Essential Travel Tips for an Unforgettable Visit to Frankfurt

Planning to visit Frankfurt with the love of your life? Check out the most romantic things to do in Frankfurt.

6. Wander through Palmengarten

One of the city’s three botanical gardens, Palmengarten offers 22 hectares of indigenous, exotic, tropical, and sub-tropical plants. Explore the open-air collections and the greenhouses together, and then enjoy pastries and warm or cold drinks at one of Palmengarten’s two coffee shops.

7. Explore the historic streets of Sachsenhausen

A mediaeval district of Frankfurt, Sachsenhausen has quaint streets, squares, and embankments that are worth exploring together. See old buildings, visit cafes, bars, and restaurants, discover fascinating museum collections, and, if you’re there on a Saturday morning, browse one of the city’s best flea markets.

8. See the Alte Oper

Visiting the Alte Oper (Old Opera House) is one of the top romantic things to do in Frankfurt. Learn about this gorgeous edifice on a guided tour, or, better yet, attend a performance with your special someone.

9. Take a day trip to wine country near Frankfurt

Two gorgeous wine-producing regions are an hour’s train journey from Frankfurt. Spend a day exploring the vineyards of Rheingau and Rheinhessen, taste the fruits of the winemakers’ labours, and enjoy a delicious meal or picnic in the countryside.

10. Visit a fairy tale castle

Germany is a land of fairy tales, so why not spend a day exploring a castle dedicated to the Brothers Grimm? Take a day trip to Schloss Steinau (Steinau Castle), where you can wander through courtyards, climb towers, see a historic kitchen, visit old chambers, and peruse a Grimm Brothers and other exhibitions.

Frankfurt has Germany's largest city forests and is certainly a good destination for nature lovers and pet-owners. Take a look at some of the best things to see and do in Frankfurt for nature enthusiasts. If you want to bring your fury friend with you during your trip, Capri by Fraser, Frankfurt offers pet-friendly residences.

11. Contemplate beauty in Bethmannpark

Once the renowned Bethmann family’s garden, Bethmannpark offers three hectares of beauty, peace, and tranquillity. For most visitors, the highlight is the Chinese Garden, which was designed according to the principles of Feng Shui. In it, you’ll find plants, trees, graceful waterside pagodas, and quaint wooden bridges.

12. Combine art and nature in Rothschildpark

Located in Frankfurt’s business district, Rothschildpark has manicured lawns, a small lake, 19^th-century buildings, and a fascinating collection of sculptures. Spend some time strolling through the park and discovering its surprises.

13. Explore the Botanical Garden

Some amazing sights await you in the Frankfurt Botanical Garden. The garden was founded in 1869, and since then, its collection has swelled to include more than 5,000 outdoor plants grouped in thematic areas. In addition to exploring those, you can wander through a jungle-like greenhouse filled with tropical plants.

14. Immerse yourself in the beauty of Lohrpark

Located on the city’s highest geographical point, Lohrpark is where you’ll find Frankfurt’s last vineyard. In addition to the pretty vineyard, you’ll find massive old oak trees, paths lined with roses, playgrounds, and sweeping views of the city.

15. Wander through Alter Flugplatz

A former U.S. military airbase, Alter Flugplatz has been fully revitalised as an urban park. What’s left of the old concrete runway is popular with rollerbladers, skaters, and kiters, and one of the hangars houses a firefighting museum. The old tower building’s now a café. Explore further, and you’ll see how nature has reclaimed part of a runway, how another section of runway was removed and replaced with plants and trees, and how ponds, playgrounds, and other elements were added to the site.

When you visit Frankfurt, immerse yourself in its vibrant cultural scene with a variety of enriching activities. Explore the city's rich heritage and artistic flair with some of the best cultural experiences Frankfurt has to offer.

16. Visit the Goethe House

If you love literature, be sure to visit the Goethe House and Museum. Located in Frankfurt’s Innenstadt district, the house is a 1947 reconstruction of the original Goethe House, which was destroyed by Allied bombing. The famed author, poet, and playwright Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was born in the house in 1749, and it was there that he wrote his most famous works.

The Goethe House and Museum is next-door to the Deutsches Romantik-Museum, which opened in 2021. You can visit both sites with the same ticket. The museum is dedicated to German Romanticism. Visit the Goethe House and Deutsches Romantik-Museum at 23-25 Großer Hirschgraben, Altstadt, Frankfurt.

