Frankfurt City Guide

Where to Stay  /  Where to Eat and Drink  /  What to Do  /  How to Get Around

Where to Stay

Photo: Steigenberger Hotels AG

Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof hotel

For the history

Built in 1876, this luxury hotel is steps away from the Saint Bartholomeus’ Cathedral and Frankfurt’s 600-year-old city hall. Book a grand deluxe room, which includes access to the day spa and a wet shave in the barber’s shop. Dine at the Michelin-starred Restaurant Français; then relax with a manhattan in the wood-panelled Authors’ Bar.

Jumeirah Frankfurt Hotel

For the city views

Book a city-facing room in one of the upper floors of this 25-storey hotel, and enjoy the view along with your complimentary welcome drink. Start the day with toast topped with honey collected from rooftop beehives at the hotel’s open-kitchen restaurant, Max on One.

25hours Hotel The Goldman

For the colourful quirkiness

You can’t miss this bright-orange design hotel on the east side of the city. Each room has a unique decor scheme and is inspired by local personalities and international celebrities. Meet fellow guests in the dimly lit Oost bar, where funk and soul beats stoke the after-work crowd. Make use of the hotel’s free bike and Mini rentals, perfect for exploring the city.

Mövenpick Hotel Frankfurt City

For a business getaway

Ten bright meeting and conference rooms plus free Wi-Fi make this a popular hotel for business travellers. For dinner, tuck into geschnetzeltes – veal served in cream sauce and served with rösti potatoes – at the Swiss-style Mövenpick Restaurant.

Photo: Dieter Schwer

Libertine Lindenberg

For the designer apartments

This restored, turn-of-the-century guest house offers travellers a “temporary home,” whether it’s for one night or one month. For dinner, make use of the on-site grocery store and cook in the communal kitchen or book house chef Matthias to make you something special. Later watch a movie amid the living room’s funky art installations.

Meininger Hotel Frankfurt / Main Convention Centre

For a family-friendly stay

There’s fun for the whole family at this modern budget hotel, less than a 15-minute drive from the Römerberg. Some guest rooms sleep up to six, and all include access to the communal kitchen. On rainy days, keep the kids entertained in the games room, complete with foosball, pool table and board games. Children five and younger stay for free.

Vital Hotel Frankfurt

For relaxing wellness stays

Located in Hofheim (17 kilometres from downtown), this peaceful retreat has indoor and outdoor pools and a network of saunas and steam rooms. Enjoy views of the Frankfurt skyline from your suite’s panorama window, and unwind with a hot stone back treatment or massage. Midnight saunas are held on the first and third Saturdays of each month.

Where to Eat and Drink

Restaurant Lafleur

For the prix fixe

Reservations are a must at Andreas Krolik’s Michelin-starred restaurant specializing in seafood and vegan fare. For a special treat, try the four-to-seven-course degustation menu, featuring such dishes as Arctic char with smoked parsley stock. The well-stocked wine cellar includes vintages from Château Lafleur, and a selection of German wines is available by the glass.

Photo: Holger Ullmann, Frankfurt Tourist and Congress Board

Café Hauptwache

For an alfresco lunch

Housed in a restored baroque building, this popular café has been in business since the early 1900s. Take a seat on the terrace and tuck into Handkäse mit musik, a local delicacy of hand-pressed cheese served with onions, followed by Frankfurter teller, a platter of grilled meat and sausages.

Daheim im Lorsbacher Thal

For a taste of local hospitality

Germany is known for beer halls and beer gardens, but in Frankfurt the traditional tipple is apfelwein, cider-like apple wine served in ribbed glasses. Local apple wine is dispensed from blue- and grey-glazed Bembel flagons at the counter of this wood-panelled bar, which stocks over 100 varieties. On summer evenings, arrive early to snag a seat in the courtyard.

The Black Bulls Steakhouse

For outstanding steak

Framed photos of celebrities, including John Wayne and John Travolta, adorn the walls of this upscale steak house. Pair your Cajun-spiced rib-eye, smoked New York steak or lobster with a side of bratkartoffeln, a German take on fried potatoes.

Eat Doori

For Indian street food

Neon lights shaped into Devanagari script hang on the walls of this upbeat, informal restaurant serving Indian street food and cocktails. Try a palak pakora “naanwich” – a sandwich made with tandoor-baked naan bread, seasoned spinach and vegetable pakora.

Sonamu

For the bulgogi

Decorated in pine from floor to ceiling, this casual, cash-only eatery serves classic Korean dishes. Dig into bulgogi (marinated beef served with vegetables) and bibimbap (rice topped with vegetables and chicken) while oldies by the likes of The Beatles and Otis Redding play through the speakers.

