More Than the FRA: Gateway Airport to Frankfurt
When I thought about writing an article about Frankfurt, I had to stop and think. I’ve been to Frankfurt maybe 6-7 times in the past year and a half. But I’ve never really seen anything besides the airport. And that seems to be the case for most travelers. However, they really should stop because Frankfurt has a wealth of attractions to keep most non-flyers entertained. Frankfurt has more than the FRA.
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More Than the FRA
Things to do in Frankfurt Germany
There’s so much more to the city than the business flowing through its airport. Frankfurt’s streets and skyscrapers dominate the view. The best place to get a good lay of the land is from the viewing platform atop the 55-story Main Tower building. Located in the city center, its 656-ft, the 5th tallest building in Europe. And it offers a 360° sweeping view of the city, a restaurant, bar and cigar bar that serves lunch and dinner. The view may be priceless, but the restaurant, well it’s just pricey!
Top Things to do in Frankfurt
Over 40 museums and art galleries participate in the Night of the Museum, featuring guided tours, music and dance and theatre performances. Held on May 5th this year, Frankfurt’s museums stay open late to give visitors a taste of all the city’s collections with one combined ticket. Shuttle buses run until 2 a.m., taking some of the 40,000 visitors from venue to venue free of charge.
The History of Frankfurt
The open and hospitable atmosphere in Frankfurt stems from its centuries-old role as a trading center. The silhouetted Römerberg or Roman Mountain is the historic heart of the city and is not really a mountain at all.
Beneath its’ surface, Frankfurt tourism actually thrives on the arts. Across from the Sachsenhausen, you’ll find the Museumsufer, Museum Embankment. Take a walk along the river Main, which runs through Frankfurt’s city center and is lined by some of the best museums in the country, including the Städel Museum of Fine Arts.
With massive renovations almost complete, the museum’s focus is primarily on the old masters: Botticelli, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Degas, Matisse, Monet, Renoir, and Picasso to name a few. Another museum well worth a visit is the Senkenberg Museum of Natural History with its impressive array of dinosaur skeletons, mammals and Egyptian artifacts. You can’t miss it, there’s a gigantic T-rex marking its’ territory out front.
Old Town Center and the Cider Taverns
of Sachsenhausen
Once you get your head out of the clouds, head toward the Old Town Center and the Cider Taverns of Sachsenhausen for the signature drink of Frankfurt, apfelwein. Apfelwein (apple wine) is a light alcoholic apple cider that is produced locally. Cider houses that produce their own apfelwein can be identified by the presence of a wreath of evergreen branches hanging outside or a similar image on a nearby signpost. Go ahead and indulge, local law requires apfelwein must be the cheapest alcoholic beverage on sale in any public house.
City Hall
This city hall is flanked by rainbow colored half-timbered houses and the beautiful Fountain of Justice, built in 1543 dominates the center of the square. Facing the Römer, the Goddess of Justitia holds the scales of justice, but without her usual blindfold. Amid the tall glass and metal structures that dominate the futuristic skyline, lies a plant paradise with flora from all 4-corners of the world.
The Palmengarten
The Palmengarten, located on 50 acres, flaunts over six thousand different botanical species, including roses, orchids, bromeliads, palms, ferns, and succulents. Founded in 1868, the Palmengarten, takes you on a horticultural journey from the African savanna through the exotic plants of the rain forests to the blooming gardens of Europe. The gardens also offer a variety of recreational activities including guided tours, summer concerts, evening festivals, and exhibitions.
English Theatre
Do you miss the theater? Why not spend an evening at the English Theatre in Frankfurt? Founded more than 30 years ago, it is continental Europe’s largest English-speaking theater with more than 60,000 visitors per year enjoying the classics, comedies, and musicals. Current productions through April include the classic thriller An Inspector Calls and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.
Frankensteiner Platz
Free and open to everyone from beginners to expert, Frankensteiner Platz is taken over by wheels of a different kind every Tuesday night at 8:30. Beginning on March 29th through October, around 1,000 inline skaters take to the streets of Frankfurt. The routes fluctuate and normally take two and a half hours to complete. Getting to and around Frankfurt is straightforward.
Getting Around Frankfurt
The best way to travel around Frankfurt is the Underground or the U-Bahn, Untergrundbahn, tram, and bus. And unlike other German cities, tickets purchased are valid immediately. Metro stations are designated by either a white capital “U” on a blue background. Or a white “S” on a green background. Don’t forget that Frankfurt can be a destination in itself. And not just the starting point or finale to your next trip.
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Are interested in art, nature, culture, or any other form of entertainment? Then you’ll be happy to know that Frankfurt is open all year round! Next time you’re looking for something to do, let the diversity of the city’s cultural landscape surprise and inspire you. For maps, tourist card and general information, www.frankfurt-tourismus.de.
This article was originally printed in the March 2011 issue of the Stars and Stripes Monthly Advertiser.