17. Visit the Städel Museum

The Städel Museum Frankfurt, officially known as the Städelsches Kunstinstitut und Städtische Galerie, is a wonderland for art lovers. The impressive collection of 3,100 paintings, 660 sculptures, more than 4,600 photographs and 100,000 drawings and prints spans 700 years.

Explore artworks from the early 14^th century, Late Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque eras, and the 19^th, 20^th and 21^st centuries. You’ll find the Städel Museum Frankfurt at Schaumainkai 63, Museumsufer, Frankfurt. Visit our recent blog for more activities to do by Städel Museum.

18. See St Paul’s Church

Once a Lutheran church, St Paul’s is now an exhibition and events venue. The exterior looks weatherworn, but the interior is strikingly modern. The church was where the National Assembly worked to develop the first constitution for a united Germany in 1849. St Paul’s was destroyed during the Allied bombing of the city during the Second World War. It was the first building to be rebuilt after the war, due to its importance as the cradle of Germany and as a symbol of freedom.

19. Wander through the Museum of Modern Art

Known to locals as the ‘Slice of Cake,’ the Museum of Modern Art houses a seriously impressive collection of artworks by German and international artists. See works by modern masters such as Joseph Beuys, Roy Lichtenstein, Gerhardt Richter, and Andy Warhol.

20. Let Frankfurt Cathedral astound you

Construction of Frankfurt Cathedral (the Imperial Cathedral of St Bartholomew) began in the 1400s and continued until it was completed in the 1500s. Three centuries later, the Gothic church was gutted by a fire and rebuilt in the current style. The church was severely damaged by bombing during the Second World War and was reconstructed in the 1950s. Frankfurt Cathedral is a space that must be seen to be believed.

21. Tour the Hochst Porcelain Manufactory

Germany’s second-oldest fine porcelain factory, the Hochst Porcelain Manufactory offers a fascinating glimpse into a beautiful ceramic. The factory brings together art history and modern ceramic work. View the gorgeous exhibition and go on a guided tour of the factory.

How to get to Frankfurt

You’ll be able to get to the city centre with ease if you’re flying to Frankfurt Airport. Explore the various choices available to make your journey to Frankfurt a smooth and enjoyable experience.

Train: Travelling by train is the easiest way to get from the airport to the city centre. Take S-Bahn trains S8 or S9 (direction of Offenbach or Hanau) from the Regional Station directly below Terminal 1 to the city’s Hauptbahnhof (main station). The journey takes about 10 minutes, and one-way tickets available from RMV machines cost €4.50.

Bus: You can take a bus to the city centre from directly outside Terminal 1 on the arrivals level or from outside Terminal 2 on level 2.

Taxi: If you prefer travelling to the Frankfurt city centre by taxi, you will find them outside the terminals. The fare is approximately €40, and the journey takes about 20 minutes.

Car: There are several rental car offices at the airport. Take the A60 autobahn and connect to A66, which leads to Frankfurt.

Getting around Frankfurt

Frankfurt’s fantastic public transport links, roads in excellent condition, and abundance of cycle lanes offer many different ways to get around the city. Don’t feel that you need to hire a car, as public transport here usually is the cheaper, faster, and easier option.

U-Bahn: The U-Bahn underground railway runs partly above ground, and in some parts of the city, it works in conjunction with the tram system. The trains in the city centre run every two to five minutes before 8pm, after which they run every 10 to 20 minutes until 1am, when the U-Bahn closes until 4am. There are nine U-Bahn/tram lines and almost 90 stations.

S-Bahn: The S-Bahn city train runs from the city centre to the outer suburbs and nearby cities. Trains run approximately every three minutes during peak hours, and every 15 to 30 minutes at night or if they’re travelling to the outer suburbs and surrounding cities. While full service is from 6am until 8pm, some lines open at 4am, and other lines are open until the last trains leave Frankfurt at 1.20am. The S8 and S9 trains run 24/7. There are nine lines and 112 stations.

Bus: Travelling by bus is particularly helpful if you’re looking for stops that are closer together than those of the U-Bahn or S-Bahn, if you’re travelling between S-Bahn stations in the north of the city, or if you’re travelling at night after the U-Bahn and S-Bahn close.

Regular tickets for adults cost €2.75, and there is a reduced fare for children ages 6-14. Children under age 6 do not need tickets. You can use a ticket on all forms of public transport. Tickets are valid for two hours starting from the moment you purchase them, and you can only use them for travelling in one direction.