ulrichjohannes

Frankfurt — Most people just visit one place in Frankfurt — the Airport. The city itself is somehow underrated as a touristic destination and mostly known for its role as financial centre of Germany. But the city offers much more with its rich history and cultural activities. I will give you a short guide of Frankfurt, which will show the most interesting parts in Frankfurt if you only have a couple of hours’ time.

You will usually arrive at the main train station of Frankfurt. Go through the main exit and and cross the street. On the right side you can find the house where Oscar Schindler (Schindler’s List) lived after the Second World War. Now follow Kaiserstraße, which heads straight to the financial district. Kaiserstraße marks the middle of the Bahnhofsviertel, which is/was known for prostitution, drugs and crimes. The situation has improved over the last years and the crime rate decreased. Today the area is, even in the dark, quite safe but there are still drug addicts and prostitutes especially on Taunusstraße. After a couple of minutes of walking on Kaiserstraße, you will arrive at a small park called Taunusanlage. Turn right now to get to the world famous Euro sign, which shows that Frankfurt is the centre of the Eurozone and inhabits the European Central Bank. On the opposite of the street is the Neue Oper, a concert house with a big cultural variety. If you now turn left and follow the big street (Neue Mainzer Straße), you will arrive at the Main Tower on the right, which has a nice visitor’s platform, which offers astonishing views on Frankfurt.

After you have enjoyed Frankfurt from above, keep walking the same direction and you will arrive at the Alte Oper, which is one of the most beautiful concert houses in Germany.

It’s now a good idea to follow the Große Bockenheimer Straße eastwards. After a couple of minutes, there is a square on the right hand side. Now turn left and after around 150m turn right again. You are now standing in front of the Deutsche Börse (German stock exchange) and you can see the bull and the bear. It’s possible to get inside of the exchange, but you need to register a couple of days ahead. If you turn right at Bull and Bear, you will get to the Hauptwache. If you are now in the mood for a coffee, on the Astor cinema is a rooftop café, which has a really nice view on the skyline of Frankfurt. The Hauptwache is also the beginning of the Zeil, which a shopping area, where you can find almost everything what kills the content of your wallet. Before you gonna spend too much time here (and too much money), you should turn right and walk to the Pauls Kirche, which was the place, where the first german parliament tried to establish a constitution in 1848/1849. The entrance is for free and information are available in different languages. The historic centre of Frankfurt, the Römer, is now only a couple of footsteps away.

The Römer is the old townhouse of Frankfurt and it is surrounded by beautiful, colourful, traditional houses. Close to the Römer you can find the beautiful Frankfurter Dom (cathedral). The entrance in the cathedral is for free. I can also recommend to climb the tower of the church. The tower has its price: 200+ steps and an entrance fee of 3€, but the view on the skyline, the Main River and the new ECB headquarter is stunning.

After the Dom it’s time to cross the river. Walk down to the river from the dome and turn right. After around 200m, you will arrive at a historic bridge, called Eisener Steig. Cross this beautiful bridge. You are now in Sachsenhauen, a historic part of Frankfurt, well known for its bars and nightlife. If you’re staying in Frankfurt overnight, it is good idea to check out the cozy bars and pubs of this part of the city at night. But because it still day, turn right and follow the river. You now have a beautiful view on the city. After around 500m you can find a nice bar at the river, where you can finish this walking tour with a traditional Frankfurt beverage: Ebbelwoi. Enjoy!