasse, Zeil and Römerberg. The cobbled
lanes of Sachsenhausen are especially lively Latin, Irish and local
joints. Local magazines Prinz and Journal Frankfurt have listings
for Frankfurt's diverse entertainment scene.
Shopping
Shopping in Frankfurt is not only about splurging on must-have
items, but is also a taste and smell sensation with plenty of
specialist food stores, cafés and delicatessens lining the
Fressgasse, ready to recharge weary shoppers' batteries. The Zeil
in Frankfurt is a large street where all the biggest stores and
shopping centres can be found. This is the place to do a spot of
clothes shopping, lazily browse through bookstores, or look for
end-of-season sales at the mainstream stores. The Apfelwein
district in Sachsenhause is where all the traditional German
souvenirs such as the usual large ceramic beer jugs, German Steins,
are available. Head on over to Goethestrasse where most the top-end
designer shops and jewellery stores can be found. Schweizerstrasse,
in Sachsenhausen, is home to exclusive boutiques and independent
stores aimed at the trendier, younger market. Most Frankfurt shops
are open from 10am to 10pm, from Monday to Friday, and from 10am to
4pm on Saturdays, while Sundays sees the shops close. A VAT of 16%
is added to most goods and services in Germany and when leaving the
country, non-EU tourists can apply for a tax refund on any goods
bought that are to be exported to a minimum value of EUR25.
Sightseeing
Frankfurt has some beautiful attractions, both historic and
cultural. Sightseeing in Frankfurt is best done in the summer
months, when the weather is warmer and the days longer. For history
buffs, some of the best Frankfurt attractions include the Well of
Justice fountain in Romerberg Square, dating to 1541, and the
Eschenheimer Turm, a medieval tower from the 15th century, as well
as the Historical Museum which exhibits pieces a range of
impressive artefacts from the Middle Ages. The Goethe-Haus is where
the author of Dr Faustus, poet Johan Wolfgang von Goethe, was born
in 1749. Cultural Frankfurt attractions include the Städel Gallery,
which houses works by Renoir, while the Museum of Sculpture has
works from ancient Greece and Rome. Visit the German Film Museum
(Deutsches Filmmuseum) to watch one of the classics from its
enormous collection, or perhaps stroll the vast plant kingdom found
in Frankfurt's Botanical Gardens.
Time
GMT +1 (GMT +2 between the last Sunday in March and the last
Sunday in October).