Hoppenworth and Ploch

For third-wave coffee

Sip coffee made from single-origin beans roasted in-house amid this shop’s chic interior; think exposed brick and white walls. The citrusy Geisha coffee pairs perfectly with a Panini, homemade cake or waffle with Nutella. Don’t leave without taking a bag of beans to go.

What to Do

Kleinmarkthalle

For picnic fixings

This indoor market is chockablock with local delicacies, such as tangy mustards and apple-based spirits at Hessenshop; French Camembert and Spanish cheeses at Käse Thomas; and air-dried ham and regional salami sausage at the Feinkost Traulieb deli.

Jazzkeller

For the live jazz

Louis Armstrong is among the many stars to have graced the stage at this intimate underground jazz club. Live gigs are held most nights, while a DJ lays down soul and funk tracks on Fridays. Buy tickets at the door an hour before the show, but get there early because they’re first-come, first-served.

Design House Stockholm

For chic souvenirs

Browse clothing, gifts and housewares from leading Scandinavian designers, including Lena Bergström’s flippable candle holders and Jesper Ståhl’s kitchenware in this sleek Neustadt boutique. The trendy neighbourhood is also home to other design shops, like BoConcept and Habitat.

Photo: Städel Museum

Städel Museum

For the ancient art

The former home of spice merchant and banker Johann Friedrich Städel, this historic building on the bank of the Main River houses one of Europe’s leading art museums. Galleries feature sculpture, etchings and photography as well as oil paintings by Johannes Vermeer, Max Beckmann and Gerhard Richter. Sip a coffee or tea at the self-serve café while taking in views of the river.

Photo: Holger Ullmann, Frankfurt Tourist and Congress Board

The Römer building and Römerberg

For the medieval architecture

The gabled Römer building has housed Frankfurt’s city hall since 1405. Check out the Main Hall for portrait paintings of Germany’s medieval leaders; then explore cobbled Römerberg Square to snap photos of restored half-timbered houses.

Photo: Holger Ullmann, Frankfurt Tourist and Congress Board

Main Tower

For the city views

See Frankfurt and its hinterland from the observation deck that spans the 55th and 56th floors. Book in advance to join one of the free group tours of the Commerzbank Tower, Germany’s tallest building, held on the last Saturday of each month. Stop by nearby Goethe House, the birthplace and childhood home of writer Johann Wolfgang Goethe.

Bundesliga soccer

For live soccer

Don a red scarf and join fans in the Commerzbank arena as Eintracht Frankfurt, one of Germany’s most beloved soccer clubs, take on their opponents. It’s best to order tickets in advance from the club’s website. If available, same-day tickets can be bought at the stadium. Learn about the club’s history in the adjacent museum before or after the game.

How to Get Around

Getting from Frankfurt Airport

Frankfurt Airport (FRA) is a 20-minute drive southwest of the city. The nearby Frankfurter Kreuz, Germany’s busiest highway, provides access to roads leading to destinations around the country. (The A5 and B43 highways are the main access roads to the city.)

A suburban rail service, the S-Bahn, connects the airport with the city, with trains running every 15 minutes during peak times. The journey to Frankfurt Central Station takes 11 minutes. Adult fares cost €4.80. Some regional and Inter City Express (ICE) trains also run between the airport and city centre.

Taxis charge a fixed rate of €38, for up to three passengers, from the airport to destinations in central Frankfurt.

Public Transportation

An integrated public transport network of S-Bahn, U-Bahn, tram and bus lines provides a convenient way of getting around the city and its suburbs. Day tickets cost €9.35 for adults, for an unlimited number of journeys, while group tickets, for up to five people travelling together, cost €16.40. A ticket for travel throughout the state of Hessen (called a Hessenticket) costs €35.00 and is valid for up to five people.

Call a Bike

Make use of a short-term bicycle rental at any time of the day by registering online with Call a Bike. After registering as a user and paying an annual registration fee of €3, each half hour costs €1. A 24-hour tariff, costing €15.00 for unlimited use during that time period, is also available.

Taxis

You can order a taxi from stands situated around the city centre. They are also located at Frankfurt Central Station and at the airport. You might be able to hail one on the street, but calling is often easier. (Note that Uber doesn’t run in Frankfurt.)

Velotaxis

This modern bicycle rickshaw is Frankfurt’s environmentally friendly alternative to motorized transport. Up to two passengers can ride in a Velotaxi. The minimum fare is €4, with rides of between one and two kilometres costing €8.