Home to one of the largest financial centres of continental Europe and the region’s second busiest airport, Frankfurt is considered one of the 10 most liveable cities in the world. A transport and tourism hub with a thriving cultural scene, the city boasts numerous museums – second only to the capital, Berlin.
Frankfurt hosts the world’s largest motor show (internationale automobil-ausstellung) as well as the biggest book (Frankfurter Buchmesse) and music (musikmesse) fairs. Unless you are attending, these are the only times you should avoid the city – it gets that busy.
Frankfurt Information
Population: Approx. 671,927
Time Zone: UTC +1/+2
Languages: German (official), Swiss, English
Currency: Euro
Currency Exchange: Purchase your EED cash and travellers cheques before you leave Australia
Frankfurt Climate
A typical temperate oceanic climate, Frankfurt experiences mild summers with temperatures ranging between 12°C (54°F) overnight and 23°C (73°F) during the day.
Winters are cold with maximums rarely exceeding 5°C (41°F) with lows around -1°C (30°F). July is the cities wettest month with around 65mm of rainfall and February it’s driest, with 37mm.
Frankfurt Airport
Name: Frankfurt Airport
Website: http://www.frankfurt-airport.com/
Partner Airline: Etihad Airways
Car Rental: Mates rates on all car hire with our preferred partners
Around Frankfurt
Travel through the cobblestone lanes of Old Sachsenhausen and you’ll feel like you’ve stepped back in time. Much of the town was preserved during the war and walking past the traditional pubs and timber framed houses makes for an enchanting experience. Find a seat at one of Frankfurt’s more traditional cider houses and enjoy a glass of apple wine and some savoury pretzels or handkäse (hand cheese), one of Frankfurt’s culinary specialities.
Built at the birthplace of Germany’s leading poet and playwright, the Goethe Museum located at Großer Hirshgraben 23-25 is where literary fans can pay homage to Frankfurt’s most famous son. Here amongst the late baroque period furniture you can view an extensive collection of the works of Johann Wolfgang Goethe. Other local artists are also on display with paintings and busts dating from the 18th century. Exhibitions are sometimes held with valuable prints and manuscripts from the library and archives open for public viewing.
Don’t leave Frankfurt without visiting St. Bartholomew’s Cathedral. First erected in 1239 the cathedral has been rebuilt five times - the most recent a result of the second word war which is where it took on its present day form. Restorations and excavations again took place in 1992 and 1994. It was at this time the discovery of a 7th century grave took place and some of the historical artefacts are now on display in the cathedrals museum. The spire which reaches an impressive 95 metres high can be climbed via 324 steps - here you can savour sweeping views of the city and beyond.
Surrounding Area
About an hours train ride out of Frankfurt will have you arriving at Heidelberg, home of the historic Renaissance structure – Heidelberg castle. Built circa 1214 the castle looks over picturesque Neckar Valley and receives more than 3 million visitors each year. Tours and guide books are available and the town itself offers a range of other historical attractions to explore including a university students’ prison dating back to 1778.
Hilton Frankfurt
5 Star Property
The Hilton Frankfurt is a luxury property located in the heart of downtown Frankfurt, adjacent to the Stock Exchange and Alte Oper, approximately nine miles from Frankfurt Rhein-Main International Airport. Local attractions include Kaiserdom, Taunus Mountains, and Messe fairground.
Sheraton Frankfurt Hotel and Towers Conference Center
5 Star Property
Overnight stays and meetings without a long way round at the Sheraton Frankfurt Hotel & Towers! This well-established hotel has a perfect location: right at Frankfurt International Airport with connection to the freeways A3 and A5, long-distance and regional railway stations as well as suburban train station.
Radisson Blu Hotel Frankfurt
5 Star Property
A gigantic disc made out of softly shining blue glass, 20 storeys, 96 metres high, 136 metres long and 85 metres wide. Experience the outstanding Radisson Blu Hotel in Frankfurt, a new landmark of the town, and choose your favourite room style out of 4 decor styles.
The Westin Grand Frankfurt
4 Star Property
All 369 rooms and suites are decorated in warm shades and tones and equipped with modern, comfy furniture and a flat screen television. The Heavenly Bed, a Westin innovation with special mattress, guarantees a good night's sleep.
Holiday Inn City South Conference Centre
4 Star Property
Frankfurt Main 'Mainhattan' -the dynamic European metropol with its exclusive boutiques, exotic restaurants and also the excellent museums of the city extend their invitations.
Frankfurt Marriott Hotel
5 Star Property
Set in Europe's energetic banking capital, the Frankfurt Marriott Hotel makes an impressive appearance as the tallest hotel on the continent. Located across from the exhibition grounds near the Congress Centre and the main train station, you'll find famed shopping, museums, the old opera house and nightlife nearby. Step inside and you'll see why this is considered among the top hotels in Frankfurt. A handsome lobby conveys a cordial air that extends throughout the hotel.
Dining
A gastronomer's delight, Gargantua restaurant located at An der Welle 3 is an elegant fusion of German and international foods. Owner chef Klaus Trebes originally wanted to create a restaurant that reflected a family run kitchen, one-dish-a-day type meals like the provincial restaurants of Italy and France. Gargantua was such a resounding success it could no longer support that type of menu. The result is a robust a la cart menu and matching wine list which has only contributed to the restaurants popularity.
For a truly alpine kitsch dining experience head to Steinernes Haus (The Inn). Built around 500 years ago, it was the only stone building in an area otherwise made up of traditional wood homes. It has been in operation as a restaurant for the past 100 years. The menu reflects the owner’s penchant for tradition. Here you can enjoy house made brawn, ox brisket with Frankfurter green sauce and steaming hot apfel (apple) strudel with cinnamon and cream. You’ll find them at Braubachstr. 35 near the Römer.
For a quintessential local dining experience, head to Apfelwein Wagner. An old apple wine tavern, locals share bench seats at long wooden tables - a great value eatery which attracts family and group celebrations. Tuck into time-honoured German dishes like pork shoulder with sauerkraut, liver dumplings and home fried potatoes. Located at Schweizer Strasse 71, there’s plenty of cider to enjoy with the lively locals too.
Shopping
Frankfurt’s most popular shopping mile – the Zeil is home to well known German department stores Galeria Kaufhot and Karstadt. Here you can find high-end designers as well as perennial favourites Zara and H & M. The street itself has one of the highest turnovers of any shopping strip in Europe, there are actual lockers for you to stow your bags while you continue to shop!
A visit to the Zeilgalerie shopping mall is a multi-sensory experience. Finished in 2010, shoppers can marvel at its complex glass façade which features a programmed light installation. The mall also boasts its own rooftop viewing platform –giving shoppers an impressive view of the cities famous skyscrapers all the way to the Taunus Mountains.
For a much more traditional German shopping experience (and one much lighter on the purse strings) head to the growers market at Konstablerwache. Here you can buy farm fresh vegetables, gourmet cheese and German sweets like Lebkuchen (gingerbread) and Kraplen (donuts). You can also taste some of the regions local specialties like Frankfurt green sauce and eggs, Frankfurter würstchen (smoked sausage) and of course apfelwein (apple wine).
