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Frankfurt's rebuilt Altstadt in the foreground, with the city's skyline of bank towers rising behind it.
Photo: Thomas Wolf / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0 DE)Frankfurt travel guide
Frankfurt is Germany's financial capital, home to the European Central Bank and a skyline of glass towers unlike anywhere else in the country. That modern identity sits directly alongside Romerberg, the reconstructed heart of the city's half-timbered Altstadt, rebuilt after WWII bombing destroyed much of the historic centre. Along the River Main, the Museumsufer strings together ten museums including the renowned Stadel, while Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof - Germany's busiest railway station by passenger numbers - makes the city one of the country's central rail hubs.
Neighborhoods
Altstadt / Romerberg
The reconstructed historic core around Romerberg square, with the Romer city hall, the Fountain of Justice, and the Frankfurt Cathedral a short walk away.
Bankenviertel (Banking District)
Frankfurt's cluster of glass skyscrapers housing major banks and the European Central Bank, giving the city its distinctive skyline.
Sachsenhausen
A historic quarter south of the river known for its Apfelwein (apple wine) taverns, boutiques on Schweizer Strasse, and a lively nightlife and dining scene.
Museumsufer
The Main riverbank lined with around ten museums, including the Stadel Museum, connected to the Altstadt by the pedestrian Eiserner Steg bridge.
Top attractions
Romerberg and the Romer
Frankfurt's historic main square, dominated by the Romer, a neo-Gothic building that has served as the city's town hall for over 600 years.
Stadel Museum
The centrepiece of the Museumsufer, showcasing 700 years of European art in a single riverside institution.
Frankfurt Cathedral (Kaiserdom)
A Gothic cathedral where Holy Roman Emperors were once elected and crowned, a short walk from Romerberg in the Altstadt.
Eiserner Steg
A 19th-century iron pedestrian bridge across the Main, linking the Altstadt to the Museumsufer and offering a classic view of the city's skyline.
Sachsenhausen's Apfelwein taverns
A cluster of traditional taverns south of the river serving Frankfurt's signature apple wine alongside hearty regional food.
Food
Frankfurt's best-known specialty is Apfelwein (apple wine), a tart, still cider traditionally served in Sachsenhausen's taverns in a distinctive ribbed grey stoneware jug called a Bembel. Handkase mit Musik - a tangy hand-formed cheese served with onions, oil and vinegar - is a classic Apfelwein-tavern side. Frankfurter Grune Sosse, a cold herb sauce made from seven fresh herbs and served over eggs and potatoes, is another signature local dish, distinct from the mass-market sausage that shares the city's name internationally. Sachsenhausen and the Altstadt both offer traditional taverns, while the wider city has a genuinely international dining scene reflecting Frankfurt's role as a global financial and business hub.
How long to stay
If you only have one day
From Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof, head to Romerberg to see the Romer and the Fountain of Justice, then cross the Eiserner Steg to the Museumsufer for a visit to the Stadel Museum. In the afternoon, continue into Sachsenhausen for an Apfelwein tavern dinner and a look at the neighbourhood's nightlife streets.
If you have two or more
A second day opens up more of the Museumsufer's other museums beyond the Stadel, plus a closer look at the Bankenviertel skyline and Frankfurt Cathedral. A third day allows time for a slower wander through Sachsenhausen's boutiques and cafes, or a day trip out to nearby Wiesbaden or the Rheingau wine region.
Getting around
Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof, Germany's busiest railway station by passenger numbers, sits a walkable distance from the Altstadt and Bankenviertel, with trams and the U-Bahn covering the wider city including Sachsenhausen across the river. Frankfurt's compact core means most central sights - Romerberg, the Museumsufer and the Bankenviertel - are within easy walking distance of each other.
Practical tips
- Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof is a major interchange as well as a destination - allow good connection time if you're arriving to catch an onward long-distance train.
- Apfelwein is traditionally served in a Bembel, a distinctive ribbed stoneware jug - don't expect a sweet cider, since the local style is notably tart and dry.
- The Museumsufer's museums each charge separate admission - a combined museum ticket can be worth it if you plan to visit more than two or three.
- Germany uses the euro; card payment is widely accepted, though some traditional Sachsenhausen taverns still prefer cash.
- Frankfurt's Altstadt is a modern reconstruction completed only in the 2010s and 2020s - the half-timbered look is deliberate rather than original medieval fabric, worth knowing for context.
- The Bankenviertel skyline is best appreciated from across the river near the Museumsufer or from the Eiserner Steg, rather than from within the district itself.