Frankfurt on the River Main is a transport hub with Germany's largest passenger airport. The rebuilt Römerberg and New Old Town, the cathedral where emperors were crowned and Goethe's birthplace are all within walking distance, and across the river Sachsenhausen offers the Museum Embankment and apple-wine culture.
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Check prices →March to October, when the Palmengarten stays open until 7 p.m., is good for riverside walks and outdoor plans. Apple wine is drunk cool in summer and hot with sugar, cinnamon and cloves in winter. The Christmas market runs from 23 November to 22 December 2026 (Mon-Sat 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Sun 11 a.m.-9 p.m.), with over 230 stalls from the Römerberg to the Hauptwache.
According to the airport, the Regional Train Station is below Terminal 1 (Level 0); follow the 'Train stations S T' signs. From Terminal 3, the SkyLine train takes about 10-15 minutes to Terminal 1. The airport is RMV fare zone 5090, so a city-only (zone 5000) ticket is not valid; buy a city-airport ticket.
According to the airport, bus 61 (towards Frankfurt Südbahnhof) stops in front of both Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 on the arrivals level. Check routes and timetables on the official RMV and Deutsche Bahn websites.
According to the airport, taxis are available around the clock at all three terminals and at the long-distance train station.
Frankfurt's public transport uses RMV (Rhine-Main Transport Association) fares; the city is zone 5000 and the airport zone 5090. A city single ticket costs EUR 3.80, a short-trip ticket EUR 2.35 and a city day ticket EUR 7.75, valid until 5 a.m. the next day.
Buy tickets at station machines, in the official RMVgo app or from the bus driver. Single tickets are for immediate travel only: they cannot be bought in advance and are not valid for return trips or breaks in the journey.
The tourist board's official visitor pass: unlimited S-Bahn, U-Bahn, tram, bus and regional train travel (2nd class) in the city including the airport, plus up to 50% off at museums and more. EUR 13 for 1 day, EUR 21 for 2 days; group cards for up to 5 people cost EUR 26 (1 day) and EUR 39 (2 days). It runs by calendar day, until 5 a.m. after the last day.
According to RMV, a monthly subscription for local and regional transport throughout Germany at EUR 63 (EUR 66.80 from 2027), cancellable by the 10th for the end of that month. Long-distance trains such as ICE, IC and EC are not included.
Good for: First-timers, walking to sights
The Römer (city hall), the cathedral, St Paul's Church and the Goethe House are all within walking distance. Tourist offices are at Römerberg 27 and Markt 10 in the New Old Town.
Good for: Apple-wine taverns, Museum Embankment
The district south of the Main, described by the tourist board as the hotspot of apple-wine culture. Museums such as the Städel line the Schaumainkai embankment, and the Eiserner Steg footbridge links it to the old town.
Good for: Rail travel, trips to nearby and European cities
According to the tourist board, around 460,000 travellers pass through this major long-distance station daily, with trains to cities such as Paris, Vienna, Brussels, Basel and Amsterdam. Long-distance buses stop at Mannheimer Straße by the station.
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The Römer has been the city hall since 1405 and is still the mayor's seat. Its Kaisersaal (Imperial Hall) displays portraits of 52 kings and emperors of the Holy Roman Empire and can be visited free when not in use (it may close at short notice for events). Most of the half-timbered houses on the square are reconstructions or new buildings after the 1944 air raids.
Royal elections were held here from 1356, and ten emperors were crowned here between 1562 and 1792. The roughly 95-metre west tower is climbed via 328 steps and looks over the old town and the Römerberg. Check opening hours and tower access officially.
A quarter between the cathedral and the Römerberg completed in 2018, where 15 of its 35 buildings are faithful reconstructions. The Archaeological Garden shows traces of a Roman settlement and a Carolingian imperial palace, and you can walk the Coronation Route of kings and emperors. It is also home to the Struwwelpeter Museum and the free Stoltze Museum.
Consecrated in 1833, it hosted Germany's first National Assembly in 1848, which passed the first basic rights in Germany, making it a symbol of democracy. The Peace Prize of the German Book Trade is awarded here every year. Check opening hours officially.
The house where Goethe was born in 1749, faithfully rebuilt in 1951 after wartime destruction. Officially open Mon-Wed, Fri-Sun and public holidays 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Thursday 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; EUR 12 for adults, including the German Romantic Museum. Tickets are sold only at the on-site box office. Closed on 24, 25 and 31 December 2026 and 1 January 2027.
Cross the Eiserner Steg, an iron footbridge over 100 years old, to the museum-lined Museumsufer. The Städel Museum is open Tue, Wed, Fri-Sun 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Thu 10 a.m.-9 p.m., closed Mondays; adults EUR 19, or EUR 10 on Tuesdays from 3 p.m. The MuseumsuferTicket covers 39 museums for two days for EUR 21 (bought on site). Near U1, U2, U3 and U8 Schweizer Platz.
An indoor market near the Zeil where over 60 traders sell everything from regional produce to food from around the world. Officially open Mon-Fri 8 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sat 8 a.m.-4 p.m., closed on Sundays and public holidays. The tourist board recommends a Saturday lunch here.
A 20-hectare botanical garden centred on the 18-metre Palm House, opened in 1869. Officially open daily, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. March-October and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. November-February, closed on 24 and 31 December. Adults EUR 9, free up to age 17. Get off at U4, U6 or U7 Bockenheimer Warte.
Frankfurt's slightly tart signature drink, poured from a blue-grey stoneware jug (Bembel) into a diamond-patterned glass (Gerippte). It is also drunk 'sauergespritzt', topped up with mineral water.
A cold sauce of seven herbs (chives, parsley, chervil, borage, sorrel, salad burnet and cress), served with boiled eggs and potatoes.
Hand-formed sour-milk cheese marinated in vinegar, oil and onions, served with buttered bread. A classic in apple-wine taverns.
Thin beech-smoked sausages that may only carry the name if made in and around Frankfurt. Served in pairs and dipped in mustard or horseradish.
Cured, cooked pork ribs, served warm with sauerkraut and mashed potatoes.
Sweet marzipan pastries, a must at the Christmas market during Advent alongside hot apple wine.
Amounts are rough figures in local currency. Check exchange rates before you go.
S8 or S9 into the city and check in → Römerberg and the Römer (Kaisersaal) → New Old Town → climb the cathedral tower → St Paul's Church → Kleinmarkthalle (closed Sundays) → in the evening, cross the Eiserner Steg for apple wine in Sachsenhausen.
Goethe House in the morning → cross the Eiserner Steg to the Museum Embankment and the Städel Museum (closed Mondays) → U-Bahn to Bockenheimer Warte for a walk in the Palmengarten → head to the airport.
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